New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-25

. huv. directed ths Federal Grand jury assemble
-ev- week and th- earliest possible
-.r7t 10 thcgn the evidence my assistant. Mr.
.gse gathered 1t the C0roner's inquest. and shall
,r,rroci them 20 brig many indictments the
evidence warEsa7t--
rs statement was made yesterday by United
s.a-.s District Attorney Burnett Il means that
s,rfcsenr evidence has been gathered by the fed
anal authorities at the inquest and through the
invest gal:ou OF the Board OF Steam boat Inspec-
TORS 10 warrant the issuance Of warrants for the
srrest o. -hose whom the facts point to as be-
ing guilty IN part Of the disaster TO the Slocum
Who are 70 be prosecuted FOR the negligence
and 2erju-y and Incompetence which sent the
glceurn forth with rotten life preservers and
sealed freplugs is not yet known. General
Burnett. for obvious reasons, refused TO make
public the names Of those who are 70 be crirni-
nauv prosecuted. The two inspectors who ex-
ARMED the huu and boilers o. the Slocum are
raid % be exempt from civil and criminal prose
cution by virtue OF federal statute passed
few years ago through the efforts OF Supervis-
.ng INSPECTORS Dumont and Rode which made
the supervising inspectors responsible for the
sworn statements OF their assistants. This law
gives 81 opportunity to Lundberg, who Inspected
Ire l.fe saving appliances on the Slocunl. and
who refused testify before the coroner be-
cause Il might incrirninate him, escape all
sponsibl,tty. il is declared.
THE LAW TO COVER THE CASE.
The government has been represented at each
session Of the inquest by Assistant United
States District Attorney Wise Nj Wise was
asked against whom the government would pro-
coed. He replied that the federal statutes were
sufficiently broad to enable the United States
District Attorney TO proceed against any person
who vas n any way connected with either the
boat OF It's owners.
Section 5544 Of the Revised Statutes Of the
United States. follows:
Every captain engineer. pilot other person
7iOyed steamboat. vessel. by whose miscOn-
duct negligence nattention 20 his duties on such
vessel he life Of any person destroyed and
owner. other public officer. through whose
1aut cannivance misconduct violation of law. the
Efe Is destroyed shall be deemed guilty
granddaughter. and. conviction thereof. before
any Of the United States. shall be
fenced O confinement at hard labor for period Of
more than ten years.
The county and city officials have promised TO
give al the aid possible to General Burnett.
Coroner Berry was closeted with District At
torney Jerome for over an hour yesterday. As
gstant District Attorney Garvan was with them
Coroner Berry afterward said that they had s
cussed the best plan OF procedure when the cor
oners inquest was resumed next Monday. The
District Attorney. II was intimated by the
uner, had in his possession much more evidence
than was submitted at the inquest While har-
rowing stories have already been brought out
more important testimony viii be given al the
resumption OF the inquest. Il is asserted, and the
criminal prosecution Of those held by the Dis
trict Attorney and the coroner TO be responsible
for the wreck VIII follow. Among the witnesses
yet 10 be heard by Coroner Berry are Captain
Van schaick Coroner OGornan and the cap
tains OF the Adassasoit and Franklin Edison. An
other witness who may be called is Captain HI
larry Of the tug Golden Rod, who was the first
70 reach the Slocurn after the fire was discov-
cred. and whose evidence would be entirely IN
favor OF Captain Van Schaick
After 2.hteir conference Coroner Berry and
NJ Jerome called on United States District Al
torney burnett IN the Federal Building me
question Of jurisdiction was discussed. and the
methods necessary 70 reach the persons respoh-
sble for the accident we're talked over Genera
Burnet. afterward said that he would direct
the te1eral grand jury 10 meet next Ihursoay
70 consider the evidence brought cut AZ the n
quest and that he would endeavor 10 inolct
every person .crirlinally responsible for the &C
cl6ent.
Tie District Attorneys Office has eight nun
dreG pages OF testimony taken al the coroner )
inquest and the list OF witnesses 10 appear De-
fore the grand jury VIII be selected aIler q
thorough reading Of this evidence. Suca per
sons as IN the opinion Of General Burnett can
give evidence that viii point TO the guilt or
Negligence OF the owner OF members Of the crew
or other persons mentioned in the section OF the
statutes. are 10 be subp9naed.
Every employee OF the steamboat company tlat
can be found viii be examined al the inquest 50
thai every person who might De accused OF any
crime in connection with the disaster VIII De
placed or record . -
Some weeks before the slocum disaster II was
decided by the officials Of the Knickerpocher
Steamboat Company that the vessel was not
scaw0Ithy enough TO weather Rockaway Foiht
and Inlet Irnmed lately before the destruction
Of he S!ocum the business men OF hocK4"ay
Point we're informed that the Slocum was 70 pS
taken OF me New Y ork- Rockaway scheduie anu
re Columbia. a much stancher vessel, sUDsG-
tgtod.
II was planned by the Kaicl1erboeker cornpaI-y
10 keep the Slocu1n n commission all through
the sumner carrying people up anu down the
North and East rivers.
The sierrftt-C spTnan company oegan yester-
csy z. noon the work or pumping out the hu4A
- ne General S.ocuIn- Two large rotary
paalDs. with q corr E.zed paclty OF eight Ihou-
ssEG gallons p minute. were employed IN TINS
w0rE. au1 by .. n. had The nan praCllcAlIs
clear CT a.er. The Slocum is now cut CT water
Ear as her gaterline. ana is resting on the
hot-cn1 p. Pushing Flats. Just on Rlkers Isl
sac Yer, nv are the rctting remains Of the
steamer City OF Norwich. which was wrecked
fdtty-f cara ago. with q Joss CT 10 lives
ARA H,-rras Kivilin, VINO has been superln-
f-r.- york Of bleaching the Siocum. said
.la- a. water was pumped out. he exam