The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1848-09-20

Since the melancholy details we published
yesterday, we have Ila'l an opportunity of con-
vcrsIng with one Of the passengers of the
Ocean Monarch, and with another gentleman
well known in this community, who arrived
in Liverpool the night after the accident, and
who took pains to Iamiliarzc himself with all
the details Of the distressing casualty Both
these gentlemen speak in terms o, rcprubat:on
nl the conduct of Capt Murdock. We hope
Tor his own credit, and icr tho credit Of Amer
'can sca'nanshr, t',at Capt. NJ. may Lc able
To clear up satisfactorily some OF the charges
made against him. These charges arc, tha,
he neg .ectcd the ship and passengers and
sought his own personal safety as ioo,, as pos
Sblc. The spars were allowed to remain
standing, when they mi ght have bccn cut
down, and by falling upon The groups OF fran
tic beings clustered upon the deck, caused a
great destruction Of life. Then. again, The
five boats belonging to The vessel were sullar-
cd to get on fire before they were lowered,
with the exception of two. One Of these, in
charge OF tke first mate, contained only tive or
siN persons. IL was without oars; the plug
was out OF the bottom, and one poor fellow
pule oil h.s stockings aud stopped the hoic,
and they were obliged to bale out The water
will, their hats. The other boat was freight.
ed with some OF the crew and passengers, and
started for Liverpool. IT was asserted that
Capt. NJ. was in this last boat. The first
mates conduct was spoken Of in high terms
OF commentator. After having discharged
this cargo he returned to the ship and did
what he could to rescue others
Our informant remained OH the ship six
hours after the flames had burst out, and was
finalls picked up by the beats OF the Brazilian
irIgatc. Most of that time he was standing
on one OF the braces under the bow, by the
side Of the figure head. While standing there
many hcart-rending scenes came under his
observation. One poor woman accidentally
dropped her child into the water, ami instant
ly, with the vain hope Of rescuing ii, Icaped
in after it, and the last he saw of her, she was
searching in the watcry element for her child,
Another hung by her hands from The bow of
the vessel for four hours, her only support be-
sides being rope which he assisted her in
twining around her feet.
The case of Mr.. and Mrs. Dow, newly
| married couple from Glasgow, was also one
Of thrilling interest. Mrs Dow hatl left her
friends with much reluctance on their part,
and when she discovered the extent OF the
catastrophe, she became frantic, and notwith-
standing the efforts oi her husband to paclfy
her, she lcaped into the sea. Her husband
followed her, and claspng each other, they
supported themselves until they we're picked
up, and finally rescued.
The self f-dcvotion and hcroisln Of the stew
ardeas arc worthy OF more enduring me-
inento, than it will be likely TO receive. Our
information, who was l,imsclf lifted through
the skY-light of tic cabin, which was then so
full Of smoke as to be suifocating, saw the
stcwardesa passing him, and saying, she
"muSt get out the powdcr!" but she pcrishc,l
IN the noble attempt to save the lives OF ma
ny others. She was young and beautiful
grscttc; and in thus making herself mar
| tyr, She deserves io he ranked anr,l. The
! Craze nIrlnC: ri ihc iacc.