The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-07-08
FIXING THE BLAME.
The Slocum's Officers and Owners
Held Responsible for Disaster.
WILL BE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.

Told by the Captain of the
il1-Fated Steamer on
I,sS the Stand.
The inquiIy conducted by Coroner
Berry and jury into the General
Slocpm disaster in New York Harbol
was concluded Tuesday, and after
nearly four hours deliberation yer.
dict'was rendered In which the direc
tors Of the Knickerbocker 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, ac.
cording to the jury, acted in COW.
ardly manner, and the misconduct OF
Steamboat Inspector Lundborg, it
was recommen ended, should be brought
to the attention OF the federal
authorities.
The charge in each case was man
slaughter in the second degree. Bail
waSjExed by the coroner in amounts
carr5iug from 81 900 to $1,000.
The directors OF the company are:
Frank a. Barnaby, president; Charles
e. Hill, president; James X.
Atkinson, secretary; G. Delacey
Evans, Robert X. Story, Floyn S.
COrbin and Fran G. Dexter.
When the assistant district attor-
ney moved that warrants be issued
after the verdict had been given, Mr..
McManus, counsel for the steamboat
company, protested that such proce.
dure 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 witness, was
the first arraigned. He pleaded not
guilty and his bail was fixed at S1,-
600. No bondsmen being on hand,
he YVES comG,,tted to JAIL
Inspector Lundborg pleaded not
guilty and was released on l,OOC
bonds. i's5lsa
Bailjwas fixed at IS, 600 each fol
President Barnaby and Secretary at.
kinsonA and bonds were furnished at
once. (sE
Captain Van Schaick is prisoner in
the Lebanon hospital. At the assist
ant district attorneys request the cor
oner committed the assistant engineer
Edwin Brandow, and the deck hands
Coakley and Trembly, as witnesses
sendihy them to the house of deten
Captain Van Schaick, the command
er OF the Slocum, was the principa
witness. He said he had nothing to d(
with general, equipment of thai
steamer in the first place, nor with
her life-saving apparatus. He sale
Captain Pease looked after the equip
ment of the Slocum each season. He
said the government inspector hat
condemned SINE If the life preservers
since 1891, and he, personally, hac
throw out about thirty.
In the course OF the hearing Cap
tain Van Schasck was asked what ht
when Informed the steamer was OF
fire.
He said he ordered full speech. II
was flood tide and the boat was max
ing fifteen or sixteen miles an hour,
said the captain. THE smoke cam,
back to the pilot house. We we're ther
about four lengths beyond the sunker
meadows. The plat said to me: Wha
shall l do?" He said: Let her go; they
ran to see what the fire was like. Al
the head Of the stears l found a wo
man on her knees. lifted her up ant
down the hatchway. 1t was all flame
| ran back to the pilot house and said
to the pilot; Ed, she's gone, beach
her. He said Where? and pointed
to North Brother island. Shave that
dock and put her starboard side or
the beach, Then l started to go aft
but the flames we're coming like vol
cano and my hat caught fire. That.
where my face and hands got burned
There was no chance to move. 1t wa.
coming like locomotive headlight"
The witness said it was impossible
to reach the boat anywhere else will
as good chance to save life. He de
MED that he received information OF
a fire before the alarm he acted upoI
reached him, and branded as absurec
the report that a boy told him a
Ninetie tn street that the boat was OF
fire.