Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-29
FIXES BLAME.
Jury Makes Report in
Steamer SIocum Case.
Blame Laid on Directors OF the
KniCkerb0cker Co.
Capt. Van Schaick and Capt. Pease Are
Also Held to Be CriminaIIy Response
ble-Warrants for Arrests Are Out
and Public Is Wrathy.

New York, June 2S.-The inquiry con-
Quoted by Coroner Berry and jury,
into the Gen. Slocum disaster, was con-
Guided, today, and after nearly four
houls deliberation a verdict was rem
dered in which the directors of the
Knickerbocker Steamboat Co, the cap
tain of the Slocum, the commodore of
the company's fleet, and others We're
held criminally responsible. Warrants
for their arrest was issued. The mate
of the Slocum, according to the jury,
acted in a cowardly manner and the
misconduct of Steamboat Inspector
Lundberg, it was recommended, should
eral authorities.
The charge was manslughter in the
second degree. Bail was fixed by the
to $4,000.
The directors of the company are:>
Frank A. Barnby, president; Charles
e. Hill, vice president: James Katkin-
son, secretary; and Delacey Evans,
Robert Story, Floyd S. Corbin and
Frank G. Dexter.
The mate, Edward Flap9San, who
was under detention as VI hIss, was
the first arraigned. He pleaded not
guilty and his bail was fixed at first
ut $1,000, but with the consent of the
district attorney it was reduced, to
$1,000 No bondsman being on fLand,s he
was committed to Jail.
Inspector Lundberg was next called
upon to plead and answered: Not
guilty" His bail was placed at $1,000
and he founel. a bondsman.
Bail was fixed at $4,000 bach for Presi-
dent Barnby and Secretary Atkinson
and bonds were furnished at once.
Capt Van Schaick is a prisoner in
the Lebanon hospital. Capt. Pease may
not be arrested until, tomorrow, when
it is expected that the directors of the
company will also be taken into GUS
tody.
At the assistant district attorneys
request the coroner committed the as
sistant engineer, VIM. BrandOw, ami
Deckhands Coakley and Trembley IS
witnesses, sending them to the House
of Detention.
Capt. Van Schaick, with police es-
cort, was wheeled into court i'll an in
validS chair and was called as the
first witness. Half Il dozen policemen
lifted the chair bodily to the platform
beside the coroner.
Before the witness was sworn, Ter
renee J. McManus, counsel for the
Knickerbocker Steamboat Co, demand
ed that the coroner 1iotify Schaick UNI
der Section 1876 of the code of criminal
procedure, that he need not testify, on
the ground that he is under arrest, and
that the course taken in the eXamina-
ton shows that criminal action is con-
templated.
Coroner Berry denied that the cap
| tain is or has been under arrest, say
| ing he has merely been detained as a
| witness. He said, he would advise the
witness that he might refuse to answer
any questions on the ground that his
answers might tend to degrade or in
eliminate him.
Mr.. McManus was not satisfied, but
| the coroner would not change his rul-
| ing and counsel advised the witness not
| to answer any questions at all.
Capt. Van Schaick said he has held a
masters license about 80 years. He
| says he was captain on the General
| SlOcum since she first went into conf
mission. but he had nothing to do with
| the general equipment of that steamer
| in the first place nor with her life
saving apparatus. He and Capt. Pease
looked after the equipment of the Slo-
cum each season.
| Questions as to the condition of the
| SloCum's life preservers brought pro-
| test from Mr.. McManus, who instruct
ed the witness not to answer any ques-
| tions. Capt. Van Schaick declined to
| accept the advice, however. He said
| the government inspector had con-
demned some of the preservers since
| 1891 and he. personally had thrown out
about so. The captain described the
fSlocum to the jury and told of all the
| fire fighting and life saving apparatus
| OH board.
| AS the examination progressed cOun-
sci frequently interrupted with advice
| to the witness and protest to the court
against the manner in which the eX-
animation was conducted on the
ground that criminal action might lat
| or be brought against the witness.
! Finally the coroner warned Mr.. Nc
Manus that if he again interrupted the
proceedings, the courtesy of the court
| would be withdrawn from him.
Capt. Van Schaick said that he and
his men looked over every life pre-
server on the steamer this spring.
United States Inspector Lundberg also
examined some of them but he did not
test the weight carrying power of any
Of them in water. Neither the witness,
nor Inspector Lundberg or the other
inspector who visited the Slocum ever
tested the hose at the forward stand
pipe which burned. No tests of the life
boats were made. He did hold three
fire drills, prior to June 10. between
decks, when the men were shown how
to use.the hose. At this point the wit
ness pleaded that he was tired and i'll
and the examination was temporarily