Current William Murdoch: Danny Burstein
Original William Murdoch: David Costabile

William has not moved into his quarters yet.

“An iceberg, sir. I hard-a-starboarded and reversed the engines and I was going to hard-a-port round it, but she was too close. I could not do any more. I have closed the water tight doors.”

--Murdoch’s reply to the Captain’s “What did we hit?”

“I saw Mr. Murdock (sic) place guards by the gangways to prevent others like the wounded stoker form coming on deck. How many unhappy men were shut off in that way from their chance of safety I do not know, but Mr. Murdock was probably right. He was a masterful man, astoundingly brave and cool. I had met him the day before when he was inspecting the second cabin quarters, and though him a bull-dog of a man who would not be afraid of anything. This proved to be true, he kept order to the last, and died at his post. They say he shot himself. I do not know.”
--Charlotte Collyer, Semi-Monthly Magazine, May 1912

"Having got my boat down off the top of the house, and there being no time to open it, I left it and ran across to the starboard side, still on top of the quarters. I was then practically looking down on your husband and his men. He was working hard, personally assisting, overhauling the forward boat's fall. At this moment the ship dived, and we were all in the water. Other reports as to the ending are absolutely false. Mr. Murdoch died like a man, doing his duty."
--Charles Lightoller, in a letter to Mrs. Ada Murdoch

Did He Or Didn't He?

Did Murdoch shoot himself in the head or was he swept out to sea to freeze to death or drown?

The hasty exchange of Wilde for Murdoch is evident on this document, a facsmile of the "Report of Survey of An Emigrant Ship" from the Board of Trade in Queenstown

For more information: William Murdoch of the Titanic