The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-10-20
President Roosevelt Submits a Letter
Commenting on the Matter
DAMAGING REVELATIONS MADE
Commission Finds the Burning of the
New York Excursion Steamer and
the Loss of Over 600 Lives Due Sole
ly to Wretched Equipment and Poor
Personne! cf Crew.


investigation upon the disaster to the
steamer General Slocum, appolnteu
June %. last, by the then Secretary OF
Commerce and Labor George b. Cor
tclyou, and consisting Of Lawrence y.
Murray, Assistant Secretary OF Com
nIerce and Labor; Herbert Knox Smith,
deputy commissions: OF corporations;
George Uhler, supervising inspecto:
general of the steamboat inspection
service; General John N. Wilson,
United States Army, retired, and Com
rander Cameron McR. Wiasiow, Unit
ed States navy, was made public Sun
DAY.
In connection with the important
findings o. the commissions presented
in the report, President Roosevelt, TO
whom the report was submitted. hes
written O letter TO Secretary Victor II.
Me.calf, OF the Department OF Com
n.erce and Labor, briefly summarizing
the report and directing him to carry
into effect the recommendations OF the
commission. He also directs the Rob-
crt S. Rodie supervising Inspector or
the second district steamboat inspec-
ton service, and James 4. Dumont ana
Thomas II. Barrett, local inspectors IN
charge of the port of New York, be dis
charged from the service, the comnis-
sion holding them directly responsible
for the laxlty of the steamboat inspec-
ticn to which the Slocum disaster vas
directly attributed.
Commissioner Uhler disscnts to that
portion Of the report which places the
responsibility on the supervision IN
suector of the second district, Robert
6. Rodie; otherwise, he concurs with
the commission. Appended to the re-
rort is a report from the Department
of Justice and criminal proceedings
connected with the disaster and the
life preserveTS cases.
THE PRESIDENTS VIEW.
The Presidents letter to Secretary
Metcaif follows:
white House, Washington, D. G., OCT
Il. 1904.
"My Dear Sir: l have received the
rcnort Of the Commission of the United
States on the investigation OF the Gen
c-sl Slocum disaster and the report Oh
the Department of Justice on October
18th. recipulating what has been done
by the department Of Justice in connec-
ton with the criminal proceedings
taken against various individuals be-
cause OF their connection with the dis
aster. I send you herewith both re-
ports. Punitive action by the govern
n,ent can, OF course, only take TWO
forms; that of legal proceedings
against those either within or with
out the service. 1t appears that the
Department of Justice has already Sc
Cared indictments against the master
and captain OF the slocum and against
the managing directors OF the knick-
e-bocker Steamboat Company, 10
which company the steamer belonged
for misconduct, negligence, ahd mat
tentlon to duty by the captain, and lot
aiding and abetting therein by the
managing directors. Furthermore. the
Department OF Justice has secured IN
dictments against Henry Lundberg and
John w. Fleming, the assistant inspec
tors Of the steamboat inspection Ser
vice, who actually inspected the $40
CHM. for fraud, misconduct, ana IN
attention to duty. Lundburg had been
, appointed merely on pobation IN the
service and has been dropped. Inere
can. of course, be no further action
about Fleming until his trial has oeen
finished, although it does not foiio"
that an acquittal would prevent the
Department from discharging him from
the service. In addition, the Depart
| ment OF Justice has secured the indict-
ment of the manager and three en-
| 2loyes Of the Nonpareil Cork WORKS. Oh
Camden, N. j., for putting upon the
narket compressed cork blocks for use
in making life preservers, each OF
which blocks contained in its center a
bar of iron weighing several ounces.
This last offense was OF SO heinouS
a character that is is difficult to COM
| ment upon it with proper self-restralnt'
II appears that the national legislature
has never enacted law providing IN
sci terms for the punishment OF TINS
particular species Of infamy, douDtiess
because it never entered the head OF
any man that so gross an infamy could
be perpetrated. l suggest that you re-
uort this whole matter to congress,
Transmitting these two reports, ana az
that time calling special attention the
reed OF imposing an adequate penalty
Tor the making or selling Oh defectiFe
| I;fo-s.-inc- oDnliauceS.