The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-07-06
THE SLOCUM DISASTER
Misconduct and Negligence is Chargst
Against Owners and Officers.
MATE IS BRANDED AS A COWARD.
Bail Was Fixed for $4,000 Each for President
Barnaby and Secretary Atkinson and
Bonds We're Furnished AT Once Captain
Van Sehaek is a Prisonerin the Lebanon
Hospital.

New York. (SpeciaD The cor
oner's jury in the Slocum inquest re-
turned verdict finding
That the immense loss Of life on the
General Slocum was due to the mis-
conduct Of the directors of the Knick-
erbocker Steamboat Company.
That Captain Van Schaik is
criminally responsible.
That Captain Pease of the Grand
Republic, as captain OF the steamboat
companys fleet is criminaly responsi-
BILE in that he failed to properly equip
the Slocum with fire apparatus.
That Mate Flanagan acted in a
'cowardly manner"
That the action of Inspector Lund-
berg should be brought to the aiten-
ton Of the federal authorities.
Coroner Berry has issued warrants
for the arrest Of the directors and Off
cials OF the Knickcrbocker Steamboat
Company. Inspector Yundberg and
Mate Flanagan have been held in
$1,000 bail each.
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 $4,000,
The directors of the company are :
Frank A. Barnaby, presidents; Charles
(. Hill, vice-president; James X. At
kinson, secretary, and c Delaney
Evans, Robert K. Story, Floyd S
Corbin and Frank G. Dexter.
The mate, Edward Flanagan, who
was under detention as a witness, was
the first arraigned. He pleaded not
guilty and his bail was fixed at $1,000
No bondsman being or 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 at
once.
Captain Van Schaik is a prisoner in
the Lebanon Hospital. Captain Pease
may not b. arrested until tomorrow,
when it is expected that the directors
OF the company will also be taken into
custody. At the assistant district
attorneys request the coroner COM
mittcd the assistant engineer, Edwin
Brandow, and the dcckhands Coakley
and Trembly as witnesses, sending
them to the house of detention.
Captain Van Schaick Testified.
The jury was in session until 445
o clock in the afternoon Captain Van
Schaick, the commander of the Slo-
cum, was called as the first witness.
He was wheeled into court in an in
valid's chair. He and Captain Pease
looked after the equipment of the
Slocum each season. He said the
government inspector had condemned
some OF the life preservers since 1901.
and he, personally, had thrown out
about thirty.
In the course Of the hearing Captain
Van Schaick was asked what he did
when informed the steamer was on
fire. He said he ordered full speed
81 ran 10 see what the fire was
like" he said. 81 ran back to the
pilot house and said to the pilot: Ed,
she's gone; beach her He said
'WhereH and | pointed to North
Brother island Shave that dock and
put her starboard side on the beach
Then | started to go aft. but the
flames were coming like a volcano and
my hat caught fire. That's where
my face and hands got burned. There
was no chance to move"
Captain Van Schaick said that he
and his men looked over every life
preserver on the steamer this spring
United States Inspector Lundberg al
so examined some OF them, but he did
not test any of them by putting them
in water, ror did he test the weight
power of any of them in
water. Neither the witness nor In
spector Lundberg or the other in
spector who visited the General Slo-
cum ever test the hose at the forward
standpipe, which burned. No test of
hold three fire drills prior 10 June Is
shown how to use the hose.
Attorney Called to Order.
A number OF times during the ex-
aa'ination Of Captain Van Schaick,
..'Vsel McManus, Of the knicker-
.pccer Steamboat Company, inter
sped with advice TO the witness and
protests to the court against the man
ner in which the examination was be
ing conducted. Finally the coroner
told Mr.. McManus that he would be
refused the courtesy OF the court if
he did not desist.
After Captain Van Schaik had left
the stand several persons who were
on the steamer at the time of the fire
were examined.
Augustus Lutzen said he first saw
the FIRE when off Ninetieth street, and
notified one of the crew.
Frank Prawdziki. the only survivor
OF family Of six. said he saw the
fire when off Eighty-sixth street. but
did not report TO the captain until the
steamer had reached One Hundred
and Twenty-ninth street. At that
lime the captain told him to run away
and mind his own business.
More Pay to Glass Workers.