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ONE SURVIVOR REACHES HOME OF BROTHER

Hudson Observer

Thomas Percy Oxenham, 22 years old, brother of Charles Oxenham, of 966
Tonnele avenue, New Durham, is now resting after his frightful
experience in the Titanic wreck. He came from Pondersend, Eng., to live
with his North Hudson relative.

Just how his rescue was brought about he does not know, but says the
last he remembers was being half pushed, half carried to a lifeboat. A
chum, Walter Harris, married secretly in England some time ago, was with
him until he reached the lifeboat. Then the two were separated. Harris
has not been found. He leaves a young wife and child in England.

Considerable difficulty was experienced by the Hudson Observer
representative in getting any information from the Oxenhams. The
brother at first would not permit conversation with the survivor. He
finally demanded that the questioning cease, for the good of the young
man. He declared that rest was needed by him, and told him he had been
picked up by the Carpathia, clad only in a night shirt. The survivor
spoke but briefly and did not seem to remember a great deal of what had
happened.

"My mind is in a daze," he said. "The whole thing is like a terrible
dream. I cannot think the Titanic is so deep down in the sea. All that
happened seems to me to have taken place years ago

"I remember my Chum Walter Harris being with me. We were second cabin
passengers and one of the stewards awakened us after the crash. We got
to the deck somehow, and then I forget what happened. After that I woke
up in a boat. All of the other horrible things that happened have been
described I the papers. I do not want to talk. I need a long rest and
will say nothing until I feel better. The shock and exposure have done
me up awful bad."

After the survivor's brother had indicated that the reporter had better
depart, he stood for a time at the door.

"I do not think his mind has been affected permanently. He has periods
of melancholy and forgetfulness at intervals. He must have a good rest,
and I am going to see to it that he does. I had to get clothes for him
before he left the Carpathia," Charles Oxenham said.

Finally, when pressed with some further questions, Oxenham smiled.

"You are trying to pump me now. I have met your sort before."

He was asked if any of the officials of the steamship company had
induced his brother not to talk of the wreck. He flatly refused to
discuss the matter, and would not reply to a query at to whether or
not anyone connected with the concern had "seen" his brother.
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(1912) ONE SURVIVOR REACHES HOME OF BROTHER Hudson Observer (ref: #6189, accessed 29th August 2008 09:32:47 PM)
URL : http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/survivor-reaches-home-brother.html

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Related Biographies:
Walter Harris
Percy Thomas Oxenham

Contributor
Mark Baber

 

 
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