Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-04-03

OF ais Investigations Regarding
the Golden City Disaster
Indictments Ahead.

The Acknowledgement made the fol-
| lowing report this morning
ITO the Hon. l.. b. Horrigan, Judge
Your Honor; In obedience to Your Hon
or's order of Court directed to me as the
Acknowledgement of said Court, etc, |
carefully and impartially investigated the
burning of the steamer Golden City,
which occurred in front of the city OF
Memphis on the morning of the 30th ult.
have tried to And out the precise causes
of the fire that destroyed the boat and
proved so destructive to human life.
submit to Your Honor the following as
my report
/. The boat was in part loaded with
certain barrels, certain bales of jute and
certain bales Of junk, which were Of pc
culiarly inhammable character, said arti-
cles being stored in the deck room Of said
steamer Golden City.
2. That said inhammable freight was
not safely covered and In fact most of il
was not covered at all, but was fully ex-
posed.
8. The iute and junk bales constituted
the bedding Of number Of deck pas
sengers.
4. There was no orders, general or spe-
cial, as 10 carrying or handling Of lamps
in that part Of the boat in which this
inAammable freight was stored, as testified
to by the mate OF said boat
5. Said boat was fired from lamp car
ried and used by the captain Of the boats
watch, Wash Smith.
6 That said lamp was carried and
handled by said Wash Smith in that part
Of the boat where the said inhammable
freight was stored, in most reckless and
careless manner.
7. That If said inhammable freight had
been stored and covered and protected
with ordinary care, said fire could not
have occurred at the time and in the way
it did.
9. That it was tho duty Of the mates Of
said boat to load and so cover the inaam-
mable freight as to protect it from fire, and
that the facts in the case show conclu-
sively that the mate of the Golden City
was recklessly careless of his duty, and
that he did not look after the running of
said boat during his watch in precautions
airy manner, but submitted the discharge
of his duties in a most careless manner to
those upon whom rested said response
bility.
9. i conclude by saying that regard
the burning Of the Golden City as the re-
suit of most positive disregard of his
duty on the part of the mate and the con-
sequent careless and reckless conduct of
the Waterman. Wash Smith, who was
unrestricted by any orders and discip-
line.
Respectfully submitted,
G. p. M. TURNER,
Attorney General.
The above report was presented to
Judge Horrigan, who made the following
order:
ut appearing to the Court from the
Coroners inquest, held over the body of
the victims in the steamboat disaster, the
Golden City, and that said calamity took
place within the county of Shelby, to-
gether with q report of the Attorney
General ofthis Court, based upon the tes-
timony of witnesses examined under oath,
that some Of the employees of said boat,
and especially the mates, were guilty of
gross and criminal negligence and care
lessness, as said steamboat was DESTROYED
by fire, and that a large number Of per-
sons then aboard of said boat we're
killed by reason Of said fire. 1t is hereby
ordered that the Attorney General, with
out delay, prepare bills Of indictment
against all persons accused in said inquest
and report of criminal negligence"
As there is no such offense as criminal
negligence treated Of in the code, indict-
ments will probably be found for in
voluntary manslaughter. ANY one con-
victed Of this ofense may be sentenced to
not less than one nor more than five
years in the State prison.