Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-07-08
OFFICERS ARE HELD.
Officials Of the III Fated Sfocum Al.
crirninalIy Responsible, Says
Coroner's Jury.

New York, June 30.-The inquiry con-
Quoted by Coroner Berry and a jury
into the General Slocum disaster was
concluded last hight. and after nearly
four hours elaboration a verdict wa
rendered in which the directors OF tn
K~nickernocker 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
We're issued. The mate of the Slocun.
according to the jury. acted IN a cow
ardly manner and the misconduct OF
Steamboat Inspector Lundberg, ii wa
recommended, should be brought to the
attention of the federal authorities.
The charge In each case was man
slaughter In the second degree. BAH
was fixed by the coroner in amountt
varying from 81. 900 to $1,000.
The directors of the company are:
Frank A. Barraby. president; Charles
E. Hill, vice president: James X. At
kinson, secretary, and C. De Lacey
Evans, Robert X, Story, Floyd s. Cor
bin and Frank G.. Dexter.
When the assistant district attorney
moved that warrants be Issued. after
the verdict had been given. Mr.. Mc4
Manus, counsel for the steamboat conn
pany, protested that such procedure
was unnecessary. as all the men were
ready TO appear and give ball when
called for. The 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 bondsmen being on hand, he was
committed TO jail.
Inspector L~undberg pleaded not
guilty and was released on $1,000
bonds.
Bail was fixed at $1,000 each for
President Barnaby and Secretary At
kinson, n bonds were furnished al
once.
Capt. Van Schaick is a prisoner in
the Lebanon hospital.
Capt. Pease NJ not be arrested un-
I'll tomorrow, q IN 1t is expected that
the Director II the company will also
be taken into custody.
AT. the district attorneys request tlle
eoroneF's inquest committed the as
Istant engineer, Edwin Brandow, and
the deck hands, Coakley and Trembly,
as witnesses, sending them to the
house of detention.
After pointing out the duty If the
different officers and persons named
and their failure to perform their duty
the jury finds:
That the president, Frank A. Barna-
by; the secretary, James X. Atkin-
son, and the board of directors of the
KTickerbocker Steamboat company,
namely, Frank A. Barnaby, Charles E.
Hill, James X. Atkinson. G.. De Lacey
EVANS, Robert x. Story, Floyd S. Cor
bin and Frank CT. Dexter. were guilty
of criminal negligence in the failure to
see to the proper equipment of the
General Slocum In the matter of fire
lighting apparatus and life saving APP
paratus on board said boat.
That the captain, VIM. III. Van
Setback, be held criminally RESPONSE
BILE for the accident.
That Capt. John A. Pease, the ac-
knowledged commodore of the fleet
be held criminaliy responsible for his
failure properly to equip the General
Slocum with fire fighting and life saw
ing appliances.
That Edward Flanagan, the mate,
acted in a cowardly manner and we
recommend that he be held criminally
responsible for failure to perform his
duty on the General Slocum on the
day OF the disaster.
That, In the opinion of this Jury, the
misconduct OF Henry L~undberg, the
government inspector in falling to re-
port to his superiors the true facts
concerning the vessels fire extinguish-
ing and life saving equipment should
be brought to the notice OF the United
States prosecuting officials. and we
further hold that said Henry Lundberg
be held for criminal negligence by rea-
son Of his incompetence, careless and
Indifferent inspection of the General
Slocum's hull and life saving apparatus
on the 9Th day of May, 1904.
Tbs jury is also OF the opinion that
the system OF inspection which pre-
walls In the harbor of New York Is
very inefficient and does not properly
determine whether the life saving APP
paratus and fire appliances on the
vessels in this harbor are In proper
and suitable condition to prevent the
loss of life, and we recommend TO the
secretary OF and labor that
he issue such instructions to the super
vising and local force OF inspectors as
Will cause them to efficiently and hon
estly examine the steamboats, plying in
and about this harbor.