The loss of the Ocean Monarch - Robbery of survivors

From 'The Illustrated London News'

ROBBERY OF SURVIVORS & MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF ONE OF THEM

Mr. Henry Powell, of Portman Place, Maida Hill, London, who had taken a cabin passage on board the Ocean Monarch, with a view of joining his family at Cincinnati, has published a statement in the Liverpool papers, in which, after bearing testimony to the courage, presence of mind and praiseworthy conduct of Captain Murdoch, throughout the dreadful scene, and describing his own providential escape, and the kind treatment he has since received from Mr. Parry and his family, of the hotel at Seacombe, where he has been stopping since the sad catastrophe, he gives the following narrative :-  "After tossing about for two or three hours, a pilot boat called the Pilot Queen, of Chester, with the letters painted in yellow on her stern, and the letters P.C., in black, on her sail, approached us and took us on board - but more for the purpose of robbery than from any motives of humanity, as was afterwards proved.  As soon as I got on board, I , with several other passengers, went below : we stripped off our wet clothes and tumbled into the berths for warmth, most of us being dreadfully sea-sick at the time. In about an hour after I heard a loud quarrel upon deck. I immediately dressed myself in a seaman's old, torn, jacket and trousers, wrapped a blanket round my chest, and proceeded above. It appeared that the men belonging to the pilot-boat were determined to take us no farther, there excuse being that it was too dangerous to approach the coast. The opinion of our party, however, was that their object was to return to the neighbourhood of the burning ship and pick up all the articles they could find. They had already secured several boxes, one trunk belonging to one of the cabin passengers, and insisted upon our leaving them behind in their possession, together with the boat in which we had effected our escape from the vessel. This, our party managed to resist, and hence arose the quarrel. One of the rascals, however, managed to throw the trunk into a small boat of their own and rowed away. As we had no oars we were not in a position to follow.  A fishing smack now approached so we all got into our boat for the purpose of going on board of her, and the blanket which I had around my neck was then observed by one of the men. He grasped at it, exclaiming, "God damn ye, give that here !" but rather than do this, I gave him a valuable silver lever watch in exchange, although the articles we had left in their possession repaid them well for the little mercy we received at their hands.  There is another circumstance in connexion with these fellows which, I understand, is now being inquired into at the police office. When we left this pilot-boat, the Pilot Queen, of Chester (her name cannot be made too public), one of the passengers was left below in one of the berths perfectly naked, too ill to dress himself in time to leave with us. He was a very respectable-looking young man, and had money about him, as I myself heard him offer the men a sovereign to take him on shore. In the confusion, hurry and quarrel he was left behind, nor has he since been heard of. When we named the circumstance to the men belonging to the fishing smack, their reply was, "If they find out that he's got money  about him, they'll murder him and throw him overboard.  They'll never think to be found out;" and concluded their remarks by observing, "That we had no idea of the black work going on in these quarters." These remarks I heard, myself, nor can I divest my mind of the uneasiness I have since felt with regard to the fate of this young man.
I hope every inquiry will be made to trace him out. The fishing smack brought us safe to Seacombe and there landed us. She was managed by two Irishmen, who treated us with every kindness."  The name of the individual above referred to is said to be Coombes, and it is added that his father keeps a shoe-shop in Liverpool. He has also a mother and sisters there. It is, therefore, very remarkable, considering the time that has elapsed, that he has not yet been heard of.  Mr. Powell, in a further letter, says that the police had been despatched in search of the crew of the pilot-boat and had returned with a part of them, and had recovered his watch.