Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-07-07
OFFICERS ARE HELLO.
Officials Of the III Fated sIccum Are
criminaIIy Responsible. Says
Coroner's jury.

New York. June 30.-The inquiry con-
Quoted by Coroner Berry and a jury
into the General Slocum disaster wa
concluded last night. and after nearly
four hours elaboration IL verdict was
rendered I'm which the directors of the
KnickerDocker Steamboat company
the captain of the Slocum: Captain
Pease, the commodore of the company's
fleet, and others were held criminally
responsible. 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 LundDerg. it WAS
recommended, should he 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 81, 900 to 5000.
The directors of the are:
Frank A. Barraby. president; Charles
r. Hill. vice president: James X. At
kinson. secretary, IL G. DE Lacey
Evans. Robert *. Story, Floyd S. Cor
bin and Frank G. Dexter.
When the assistant district attorney
moved that warrants be issued. after
the verdict had been given. MIR. 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
called for. The protest was of no
avail.
The mate. Edward Flanagan, who
was under detention as a witness, was
the first arraigned. He pleaded not
guilty, and his bail was xed at 81, 900.
NO bondsmen 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 at
once.
Capt. Van Schaick is a prisoner in
the Lebanon hospital.
capt. Pease may not be arrested un-
III tomorrow. when it is expected that
he directors of the company will also
be k into custody.
At the district attorneys request the
coroner's inquest committed the as
sistant engineer, Edwin Brandow. and
the deck II Coakley and Trembly,
as witnesses. sending them to the
hou of detention.
After pointing out the duty OF the
different officers n persons named
and their failure to perform their duty
the jury finds:
That the president. Frank A. Earna-
by; The secretary, James X. Akin
son, and the board OF directors of the
poNheI StedInOO0C COfnDanN.
namely, Frank A. Barnaby. Charles +.
Hill, James K. Atkinson, c. De Lacey
Evans. Robert X. Story. Floyd S. Cor
hin and Frank G. Dexter, were guilty
OF criminal negligence in the failure to
see to the proper equipment OF the
General Slocuin I'm the matter of fire
lighting apparatus and life saving APP
paratus on board said boat.
That the captain. VIM. II. Van
Schaick. be held criminally RESPONSE
BILE for the accident.
That Capt. John A. Pease, the ac-
knowledged commodore of the fleet
be held criminally responsible for his
failure properly to equip the General
Slocum with fire fighting and life saw
ing 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
concerning the vessels fire extinguish-
ing and life saving equipment should
be brought to the notice Of the United
States prosecuting officials. and we
further hold that said Henry Lundberg
be held for criminal negligence by rea-
son OF his Incompetence. careless and
indifferent inspection Of the General
U and life saving apparatus
on h 9Th day OF May. 1904.
The jury is also of the opinion that
the system of inspection which pre-
wallis in the harbor Of New York is
very inefficient, n does not properly
determine whether the life saving ap-
paratus and fire appliances on the
vessels in this harbor are In proper
and suitable condition to prevent the
loss of life. and We recommend to the
secretary Of and labor that
he issue such instructions to the super
wishing n local force of inspectors as
will cause them to efficiently and hon
est!y examine the steamboats, plying in