Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-10-17
RESPONSIBILITY
For Steamer SIocum Dis
aster Is Placed.
New York Steamboat Inspectors
Censured and Discharged.
President Approves Findinqs-Order.
Recommendations Observed.

| Washington, Oct. 16.-Investicatior
| of the General SloCum disaster bv thc
| national commission created for the
] purpose has been completed and the
| report of the commission was made
rublic. today. In connection with tn.
important findings of the commission
| presented in the report. President
| Roosevelt. to whom the report was
! submitted has written d letter to Sec
! rotary Victor II. MetCalf of the depart :
| ment or commerce and labor briefly
| summarizing the report and directing
| MIN to carry into effect the recon-
mcndatiOnS of the commissions He gIs,,
directs that Robert s. Rode. supervjs-
| :ng inspector OF the second district.
| steamboat inspection service. and
| James A. DumOnt ard Thomas H. Bar.
| lett, local inspectors i'm charge Of the
| pert Of New York. he discharged from
| the service. the commission holding
| them directly responsible for the lax
| ltE OF the steamboat inspection t.
| which the SlOcum disaster VAS directly
;.ttlibutable.
| President EoOse volts letter TO Sec.
| rotary Metcalt follows.
| w mite House.
| Washington. Oct l., 1904
My Dear Sir-I have received the
report OF the Commission of the Unit.
| ed States on the Investigation of the
General Slocun Disa ster." and the re-
port of the department of Justice of
Oct. II, recapitul&ting what has been
done by the department of justice in
connection with the criminal proceed
| lngs taken against various Individuals
because of their connection with the
disaster. | send you herewith both re-
ports. Punitive action by the govern
nent can of course only take two
forms: one that of legal proceedings
against those either within CT without
the service. and two, removal froo,
Office of those within the service. |,
pears that the department of jus
tice has already secured indictments
against the master and captain of the
Slocum and against the managing d.
rectors of the Knickerbocker Steam
boat Co, to which company the SIocum
belonged. for 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 Lundbars
| and John w. Fleming the assistant in
srectorS of the steamboat inspection
service "ho actually inspected the Slo-
cum, for fraud. misconduct and mat
tention to duty. Lundberg had bee,
appointed merely on probation in the
service ard has been dropped. There
can. of course, be no further actor.
taken about Fleming until his Trial
fas beer finished: although il does not
follow that an acquitta' would prevent
the department from Gischarging him
from the service. In addition. the de-
partment of Justice has secured the in
Glctnnent of the manager and three en-
ployes of the NonpareIl Cork Works q.
Camden \. j.. for putting upon the.
market compressed cork blocks for u.s..
, in making life preservers. each OF
Which blocks contained in its center n
rleCc of bar-iron weighing several
ounces. THIS last offence was Of 50
heinous Il character that il is difficult,
TO comment upon it with proper self
restraint. Ii appears that the national
Legislature has never enacted a law
providing in set terms for the punish
nent of THIS particular species of in
fam:. doubtless because it never en-
tered the head Of any man that so gross
Al lnfumy could be perretrated. | suC-
geSt that YOU report this whole matter
to Congress. transmitting these tw,,
reports and at that time calling special
attention to the need of imposing an
adequate penalty for The making or
selling OF defective ife-saVing appIi-
anceS
50 much for what the Department IF
Justice has done in reference to the
disaster. But in addition to the men
put on trial by the Department of Jus
tlce, action should be taken against
those employees whose resi- onsibility for
the state of things producing the acct
dent has been brought out in the re-
port "f the commission. According to
this report it appears that in addition
to the two assistant inspectors who are
now on trial, the supervising inspector
of the second district. Mr.. Rode. and
The two local inspectors of the port Of
New York Messrs. Dumont and Bar |
rett should all three be removed for |
laXity and neglect in performing their !
duties. AS reSdfuS ire cOnOuCt OF MI
Rode. Mr.. I'hler dissents from the con- !
illusions of the four other commission .
ers. | agree with the conclusions of the !
other four Laxity and neglect, where
the consequences may be so terrible as
they have proved to be in this case. I
cannot he passed oyer even where Their.
has been good conduct in other respects
on the Part of the men implicated. :,
Accordingly the three officials named !,
will be removed from the service. |!
Moreover. you will please direct their
snccessors in Office at once to conduct
thorough examination of the entire
inspection force Of the port of New
York with the object of wedding out
al rho r,en whom such examination
shau show to be untitled to perform
the very arduous and responsible du-
ties of their positions The supervis-
no ;nspector-general has at present no
= odo,,arters force OF special agents. so
t.at Il is undoubtedly very difficult for
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