The Washington times., 1904-10-17
Ordered Dismissed for Part
in S.Ocum Horror.
THE REPORT is MADE PUBLIC
Imprisonment Should Be the Penalty
for Infraction Of Steamboat InsPec-
ton Laws and Regulations.

steamer SI0cum 90 burn, causing the
death of $50 people President Roosevelt
has removed from office Chief Inspector
Robert S. Rode and Assistant Inspec-
Jors James A. DumOnt and Thomas II.
Barrett
The announcement OF the removal is
made in "a resume of the report of the
Federal Commission which investigated
the disaster by the President issued this
mornhg. The President holds these
men Responsible for the condition OF the
uTe-nshtiuE apparatus and ufe-saviug
devices ON the steamer, which would not
work when required FOR service, though
passed as in good condition by the in
speCtOrs-
The President, in commenting on the
report, says
The Presidents Letter.
The President says in his letter.
Fl have received the report of The
Commission OF the United States on the
Investigation of the General Slocum
Disaster. and the report OF the De-
partmenJ OF Justice OF October -, re-
captivating what has been done by the
Department of Justice I'm connection
with the criminal proceedings taken
against various individuals because of
their connection with the disaster. ]
send you herewith both reports
can, OF course, only take two forms:
one. that of legal proceedings against
those either WITHIN or without the ser
vice, and two, removal from o11ce 81
those within tie service
1T appears that the Department OF
Justice has already secured indictments
against the master and captain of the
eiOoum and against the managing uI-
Tretors OF the knIckerDOcker Steamboat
company, 10 which company the Sl0cum
belonged for misconduct. negligence,
ana iuaLtelJIOn 10 duty by the captain,
and for aiding and abeLJlug therein by
me managing directors
Indictments Procured.
Furthermore the Department or Jus
tice has secured indictments against
Henry IuuGberg and John ~. Fleming.
The assistant inspectors of the Steam
boat-Iuspectiou Service, who actually
inspected Che Slocum, for fraud, mis-
conduct and iuaLtenti0u TO duty.
'Luudberg had been appointed merely
on probation I'm the service. and has been
dropped. There can, OF course. be no
further action taken about Fleming UNI
I'll his trial has been finished; although
IL does not follow that an acquittaI
would prevent the department from dis
charging him from The service.
I'm addition. the Department of Jus
tice has secured the Indictment OF the
manager and three employees of the
y olparrI cork Works. OF Camden. n
plFssea-corA blocks Tor use ll making
llfe-preserVers. each of which blocks
contained iu it's center a piece OF bar
iron Weighing several ounces This last
oueHse was OF SO he-uous a character
that IN IS difficult 10 comment upon il
with proper self-restraiut-
FIT appears that the National LeEisla-
lure has never enacted "a law providing
lu set terms for the punishment OF this
particular species of ilfamy, doubtless
because IL never entered the head Of any /
man that SO gross au lufdmy could be
IerDelTate1- suggest that you report I
inns whole matter 10 Congress trans D
hitting these two reports. and AT than
time calling special attention 10 the need 1
Of imposing an adequate penalty for the /
making or selling of detective LLe-zaE- /
lHE appliance
Punishment for Employees.
$50 much for what the Department Of /
Justice has done 800 reference 10 the
disaster. But iu addition 10 the men
put on trial by the Department Of Jus {
tice. action should be taken against
those employees whose responsibility for
the state Of things producing the acct
dent has been brought out iu the re-
port of the commission
According to- this report il appears
lE4t i1 addition 70 The two assistant i'm
eprcs1-7 WAC are no" on trial. the Sl-
pefFlslus Inspector OF the Second dis
H-te 1li- tt1-les ana the Two local i'm
speetoIs OF the port OF New York
Aes=Is- D-muuL and Barrett should All
three be- removed Tor Iazltv and rsgIz-.F
IN performing tdelr duties.
las regards the conduct Of ETr Rode
A-i q l-ef lls--Els from The conclusions
or tn- four other commissioners i .rr.a
WIN LLe CONCLUSIONS OF the other four
--aAll5 ana neglect, where the con-
sequences may DE so terrible AS they
have proved DO 10 De Lhe Cease cannot
De- passed over even where there has
been good conduct iu other resDecfs or
the part Of the man implicated Accord T
lAsiy me i1Fee ornclals named Will be-
removed from the service.
Aor-sF=rr you viii please direct fHafr
successors In office at once 70 cgHdrfrr
"a thorough examination OF The entire la-
sLeetluH force NJ tle port OF New York
with tie object Of wedding out all tn-
men whom such examination shall show
t1 De united % perform the very ard
5+f '... III -l.'i-7-l-e duties on tneir poo
zlt-e-s. me supervising Inspector Gen
gfai mas az present u8 hea0guaFt-rs
Lli.e or special agents. So that it is UNI
doubleday very difficult FOR him 10 ey-r-
gi-e any adequate and direct zupergls-
llu over tue various local divisions of
thr Inspection service
To Be Hdd to Account.
'lu each division he must RELY chiefly
on tne luelty and energy OF The local
heads. and ~ these fail 90 perform their
duty they must he held accountable. lie
must. however. exercise ass thorough "a
supervision 49, the means al his disposal
allow.
h-at-N may tfE llitrI
10 tHe exact condition of the service IH
All us parts. 4 direct sou 20 order
searching investigation, Iu continuance
or the iuFes.lgati0u of the commission.
4Hto the conduct of the central Office
and OF every outside subdivision of ths
service save -hat lu New York
you VIII also make such changes i'm
tiie reg llatl1us as are recommended by
tAe commission and you VIII Therefore
can "a special meeting OF the board of
supervising inspectors FOR thfs purpose
You VIII also las before the CONGRESS
= request that the law Doe changed iu
lAe various particulars recommended by
The commission
j wish particular emphasis laid upon
the proposal OF the commission that
There De- created Dy law special body
thoroughly To Investigate the laws
which ans supposed 10 provide FOR The
7s-leiy OL passengers ou steamboats,. (
especially on excursion boats. where the
prime causes of danger are the over
ero#dlng ana the Elmsy and highly IN
naInLnaD-e character Of the superstruc-
lures
The report OF the commission d. "a Folu- /
W1u4uS aualT. GEUsGsEfUg OF ~ Old words {