The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-17
SLOCUM DISASTER REMOVALS.
RODTE, DEMONT AND BARRETT
ORDERED DISMISSED.
sharp Letter From, H00se' cit In Forward.
Ing the Report OF the Federal Come
nlssIon MANY changes IN Laws
CaIIp4I For Excursion Boats Hal.

missions Man. changes In Laws
CaiIed FOr-E;xeiirsiOn Boats Had.
The report Of tf. United States com
mission appointed by President Roosevelt
10 investigate the General Slocum dis
aster made pubic to-day, Is sweeping
condemnation Of the local steamboat in
spection service, both IA inefficient and IA
in-ifflcien.y manned
The inspectors are charged with having
ln,Iai utterly 10 comply with the statutes,
aud the statutes are considered Tar from
perfect by the commission
The owners of tine Socum and her master
are severely oensured for their neglect,
tho incomTetency of the crew and the
poverty of e rhpment.
pra.i lent Roosevelt deems it necessary
to- demand the removal Of the local super
,sing steamboat Inspector, Robert \.
Rotie. Inspector of Hulls James A. Du-
mont and Inspector OF Boilers Thomas h.
Barrett The President on Wednesday
forwarded the report Of the commission TO
secretary of Commerce and Labor V, Fl.
Metcalr with the following letter:
My DEAR SIR. have received the report
ur the Commission OF the United States
on the investi CATION OF the General Slotum
Disaster, and the report OF the Depart
npnt of Justice OF Oct. IL, recapitulat-
ing what has been done by the Depart
ment Of Justice in connection with the Grim
inal proceedings taken against various
individuals because Of their connection
with the disaster, L send you herewith
both reports. Punitive action by the Gov
r,Lmeut can OF course only take two forms:
l. That of legal proceedings against those
either within or without the service: and
D. Removal from Office of those within
tine rVice.
1t appears that the Department OF Justice
las already secured indictments against
the master and captain Of the Slocum and
against the managing directors of the
knickerbocker Steamboat Company, to
which company the Slocum belonged, fo
misconduct, negligence and inattention
to duty by the captain. and for aiding and
abetting therein by the managing directors.
Furthermore, the Department OF Justice
has secured indictments against Henry
Lundberg and John " Fleming the assistant
inspectors Of the Steamboat Inspection
Service who actually inspected the SloUum
for fraud, misconduct and inattention to
duty. Lundberg had been appointed
merely on probation in the service, and has
been dropped There can, of course, be
no further action taken about Fleming
until his trial has been finished although
it does not follow that an acquittal woulc
prevent the Department from dischargns
him from the service.
I'm addition, the Department OF Justice
has secured the indictment OF the mana ger
and three employees OF the Nonpareil Cork
Works Of Camden, y. a., for putting upon
ha Eaf al port. hlnrkn IN M
N making life pressrvers. each Of which
blocks contained IN is centre piece of
bar iron weighing several ounces This
last offence was of 80 heinous a character
that ii is difficult to comment upon it with
proper self restraint. 1t appears that the
national legislature has never enacted a
law providing in set terms for the punish
ment Of this particular species OF infaIny,
doubtless because it never entered the
head OF any man that 81 gross an infamy
could be perpetrated. suggest that you
report this whole matter TO Congress
transmitting these two reports, and at that
time calling special attention to the need
al imposing an adequate penalty for the
making or selling OF defective life saving
appliances.
$50 much for what the Department OF
Justice he's done in reference to the disaste
But IL addition tc the men put on trial by
The Department of Justice. action should
he taken against those employees whose
respor sbihty for the slate Of things pro-
ducing the accident has been brought out
in the report OF the commission. Accord
ing to this report 1t appears that in adj
dition to the two assistant inspectors who
are now on trial, the supervising inspector
o' the Second district. Mr.. Rode. and the
Two local inspectors OF the port Of New
York, Messrs Dunont and Barrett, should
all three be removed for laxiy and neglect
in performing their duties.
As regards The conduct of Mr.. Rode
Mr. Uhler diss ants from the conclusions
Of the four other commissioners. / agree
with the conclusions OF the other four
laxt v and neglect. where the consequences
may be 90 terrible as they have proved to
he In this case, cannot be passsd over even
where there has been good conduct in other
respects on the part OF the man implicated
Accordingly the three officials named
will he removed from the service.
Moreover. you will please direct their
Successors in Office at once to conduct q
borough examination Of the entire insp,c
ton force OF the port OF New York. with the
object Of wedding out all the men whom
such examination shall show TO be unhttec
TO perform the very arduous and respon.
sihle duties OF their positions. The super
vising inspector general has at present nc
headquarters force Of special agents, SO
that It is undoubtedly very difficult for hin
TO exercise any adequate and direct super
vision over the various local divisions o.
he inspection service. In each division
h. must rely chiefly on the fidelity and
energy o, the local heads; and II these fai
10 perform their duty they must be helc
accountable. He must, however exercise
"a thorough a supervision as the means a,
hs disposal allow.
'ln order that may be informed as to thu
exact condition Of the service in all its parts
erect you to order a searching investi
CATION. in continuance Of the investigation
OF the commission, into the conduct OF tn,
central Office and Of every outside subdivis
Ion Of the service save that in New York,
You will also make such changes in the
regulations as are recommended by tn,
commission. and Won will therefore IN n