Men Not Inclined to Row

Charles Emil Henry Stengel

First-class passenger

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Mr. Stengel, a member of the firm of Stengel & Rothschild, leather manufacturers, resented with some heat in Newark, N. J., yesterday the imputation of bribery in the offering of a reward to the men of the dinghy.

"In the first place," Mr. Stengel said, "the boat was the smallest, I think, of all that left the Titanic. When we were taken out of it, it was set adrift because it would have not been of any further service. It was the last to leave the starboard side of the steamer, and I have not been able since to figure out how Mr. Salomon got into it. He was the last to board it."

"After the Titanic went down and we were drawing away, the men at the oars didn't show much of a desire to row, or the man in the bow to keep a lookout. They stopped work entirely a number of times to make cigarettes. This kept up for more than an hour, and then Sir Cosmo said:"

"'If you men will do your share of rowing, and especially keep a sharp lookout for another ship, I'll make it all right with you.'"

"Lady Gordon told them that if her husband didn't take care of them she would, and the men kept busy after that. When we reached the Carpathia I saw Sir Cosmo hand each of the men what I thought was a banknote, but it may have been a check. At any rate he said:"

"'I think you'll be able to exchange that for cash in the States; if you can't it will be honored at Coutts's Bank when you get back to London.'"

"That's the only basis there is for the outrageous story that places were bought up which might have been taken by others. Sir Cosmo's act was one of generosity and nothing else. It seemed to be what the men were waiting for. I did what I could for the men after I reached the Carpathia."