December 2, 2025 • 11 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The man who was not on the passenger list by
Robert Barr, the well sworn lie Frang to the world
with all the circumstance of proof, cringes abashed and sneaks
along the wall at the first sight of truth. The
Gibrontus of the hot Cross bun Line was at one
time the best ship of that justly celebrated fleet. All
(00:21):
steamships have, of course, their turn at the head of
the fleet until a better boat is built. But the
Gibrantus is even now a reasonably fast and popular boat.
An accident happened on board the Gibrontus some years ago,
which was of small importance to the general public, but
of some moment to Richard Keeling, for it killed him.
The poor man got only a line or two in
(00:42):
the papers when the steamer arrived at New York, and
then they spelled his name wrong. It had happened something
like this. Keeling was wandering around very late at night,
when he should have been in his bunk, and he
stepped on a dark place that he thought was solid.
As it happened, there was nothing between him and the
bottom the hold but space. They buried Keeling at sea,
(01:04):
and the officers knew absolutely nothing about the matter when
inquisitive passengers hearing rumors questioned them. This state of things
very often exists both on sea and land, as far
as officials are concerned. Missus Skeeling, who had been left
in England while her husband went to America to make
his fortune and tumbled down a hole instead, felt aggrieved
(01:25):
at the company. The company said that Keeling had no
business to be nosing around dark places on the deck
at that time of night, and doubtless their contention was just.
Miss Skeeling, on the other hand, held that a steamer
had no right to have such man traps open at
any time night or day without having them properly guarded,
and in that she was also probably correct. The company
(01:47):
was very sorry, of course, that the thing had occurred,
but they refused to pay for Keeling unless compelled to
do so by the law of the land, and there
matters stood. No one can tell what the law of
the land will do when it's put in motion. Although
many people thought that if Missus Keeling had brought a
suit against the hot Cross Bun Company, she would have
won it. But Missus Skeeling was a poor woman, and
(02:09):
you have to put a penny in the slot when
you want the figures of justice to work. So the
unfortunate creature signed something which the lawyer of the company
had written out, and accepted the few pounds which Keeling
had paid for room eighteen on the Gibrontus. It would
seem that this ought to have settled the matter, for
the lawyer told Missus Keeling he thought the company acted
very generously in refunding the passage money, but it didn't
(02:32):
settle the matter. Within a year from that time the
company voluntarily paid Missus Keeling two thousand, one hundred pounds
for her husband. Now that the occurrence is called to
your mind, you will perhaps remember the editorial one of
the leading London Daily's head on the Extraordinary Circumstance, in
which it was very ably shown that the old saying
(02:53):
about corporations having no souls to be condemned or bodies
to be kicked did not apply in these days of
com commercial honor and integrity. It was a very touching
editorial and had caused tears to be shed on the
Stock Exchange, the members having had no idea before reading
it that they were so noble and generous. How then,
(03:14):
was it that the Hot Cross Bun Company did this
commendable act when their lawyer took such pains to clear
them of all legal liability. The purser of the Gibrontus,
who is now old and superannuated, could probably tell you
if he liked when the negotiations with Missus Keeling had
been brought to a satisfactory conclusion by the lawyer of
the company, and when that gentleman was rubbing his hands
(03:37):
over his easy victory. The goodship Gibrontus was steaming out
of the Mercy on her way to New York. The
stewards in the Grand Saloon were busy getting things in
order for dinner, when a when and gone passenger spoke
to one of them. Where have you placed me at table?
He asked? What name? Sir? Asked the stewart Keeling. The
(03:57):
steward looked along the main tables, up one side and
down the other, reading the cards, but nowhere did he
find the name he was in search of. Then he
looked at the small tables, but also without success. How
do you spell it, sir, he asked the patient passenger.
K W E L I N G. Thank you, sir.
Then he looked up and down the four rows of
(04:19):
names on the passenger list he held in his hand,
but finally shook his head. I can't find your name
on the passenger list, he said. I'll speak to the purser, sir.
I wish you would, replied the passenger in a listless way,
as if he had not much interest in the matter.
The passenger, whose name was not on a list, waited
until the steward returned. Would you mind stepping into the
(04:40):
purser's room for a moment, sir. I'll show you the way, sir.
When the passenger was shown into the purser's room, that
official said to him, in the urbane manner of purses,
might I look at your tickets, sir. The passenger pulled
a long pocket book from the inside of his coat,
opened it, and handed the purser the document it contained.
(05:00):
The purser scrutinized it sharply, and then referred to a
list he had on the desk before him. This is
very strange, he said at last. I never knew such
a thing to occur before, although of course it is
always possible the people on shore have in some unaccountable
manner left your name out of my list. I am
sorry you've been put to any inconvenience. Sir. There has
(05:23):
been no inconvenience so far, said the passenger, and I
trust there will be none. You find the ticket regular,
I presume quite so. Quite so, replied the purser. Then
to the waiting steward, give mister Keeling any place he
prefers at the table which is not already taken. You
have room eighteen. That was what I bought at Liverpool. Well,
(05:46):
I see you have the room to yourself, and I
hope you'll find it comfortable. Have you ever crossed with
us before? Sir? I seem to recollect your face. I
have never been in America. Ah, I see so many faces,
of course, that I sometimes fancy I know a man
anne when I don't. Well, I hope you'll have a
pleasant voyage, sir, Thank you. Number eighteen was not a
(06:07):
popular passenger. People seemed instinctively to shrink from him, although
it must be admitted that he made no advances. All
went well until the Gibrontus was about half way over.
One forenoon. The chief officer entered the captain's room, with
a pale face, and shutting the door after him, said,
I am very sorry to have to report, sir, that
(06:27):
one of the passengers has fallen into the hold. Good heavens,
cried the captain. Is he hurt? He is killed? Sir.
The captain stared aghast at his subordinate. How did it happen?
I gave the strictest orders. Those places were on no
account to be left unguarded. Although the company had held
to missus Keeling that the captain was not to blame.
(06:50):
Their talk with that gentleman was of an entirely different tone.
That is a strange part of it, Sir. The hatch
has not been opened this voyage, sir, and was securely
bolted down. Nonsense nobody will believe, such as sorry, someone
has been careless. Asked the purser to come here please.
When the purser saw the body, he recollected and came
(07:10):
as near fainting as a purser can. They dropped Keeling
overboard in the night, and the whole affair was managed
so quietly that nobody suspected anything. And what is the
most incredible thing in this story. The New York papers
did not have a word about it. What the Liverpool
offers said about the matter, nobody knows but it must
have stirred up something like a breeze. In that strictly
(07:30):
business locality, it is likely they pooh poohed the whole affair,
for strange to say. When the purser tried to corroborate
the story with the dead man's ticket, the document was
nowhere to be found. The Gibrontus started out on our
next voyage from Liverpool with all her collars flying, but
some of her officers had a vague feeling of unrest
within them, which reminded them of the time they first
(07:52):
sailed on the heaving seas. The purser was seated in
his room, busy as pursers always are at the beginning
of a voyage, when there was a rap at the door.
Come in, shouted the aborted official, and there entered to
him a stranger who said, are you the purser? Yes, sir,
what can I do for you? I have room number eighteen? What?
(08:16):
Cried the purser with a gasp, almost jumping from his chair.
Then he looked at the robust man before him and
sank back with a sigh of relief. It was not
a keeling. I have room number eighteen, continued the passenger,
and the arrangement I made with your people in Liverpool
was that I was to have the room to myself.
I do a great deal shipping over your Yes, my
(08:37):
dear sir, said the purser, after having looked rapidly over
his list. You have number eighteen to yourself, so I
told the man who is unpacking his luggage there. But
he showed me his ticket, and it was issued before mine.
I can't quite understand why your people should What kind
of a looking man? Is he? A thin, unhealthy, cadaverous
man who doesn't look as if he would last till
(08:58):
the voyage ends. Don't want him for a roommate if
I have to have one, I think you ought I will, sir,
I will make it all right. I suppose if it
should happen that a mistake has been made and he
is the prior claim to the room, you would not
mind taking number twenty four. It is a larger and
better room that will suit me exactly. So the purser
(09:18):
locked his door and went down to number eighteen. Well,
he said to its occupant. Well, answered mister Keeling, looking
up at him with his coal and fishy eyes. You're
here again, are you. I'm here again, and I will
be here again and again and again and again and again.
(09:40):
Now what the Then the purser hesitated a moment and
thought perhaps he had better not swear with that icy
clammy gaze fixed upon him. What object have you in
all this object? The very simple one of making your
company live up to its contract from Liverpool to New York.
My ticket reads I paid for being landed in the
(10:00):
United States, not for being dumped overboard in mid ocean.
Do you think you can take me over? You've had
two tries at it and have not succeeded. Yours is
a big and powerful company too. If you know we
can't do it, then why do you the purser hesitated
pester you with my presents, suggested mister Keeling, because I
(10:22):
want you to do justice. Two thousand pounds is the prize,
and I will raise it one hundred pounds every trip.
This time the New York papers got hold of the incident,
but not of its peculiar features. They spoke of the
extraordinary carelessness of the officers in allowing practically the same
accident to occur twice on the same boat. When the
(10:43):
Gibrontus reached Liverpool. All the officers from the captain down
sent in their resignations. Most of the sailors did not
take the trouble to resign, but cut for it. The
managing director was annoyed at the newspaper comments, but laughed
at the rest of the story. He was invited to
come over an interview Keeling for his own satisfaction, most
of the officers, promising to remain on the ship if
(11:04):
he did so. He took Room eighteen himself. What happened
I do not know, for the purser refused to sail
again on the Gibrontus and was given another ship, but
this much is certain. When the managing director got back,
the company generously paid missus Keeling two thousand, one hundred
pounds and of the man who was not on the
(11:28):
passenger list. By Robert Barr
The man who was not on the passenger list by
Robert Barr, the well sworn lie Frang to the world
with all the circumstance of proof, cringes abashed and sneaks
along the wall at the first sight of truth. The
Gibrontus of the hot Cross bun Line was at one
time the best ship of that justly celebrated fleet. All
(00:21):
steamships have, of course, their turn at the head of
the fleet until a better boat is built. But the
Gibrantus is even now a reasonably fast and popular boat.
An accident happened on board the Gibrontus some years ago,
which was of small importance to the general public, but
of some moment to Richard Keeling, for it killed him.
The poor man got only a line or two in
(00:42):
the papers when the steamer arrived at New York, and
then they spelled his name wrong. It had happened something
like this. Keeling was wandering around very late at night,
when he should have been in his bunk, and he
stepped on a dark place that he thought was solid.
As it happened, there was nothing between him and the
bottom the hold but space. They buried Keeling at sea,
(01:04):
and the officers knew absolutely nothing about the matter when
inquisitive passengers hearing rumors questioned them. This state of things
very often exists both on sea and land, as far
as officials are concerned. Missus Skeeling, who had been left
in England while her husband went to America to make
his fortune and tumbled down a hole instead, felt aggrieved
(01:25):
at the company. The company said that Keeling had no
business to be nosing around dark places on the deck
at that time of night, and doubtless their contention was just.
Miss Skeeling, on the other hand, held that a steamer
had no right to have such man traps open at
any time night or day without having them properly guarded,
and in that she was also probably correct. The company
(01:47):
was very sorry, of course, that the thing had occurred,
but they refused to pay for Keeling unless compelled to
do so by the law of the land, and there
matters stood. No one can tell what the law of
the land will do when it's put in motion. Although
many people thought that if Missus Keeling had brought a
suit against the hot Cross Bun Company, she would have
won it. But Missus Skeeling was a poor woman, and
(02:09):
you have to put a penny in the slot when
you want the figures of justice to work. So the
unfortunate creature signed something which the lawyer of the company
had written out, and accepted the few pounds which Keeling
had paid for room eighteen on the Gibrontus. It would
seem that this ought to have settled the matter, for
the lawyer told Missus Keeling he thought the company acted
very generously in refunding the passage money, but it didn't
(02:32):
settle the matter. Within a year from that time the
company voluntarily paid Missus Keeling two thousand, one hundred pounds
for her husband. Now that the occurrence is called to
your mind, you will perhaps remember the editorial one of
the leading London Daily's head on the Extraordinary Circumstance, in
which it was very ably shown that the old saying
(02:53):
about corporations having no souls to be condemned or bodies
to be kicked did not apply in these days of
com commercial honor and integrity. It was a very touching
editorial and had caused tears to be shed on the
Stock Exchange, the members having had no idea before reading
it that they were so noble and generous. How then,
(03:14):
was it that the Hot Cross Bun Company did this
commendable act when their lawyer took such pains to clear
them of all legal liability. The purser of the Gibrontus,
who is now old and superannuated, could probably tell you
if he liked when the negotiations with Missus Keeling had
been brought to a satisfactory conclusion by the lawyer of
the company, and when that gentleman was rubbing his hands
(03:37):
over his easy victory. The goodship Gibrontus was steaming out
of the Mercy on her way to New York. The
stewards in the Grand Saloon were busy getting things in
order for dinner, when a when and gone passenger spoke
to one of them. Where have you placed me at table?
He asked? What name? Sir? Asked the stewart Keeling. The
(03:57):
steward looked along the main tables, up one side and
down the other, reading the cards, but nowhere did he
find the name he was in search of. Then he
looked at the small tables, but also without success. How
do you spell it, sir, he asked the patient passenger.
K W E L I N G. Thank you, sir.
Then he looked up and down the four rows of
(04:19):
names on the passenger list he held in his hand,
but finally shook his head. I can't find your name
on the passenger list, he said. I'll speak to the purser, sir.
I wish you would, replied the passenger in a listless way,
as if he had not much interest in the matter.
The passenger, whose name was not on a list, waited
until the steward returned. Would you mind stepping into the
(04:40):
purser's room for a moment, sir. I'll show you the way, sir.
When the passenger was shown into the purser's room, that
official said to him, in the urbane manner of purses,
might I look at your tickets, sir. The passenger pulled
a long pocket book from the inside of his coat,
opened it, and handed the purser the document it contained.
(05:00):
The purser scrutinized it sharply, and then referred to a
list he had on the desk before him. This is
very strange, he said at last. I never knew such
a thing to occur before, although of course it is
always possible the people on shore have in some unaccountable
manner left your name out of my list. I am
sorry you've been put to any inconvenience. Sir. There has
(05:23):
been no inconvenience so far, said the passenger, and I
trust there will be none. You find the ticket regular,
I presume quite so. Quite so, replied the purser. Then
to the waiting steward, give mister Keeling any place he
prefers at the table which is not already taken. You
have room eighteen. That was what I bought at Liverpool. Well,
(05:46):
I see you have the room to yourself, and I
hope you'll find it comfortable. Have you ever crossed with
us before? Sir? I seem to recollect your face. I
have never been in America. Ah, I see so many faces,
of course, that I sometimes fancy I know a man
anne when I don't. Well, I hope you'll have a
pleasant voyage, sir, Thank you. Number eighteen was not a
(06:07):
popular passenger. People seemed instinctively to shrink from him, although
it must be admitted that he made no advances. All
went well until the Gibrontus was about half way over.
One forenoon. The chief officer entered the captain's room, with
a pale face, and shutting the door after him, said,
I am very sorry to have to report, sir, that
(06:27):
one of the passengers has fallen into the hold. Good heavens,
cried the captain. Is he hurt? He is killed? Sir.
The captain stared aghast at his subordinate. How did it happen?
I gave the strictest orders. Those places were on no
account to be left unguarded. Although the company had held
to missus Keeling that the captain was not to blame.
(06:50):
Their talk with that gentleman was of an entirely different tone.
That is a strange part of it, Sir. The hatch
has not been opened this voyage, sir, and was securely
bolted down. Nonsense nobody will believe, such as sorry, someone
has been careless. Asked the purser to come here please.
When the purser saw the body, he recollected and came
(07:10):
as near fainting as a purser can. They dropped Keeling
overboard in the night, and the whole affair was managed
so quietly that nobody suspected anything. And what is the
most incredible thing in this story. The New York papers
did not have a word about it. What the Liverpool
offers said about the matter, nobody knows but it must
have stirred up something like a breeze. In that strictly
(07:30):
business locality, it is likely they pooh poohed the whole affair,
for strange to say. When the purser tried to corroborate
the story with the dead man's ticket, the document was
nowhere to be found. The Gibrontus started out on our
next voyage from Liverpool with all her collars flying, but
some of her officers had a vague feeling of unrest
within them, which reminded them of the time they first
(07:52):
sailed on the heaving seas. The purser was seated in
his room, busy as pursers always are at the beginning
of a voyage, when there was a rap at the door.
Come in, shouted the aborted official, and there entered to
him a stranger who said, are you the purser? Yes, sir,
what can I do for you? I have room number eighteen? What?
(08:16):
Cried the purser with a gasp, almost jumping from his chair.
Then he looked at the robust man before him and
sank back with a sigh of relief. It was not
a keeling. I have room number eighteen, continued the passenger,
and the arrangement I made with your people in Liverpool
was that I was to have the room to myself.
I do a great deal shipping over your Yes, my
(08:37):
dear sir, said the purser, after having looked rapidly over
his list. You have number eighteen to yourself, so I
told the man who is unpacking his luggage there. But
he showed me his ticket, and it was issued before mine.
I can't quite understand why your people should What kind
of a looking man? Is he? A thin, unhealthy, cadaverous
man who doesn't look as if he would last till
(08:58):
the voyage ends. Don't want him for a roommate if
I have to have one, I think you ought I will, sir,
I will make it all right. I suppose if it
should happen that a mistake has been made and he
is the prior claim to the room, you would not
mind taking number twenty four. It is a larger and
better room that will suit me exactly. So the purser
(09:18):
locked his door and went down to number eighteen. Well,
he said to its occupant. Well, answered mister Keeling, looking
up at him with his coal and fishy eyes. You're
here again, are you. I'm here again, and I will
be here again and again and again and again and again.
(09:40):
Now what the Then the purser hesitated a moment and
thought perhaps he had better not swear with that icy
clammy gaze fixed upon him. What object have you in
all this object? The very simple one of making your
company live up to its contract from Liverpool to New York.
My ticket reads I paid for being landed in the
(10:00):
United States, not for being dumped overboard in mid ocean.
Do you think you can take me over? You've had
two tries at it and have not succeeded. Yours is
a big and powerful company too. If you know we
can't do it, then why do you the purser hesitated
pester you with my presents, suggested mister Keeling, because I
(10:22):
want you to do justice. Two thousand pounds is the prize,
and I will raise it one hundred pounds every trip.
This time the New York papers got hold of the incident,
but not of its peculiar features. They spoke of the
extraordinary carelessness of the officers in allowing practically the same
accident to occur twice on the same boat. When the
(10:43):
Gibrontus reached Liverpool. All the officers from the captain down
sent in their resignations. Most of the sailors did not
take the trouble to resign, but cut for it. The
managing director was annoyed at the newspaper comments, but laughed
at the rest of the story. He was invited to
come over an interview Keeling for his own satisfaction, most
of the officers, promising to remain on the ship if
(11:04):
he did so. He took Room eighteen himself. What happened
I do not know, for the purser refused to sail
again on the Gibrontus and was given another ship, but
this much is certain. When the managing director got back,
the company generously paid missus Keeling two thousand, one hundred
pounds and of the man who was not on the
(11:28):
passenger list. By Robert Barr
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