New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-11
ACTION OF THE GRAND JURY.

| sster appeared before Judge BlatchtOrd, in the
United States Circuit Court. yesterday, and handed
him a bundle of indictments. charging thirteen
persons with manslaughter, for criminal careless
ness In failing to equip the steamer Seawanhaka
properly. In one Indictment the owners and di-
rectors of the steamboat, Benz dmn C. Kirk. Samuel
/. NJ Barlow Stephen Tabor James Cdal, Edward
| Morgan Silas Mott and Stephen a. Townsend,were
Jointly charged with neglect and refusal to provide
such life-boats RATS aud life-preservers Oh the
steamer as would the safety of all the per
sons on board liz Of disaster so that on ac'
count of their felonous misconduct
| great many lives were lost. Charles 7.
Smith. the captain of the Seawauhaka, is
indicted for the same offence. Edgar Weeks, the
engineer. is charged with carelessness in the man
agcment of the machinery and boilers, with neg
cct in having the tubes and fines in bad condition.
and unsafe for use, and for having inadequate pro-
vision to prevent sparks and flames from being
thrown from the fre-doors of the boiler.
Austin Jayne and Andrew Craft United States
Inspectors of hus. hfeboat floats, RATS and life
preservers. are charged with elonous misconduct
| and wilfu carclessness and neg geDce IN the per
Torrance of their duties in their annual inspection
and examination required by law of the steamboat.
and with neglect in not having all the
requirements of the law in regard to
the Gfe-saying apparatus complied with.
| John X. Matthews and Alexander CauidweH United
States inspectors Of Boilers and Machinery are in
dicted for neglect in their annual inspection and ex-
animation They are charged with not having dis
covered that the boilers OF the steamboat and also
the tubes and nues, were in bad condition and
safe for use Each one of those indicted is charged
with felonious misconduct and is held personally
responsible for the great loss of life. In each in
dictment the full list Of the lost By the accident is
given.
Beach warrants were issued in the afternoon for
the arrest of those indicted, but they were not
served Yesterday. One warrant was made out for
the owners another for the Inspector OF boilers one
for the Inspectors of feboats and each for the
captain and engineer messenger from the law
firm of Shipman, Barlow, Larocdue ~ mcfarland
auDcarcd hefore United States Commiss oner Shields
late in the day. and SAID tnat the owners and
directors OF the vessel would he AT his office AT
D. m to-day to give bail. It Is probable That the
others indicted viii also appear today. The penalty
for manslaughter is ten years IN prison.
TALK WITH s. /. NJ. BARLOW.
S L. NJ. Barlow. one of the owners of the Seawan-
haka. was found at his beautiful house at Glen
Cove, last evening 81 am sorry" he said, "but
can give YOU but very little information that Will
be at all interesting. l first heard Of the ac-
ton of the Grand Jury Just as
was leaving NewY0rk this afternoon.
heard they had indicted the captain and engineer
and owners OF the boat and three four of the
limited states officials but don't know on what
grounds the indictments are found and until do l
cannot say anything about It. | do not know as
vet what cOuIsc shall pursue or what steps shall
fake | wish TO be better Informed before do any
thing ! know | always considered the Seawanhaka
one Of the best boats In every way, that ever
saw She was never crowded; we did not wish
crowds. She run for the comfort and convent
euce Of her owners, their wives and Children and
thelr friends who found trips on her between New
York and their country homes very delightful
"Such a thing Of making money out OF her never
occurred to us i only remember her paying me one
dividend and 1 thGk that was five per cent:
| remember | attended meeting OF |
the Board of Directors at Roslyp9 |
eorc she was ready to start ont this season, and
told Mr. Kirle. manager, 10 be sure that before
she began running she was in perfect trin. told |
him to buy the best of everything; not 30 be afraid
TO spend money, and to have her thoroughly ex- |
amined by the United states inspectors. The !
reason was 50 very particular was mat my own |
wards | met Mr.. Krke, and he told Inc
that all ! wished done had been done; and |
that the Government Inspectors had pronounced |
everything perfect, and had no suggestions t0Inake
! thought the Seawanhaka was without exception |
the most perfect boat on the Sound. believe that |
in her build. her supplies, her management her |
careful officers and crew, AMI III every way she was
as near perfect as a boat could be.
e. do not think that human foresight could sug-
gcst nything that would have prevented tins ter |
Tble disaster. was Oh the boat at the time OF the
explosion. The air was very heavy That day, and
think il held the gas BACK IN the chimney flnaly |
stronger blast blew II back on the IRE, and II eN
ploded like gunpOwder. There were no bhsterS on |
the woodwork, was there any evil |
dence Of steam anywhere TO be seen. |
The first thing known OF the fire was heavy black !
smoke. which soon burst into bright flame. and |
then almost more quickly than one can tell the |
whole boat wrapped in fire. | noticed as we |
passed He'll Gate that the wind very strong |
and gusty. and this probably forced the down
the chimney instead OF allowing il 10 escape. AT |
one time it blew a perfect tornado l do not
think there was q break anywhere until the |
boat was beached. That might slept IN house
directly opposite where the boat was beached. and
whore could see ler all night. The fire burned |
brightly until about o'clock IN the morn
ing. Then there was an explosion aud soon alter
the flames began 10 20 down. and the boat grew |
black think that then. very likely. there was a !
boiler explosion, and that the escaping water
from the fre-room could not have been prevented,
even if the had been lined with !
sheet iron. 1t rushed up the gangway like light;
ming, and no power on earth could have prevented
it, The fire did not break out below, as Is generally
supposed 1t broke out above deck, and broke into
a bright flame in an instant. ! cannot compare it
TO anything better than Lighting match you
strike match. and instantly there is |
a flame. 1t was the same with the Seawanhaka
was in flames. 1 doubt whether shall ever |
know exactly what caused the fire, bnt whatever il
was, thnk IT was beyond human care and fore
thought TO prevent. | AIN sorry cannot tell You
more but that is all can say until have seen the |
legal papers, and know of the indictments !
and on what grounds they were granted"
THE INsPEcroRs NOT ALARMED.
The Government officials do not seem to be at all
alarmed They say they performed all Their duties
faithfully and thoroughly; that the boat was IN |
A No. condition.: that every requirement of the
law had been met, and that there was nothing more
for them to do. United States Inspector Jayne
said:
" / don't see how they can lndct me- for know |
nothing about the Seawanhaka and have never been
OH board of her since was appointed an Inspector
| was on her once about ten years ago. but not on
business and that was before | held this office i
really know nothing at all about her. The H. |
raft uu WO XeIX "A men.
Craft has been all his life shipbuilder aud should
know all about a ships hull. Caldwell began
his life In "A boiler shop, aud to-day think. knows
az much about boilers as any man III New-York. |
These men have the full confidence of the United