Charles P. Smith (d.1881)

Charles P. Smith was the captain of the steamboat "Seawanhaka." In the spring of 1880 the boiler of the commuter ferry exploded near Manhattan, fire broke out, and one hundred passengers jumped overboard to their death. Captain Smith, badly burned, managed to ground the ferry off Randall's Island, saving the lives of everyone left onboard. But the authorities needed a scapegoat, so Smith was charged with second degree manslaughter. The charges were dropped in 1883, after Smith's death.

Date:
1875 circa 5 years
Original Format:
Carte de Visite
Item#:
MES17729
Photographer:
John Wood
Height:
1265px
Width:
763px
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