The Inquest
A Travesty
True heroes, in 1852 the men on the British ship HMS Birkenhead made famous the cry “Women and Children First” saving all 26 women and children aboard although 441 seamen perished.
With insufficient life rafts, the men famously stood rank allowing the women and children to board the lifeboats safely and escape.
By contrast, the City of Sanford's officers and crew left the women and children behind to die. With the exception of the purser and the two pilots, it was every man for himself.
HMS Birkenhead, National Army Museum, Watercolor , Thomas Blaines 1852
Duplicity and Secrets
Thirty days after the City of Sanford disaster, the federal Steamboat Inspection Service released their report. The Steamboat Inspection Service stated there had been 12 cabin passengers, 12 deck passengers and 21 crew onboard the City of Sanford. The purser had also confirmed the number of cabin passengers at the Inquest. Two of the cabin passengers included the chief pilot’s son and nephew.
The three surviving cabin passengers were interviewed at the Inquest. Eight “documented” cabin passengers perished including the two young boys. With three survivors, that totals eleven.
Who was the twelfth cabin passenger?
At the inquest Captain Roberts wove an elaborate tale about being with the women and children on the stern of the boat and his attempts to save them. He provided specific detail of those final moments. However, the two badly burned survivors, who were central to his narrative, stated they never saw the Captain until they were in the water. The Captain’s heroic testimony of attempting to save the women and children was entirely false.
Annie Capitola Ireland's testimony was relayed via her doctor, she did not appear at the Inquest.
Florida Daily Times April 28-30th, 1882
The Lame Survivor's Testimony
Another survivor, who was lame, stated that he and his companion came out of their cabin quickly after the boat ran aground. They had heard cries of “Fire”, smelled smoke and were dressing before the purser banged on the door to awaken them. He saw a man and woman exit the cabin across from his room and go towards the stern. He had to hang on to his companion's coattails to walk, and they started for the forward saloon.
A voice from the stern, that he testified was the Captain’s, told them to “come this way.” Upon reaching the stern he saw the woman jump overboard followed by the Captain. He saw no one else on the stern - no other women, no children. He and his companion then jumped in the water.
The lame survivor was adamant there was only one woman, no one else. That would mean the Captain jumped overboard with an unidentified woman before any of his cabin passengers.
The passenger cabins were all grouped close together on the saloon deck with a narrow hall leading to the stern. The Captain would have passed their doors on the way to the stern to jump. Even more damning was his false testimony about trying to save the women and children.
E.F. Smith, Survivor
Florida Daily Times, April 27, 1882
The Second Pilot's Testimony
The Captain said he ran the steamer aground, stayed in the pilot house adjoining the hurricane deck, kept the paddlewheel running and ordered the second pilot on duty to make sure all the passengers got off the boat. The steamer was only about 300 yards from the shore and would have grounded quickly.
However, the second pilot, who was steering the steamer, said the Captain called to him from the stairs near the hurricane deck and told him to run the steamer aground as fast as he could. The second pilot’s statement made no further mention of the Captain being in the pilot house, although he went into great detail about the steamer running aground, the pilot house catching fire, the whistle being too hot for him to pull and his harrowing escape.
Captain Roberts had returned to a cabin on the saloon deck before the steamer grounded. Immediately after grounding, a survivor saw him exit the cabin with an unidentified female passenger and jump overboard.
Riverboat Pilot House, Publisher Unknown
Documented Passengers
There was only one documented couple on the City of Sanford, the Irelands. They were traveling with a 7-year-old child in their cabin. Their 22-year-old daughter was in another cabin and was later trapped with her entire family on the stern.
There were only three “reported” adult cabin passengers that were female: Mrs. Ireland, Mrs. Keep, and Miss Ireland. Two of them burned to death and the third was severely burned.
There were four men documented. One burned to death, one drowned and one was severely burned. Only the lame passenger survived unscathed.
All four children died.
Children watch a steamer from St. Johns riverbank 1882, American Illustrated, Tropical Series
Commendation and Condemnation
The Captain was never in the stern trying to save the women and children. Per the lame survivor’s testimony, he had already jumped overboard with an unidentified woman.
The passengers had been awakened then abandoned. The victims were never told the fire was out of control. Nor did they know that everyone else had jumped overboard.
The fireman jumped before the boat was aground.
The City of Jacksonville inquest commended the Captain for his heroism. The Federal Steamboat Inspection Service condemned him and revoked his license.
Although there was some discussion of criminal negligence amongst the public, it came to naught.
The woman who jumped overboard could have drowned but she didn’t burn. Neither did the lame survivor who jumped nor his companion that drowned. Captain Roberts wasn’t burned either. Every other cabin passenger, except the two young boys who were presumed drowned, either burned to death or were severely burned
The fate of the 12th cabin passenger was never documented, discussed or even mentioned.
And the Captain was called a hero.
Florida Daily Times, May 24, 1882
Captain William H. Roberts was married with a small baby. He was able to obtain a license that would allow him to captain the tiny packet steamer, Magnet, around Jacksonville for the remainder of his career. Never again would he captain a large steamship serving the greater St. Johns River.
It should be noted that the Magnet was owned by George DeCottes. DeCottes was a member of the Inquest jury and best friends with Captain Roberts two brothers-in-law. Roberts had married Mary Dorcas Broward, sister of Montcalm and future Governor Napoleon Broward in 1878. Together with DeCottes, the Broward brothers funded and built the historic Three Friends Steamboat.
Roberts and his then 24 year old wife never had more children. She died in Manhattan, New York in 1893. Roberts died in Jacksonville in 1926.
Small river steamer, St. Johns River,
American Stereoscopic Company, New York c1880