The Forrest City times., 1904-07-01
SLOCUM OFFICIALS
HELD RESPONSIBLE
Warrants Issued for Arrest of
Directors and Officials.
WAS DUE TO MISCONDUCT
The Coroner B,amcs ISnickerbocker
Vont tompany's Representatives
for Terrible Disaster on
the steamer.

Quoted by Coroner Berry and jury
into the Gen. Slocum disaster was con-
cluded Tuesday. and after nearly four
hours deliberation a verdict was rem
dered, in which the directors of the
knickerbocker Steamboat Co, the cap
tain of the Slocum. Capt Pease the
commodore of the company's fleet,
and others, were held criminally re-
sponsible. Warrants for their arrest
were issued. The mate Of the Slocum,
according to the jury. acted in a cow
ardly manner. and the misconduct OF
Steamboat Inspector Lundberg, 1t was
recommended should be brought to the
attention of the federal authorities.
The charge In each case was man
slaughter in the second degree. Bail
was fixed by the coroner In amounts
varying from $1,000 to $1,000. The di--
rectors of the company are Frank A.
Barnaby. president; Charles f. Hill,
vice-president; James r. Atkinson, sec
tary, and c. Delacy Evans, Robert X.
Story, Floyd s. Corbin and Frank G.
Dexter.
When the assistant district attorney
moved that warrants be issued after
the verdict had been given. Mr.. Nc
Manus, counsel for the steamboat COM
pany, protested that such procedure
was unnecessary, as all the men were
ready to appear and give bail when
avail
The mate, Edward Flanagan, who
was under detention as a witness, was
the first arraigned He pleaded not
eu:lty, and his bail was fixed at 81 900.
No bondsmen being. on hand. he was
committed to Jail.
Bail was fixed at 81. 900 each
fer president Barnaby and Secre-
tary Atkinson, and bonds were fur
nished at once Capt Van Schaick
is prisoner in the Lebanon hospital.
Capt. Pease may not be arrested until
Wednesday. when 1t Is expected that
the directors Of the company will also
be taken into custody. At the as
sistant district attorneys request the
coroners jury committed the assistant
engineer, Edwin Brandow and the
deckhands, Coakley and Trembly. as
witnesses, sending them to the house
of detention.
After pointing out the duty OF the
different officers and persons named
and their failuse to perform their duty
the jury finds:
THAT the president, Frank A. Bar
naby; the secretary, James X. Atkin-
son, and the board of directors OF the
Knickerbocker Steamboat Co., namely
Frank A. Barnaby, Charles f. Hill.
James X. Atkinson, c. Delacy Evans.
Robert J. Story, Floyd S. Corbin and
Frank G. Dexter were guilty OF Grim
| inal negligence in the failure to see to
| the proper equipment of the Gen. Slo-
/ cum, in the matter of the fire fighting
and life-saving appliances on board
said boat
THAT the captain, William II. Van
| Schaick be held crminally responsible
for the accident.
THAT the captain, John Pease. the
| acknowledged commodore of the fleet
| be held criminally responsible for his
| failure TO properly equip the Gen. Slo-
cum 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 hi;
duty on the Gen. Slocum on the day
of the disaster.
THAT in the opinion of this jury, the
| misconduct of Henry Lundberg, the
government inspector. in falling to re-
port to his superiors. the true facts
concerning the vessels fire extin-
gushing and life-saving equipment
should be brought to the notice OF the
United States prosecuting officials, and
we further hold that said Henry Lund-
berg be held for criminal negligence
by reason of his incompetence, care
less and Indifferent inspection of the
Gen. Slocum's hull and life-saving ap-
pliances on the 5th OF May. 1904.
THE jury are also of the opinion
that the system of inspection which
| prevails in the horbor of New Yorl
is very inefficient, and does not prop.
erly determine whether the life-savin.
apparatus and fire appliances on III,
vessels in this harbor are in prope
and suitable condition TO prevent tn,
loss OF life. and We recommend to tn
secretary OF commerce and labor tha
he issue such instructions to the su
pervisiLg and local force of inspector
as will cause them to efficiently AM
1 flxr fr.A CT hos +- r.fxr
ing IN and about this herbor.''