Jan C. Nielsen
Member
My sincere thanks to Senan Molony for posting the information about Thomas Ryan's court case against the Oceanic Steamship Navigation Company. I found it absolutely fascinating. Interestingly, the defense put on a whole slew of captains from various steamship lines, who attested to the lack of any negligence . . . nonetheless, the jury found for Ryan on one negligence count . . . "speed."
It would be hard not to find for the plaintiff on that.
I have only the greatest respect for Thomas Ryan, an ordinary man, who felt the wrong, and the loss of his son. Rather than sit there, and be complacent, and let OSNC spit on him, he challenged this enormously powerful company, and won. His lawyers, Campbell and Scanlan, also deserve substantial credit --- it was a tough case.
You'll note, too, who testified for the plaintiff, versus who testified for the defense. Ordinary seamen like Scarrott, testified for the plaintiff. They were credible witnesses, in my mind. Guys like Lightoller, Boxhall and Sanderson testified for the defense. That says something about the motivation of these witnesses, particularly Titanic's surviving officers.
Captain Rostron, like the captains who testified for the defense here, spoke very sympathetically to Captain Smith, in his testimony before the Senate Committee.
It's easy to see that all the steamship captains, Titanic's officers, and OSNC's management were working together in one huge self-serving effort to cover the industry's posterior.
Ryan and his lawyers' story is a very positive one. It renews your faith in people.
It would be hard not to find for the plaintiff on that.
I have only the greatest respect for Thomas Ryan, an ordinary man, who felt the wrong, and the loss of his son. Rather than sit there, and be complacent, and let OSNC spit on him, he challenged this enormously powerful company, and won. His lawyers, Campbell and Scanlan, also deserve substantial credit --- it was a tough case.
You'll note, too, who testified for the plaintiff, versus who testified for the defense. Ordinary seamen like Scarrott, testified for the plaintiff. They were credible witnesses, in my mind. Guys like Lightoller, Boxhall and Sanderson testified for the defense. That says something about the motivation of these witnesses, particularly Titanic's surviving officers.
Captain Rostron, like the captains who testified for the defense here, spoke very sympathetically to Captain Smith, in his testimony before the Senate Committee.
It's easy to see that all the steamship captains, Titanic's officers, and OSNC's management were working together in one huge self-serving effort to cover the industry's posterior.
Ryan and his lawyers' story is a very positive one. It renews your faith in people.