The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-07-02
TIIE SLOcUN VERDICT
Directors ofCompany, officers OfCrew
and Others Held For Disaster.
CHARGED WITH MANsLAUGHTER

Fail Fixed In Amounts From $1,000
to s5OO0-system Of Inspection In
New York Harbor Denounced BY
Coroner's Jury.
New York. June 29.-The inquiry
conducted by Coroner Berry and jury
into the General Slocum disaster has
ended. After nearly four hours delib'
GRAFTON a verdict was rendered, In
which the directors of the knicker-
booker Steamboat company, the cap
tain OF the Slocum, Captain Pease' the
commodore of the company's fleet ana
others were held criminally rosponsi-
BILE Warrants for their arrest were
issued. The mate of the Sloeum' ac-
oording to the jury. acted in COW
ardly manner and the misconduct or
Steamboat Inspector Lundberg' it was
recommended. should be brought to
the attention of the federal authQri'
ties
The charge in each case was man
slaughter in the second degree. Bail
was fixed by the coroner in amounts
VARYING from $1,000 20 $4,000.
The mate. Edward Flanagan, who
was under detention as q witness, was
the first arraigned. He pleaded not
guilty. and his bail was fixed at $1,000.
No bondsman being on hand. he was
committed TO jail
Inspector Lundberg pleaded not
guilty. and was released on $1,000
bonds.
Bail was fixed at $4,000 each for
President Barnaby and Secretary At
kinsOn. and bonds were furnished al
once.
Captain Van Schaick is prisoner In
the Lebanon hospital. At the assist
ant district attorneys request the cor
oner committed the assistant engineer
Edwin BrandOw. and the deckhands
Coakley and Twombly, rs witnesses,
sending them to the house OF deten'
ton.
After pointing out the duty of the
different officers and persons named
and their failure to perform their
duty. the jury finds:
THAT the president. Frank A. Barn
ably; the secretary, James K. Atkinson,
and the board of directors of the
Knickerbocker Steamboat Company
were guilty of criminal negligence in
the failure to see 10 the proper equip
ment of the General slocum in the
matter of the fire fighting and life saw
ing appliances on board said boat
THAT the captain. William II. Van
Schaiek, be held criminally responsible
for the accident
"That the captain. John A. Pease-
the Acknowledged commodore OF the
feet, be held criminally responsible
for his failure TO properly equip the
General Slocum with fire fighting and
life saving appliances.
"That Edward Flanagan, the mate,
acted in a cowardly manner. and we
recommend that he be held criminally
responsible for failure to perform his
duty on the General Slocum on the
day of the disaster
THAT in the opinion of this jury the
misconduct of Henry Lundberg. the
government inspector. in failing to re-
port TO his superiors the true facts con-
corning the vessels fire extinguishing
and life saving equipment, should be
brought to the notice of the United
States prosecuting officials. and we fur
Their hold that SAID Henry Lundberg be
held for criminal negligence by reason
of his incompetence, careless and in
different inspection of the General Slo-
GUMS hull and life saving appliances
on the 5th day OF May. 1904.
"The jury are also of the opinion
that the system of inspection which
prevails in the harbors Of New York
is very inefficient and does not proper
" determine whether the life saving
apparatus and fire appliances on the
vessels in this harbor are in proper
and suitable condition 20 prevent the
loss Of life, and we recommend to the
secretary of commerce and labor that
he issue such instructions to the SUI
peryising and local force of inspectors
as will cause them to efficiently and
honestly examine the steamboats, ply
ing in and about this haTbor."