The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-29
BLAME is FIXED.
COroner's Jury Returns Verdict on
SI0cum Disaster.

SI0cum Disaster.
New York, June 29.-The inquiry con-
Quoted by Coroner Berry and a jury in
to the General Slocum disaster has
been concluded and after nearly four
hours elaboration a verdict was rem
dered in which the directors OF the
Knickerbocker steamboat company, Cap
tain Van Schaick of the Slocum, Cap
tain Pease, the commodore of the COM
pany's fleet and others were held Grim
inally responsible. Warrants for their
arrest were issued. The mate of the
Slocum, according to the jury, acted in
a cOwardly manner, and the m1scon-
duct of Steamboat Inspector Lundbers,
it was recommended should be brought
to the attention of the federal author
tiles.
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 $1,000.
The directors of the company are A.
Barnaby, president; Charles Hill, vice
president; James K. Atkinson, secre-
tary and G. De Lacey Evans, Robert
K. Story, Floyd S. Corbin and Frank
G.. Dexter
When the assistant district attorney
moved warrants be issued after the YER
dict had been given, Mr.. McManus
counsel for the steamboat company,
protested such procedure was unneces-
sary, as all the men were ready to ap-
pear and give pail Wnen calleQ Tor. Inc
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 fixed at $1,000
No bondsman being on hand he was
committed to jail.
Inspector Lundberg pleaded not gull
ty and was released on 81, 900 bonds.
Bail was fixed at $4,000 each for Bar
naby and Atkinson and bonds were fur
nished at once.
Captain Van Schaick is a prisoner in
the Lebanon hospital. Captain PeaSe
may not be arrested until tomorrow
when it is expected the directors of the
company will also be taken into Gus
tody. At the assistant district attor-
ney's request the coroner committed
Assistant Engineer Edwin BRANDON and
Deck Hands Coakley and Trembly as
witnesses, sending them to the house of
detention.
After pointing the duty of the differ
ent officers and persons named and
their failure to perform their duty the
jury finds:
THAT the president, Frank A. Bar
naby; the secretary, James K. Atkins
and the board of directors of the Knick-
erbocker Steamboat company namely
Frank A. Barnaby, Charles E Hill,
James K. Atkins, @. Delcey Evans.
Robert K. Story, Floyd S. Corbin and
Frank G. Dexter, were guilty of crimi-
nal negligence in the failure to see to
the proper equipment of the General
SlOcum in the matter of the fire fight
ing and life-saving appliances on board
said boat.
THAT the captain, William H. Van
Schaick be held criminally responsible
for the accident.
THAT Captain John A. Pease, the ac-
knowledged commodore of the fleet, be
held criminally responsible for his fail
ure to properly equip the General SlO-
cum with fire fighting and life saving
appliances.
THAT Edward Flanagan, the mate,
acted in a COWard1y manner and we
recommend that he be held responsible
for failure to perform his duty on the
General Slocum on the day of the dis
''That in the opinion of this jury
the misconduct of Henry Lundberg,
the government inspector, in failing
to report to his Superiors the true
facts concerning the vessels appH-
ances for extinguishing fire and life
saving equipment, should be brought
to the notice of the United States
prosecuting officials; and we further
/ recommend that said Henry Lund-
berg be held for criminal negligence
by reason of his INCOMPETENCE, care
less and Indifferent inspection of the
! General SIocum's hull and life-saving
appliances on the 5th day of May,
1904.
1.-THE jury are also of the opinion
that the system of inspection which
prevails in the harbor of New York
/ is very inefficient and does not prop
erly demonstrate whether the life
saving apparatus and fire appliance
/ on the vessels in this harbor are in
proper and suitable condition to pre-
vent the loss of life; and we recon-
mend to the secretary of commerce
and labor that he issue such instruc-
lions to the supervising and local
force of inspectors as will cause them
I to effectively examine the stearnb oats
| plying in and about this port"
Formal testimony was presented
I E,16 4
of which all but 40 met death by
/ drowning.
Floyd S. Corbin, named as one of
the directors of the Knickerbocker
/ Steamboat company, said he is not a
director of the company, having been
replaced at the last meeting of the
| company stockholders in February,
and that he does not own a single
share of stock. He was much sur
prised by the verdict of the coroner's
jury.