New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-29

The corcner's il,r7 ir1psEeilsd for the inquest
into the General SIocunc disaster last night
found sweeping verdict which held crimlnally
responsible for the S,ocum disaster the officers
ard directors Of the Knickerbocker Steamboat
Company, two captains, mate and the United
States assistant inspector who examined the
vessel. Immediately afterwar'l, at the request
OF Assistant District Attorney Garvan, warrants
were issued for the arrest of those held guilty.
Inspector Henry Lundberg Was in court. with
his lawyer. ex-Justice Julius NJ Mayer. He
pleaded rot guilty 20 a charge of 1nanslaughter
in The second degree. and was held in $1,000 bail.
Edward Flanagan. the mate, entered q like plea.
and was held in the same amount of bail
Later Frank A. Barnaby. president of the
company appeared before Coroner Berry and
was held in $4,000 bail, which he furnished. The
secretary. James X Atkinson, also surrendered.
Edwin Brandow, the assistant engineer, and
Coakley and TrembIey, deck hands. were COM
,nitted to the House of Detention witnesses
II was . ?. m. after day full OF important
testimony, brought out after hard examination.
when Coroner Berry raped for order, and began
his charge TO the Jury.
1t IS almost inconceivable" said ho that
disaster OF srch enormous proportions could oo-
cur. The people had the utmost confidence in
The safeguards placed around excursions. yet
within an hour after this excursion left the
T!li-a-st pier The steamer was p burned wreck
md upward OF a thousand persons were burned
o. Srowne5 This great loss OF life has shocked
the world, and we hope has aroused the United
sta;es authorities it has the city authorities
20 prevent the possibility OF a like occurrence in
the future.
II. IL voIr duty TO determine whether the
eea:t of the victims OF the Slocum disaster or
any Of them due to the criminal act o:
negligence OF any person. and 70 declare in your
verdict who is guilty. II you find the captain
or pilot or engineer, all Of them. or any other
persons guilty of misconduct that cost the lives
Of these men, women and children, you VII! so
state. Il YOU end there was a violation Of the
law bv the owners OF the steamer you will also
declare st.
THE LAWS SPECIFIC.
The Court of Appeals Of this State has held
that the company is bound to take not such
precautions as would seem necessary ordinarily.
but precautions dictated by the utmost care
very careful and prudent person would exer-
c,se II you find negligence. you must decide
who is responsible The Iaw holds that those
.n charge OF vessel are responsible for the
safe carriage OF it's passengers. The United
States statutes are more specihc-they name
the captain and the owners.
1T has not the slightest bearing on the GRIM
inal responsibility OF the steamboat company s
directors whether or not the United States in
spectors performed their duty"
Slowly The jury retired to its roon'' ana TIE
spectators settled Gown for lOns wait while
the lawyers their antagonism over. laughingly
discussed the case Six o'ciock-7 o'clock came
ana no word from the jury Eight o'clock. ana
a rtenozrapher was summoned. At S:s1 the
.urymen filed back into their places and the
foreman, holding out sereral pages OF type"rit-
ing, declared that the verdict was ready. pui
oz-irg 70 a throat affection. he would u unable
20 read #.
Gerald C. connor. another Juror. read:
Ti1st TIE said deceased Henry Warnhoiz and
upwards Of nine hundred other persons came 20
their death by criminal neanSr and IN ths roi-
lowing manner: a.,
1. That the dcoesssd, together with exeur'