New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-22
SLOCUM INSPECTOR MUTE
LTNDBERG HELD IN BAIL.
Vessels Hose Cost 10 Cents a
Foot; Good Hose, $3.50.

hide of being afraid of the consequences of his
testimony. Henry Lundberg. the assistant in
spector in the Steamboat Inspection Bureau.
who passed the General Slocum. refused TO
answer all important questions put 10 nm af
the coroner's inquest yesterday. ON the adv:ee
Of his lawyer A S. Gilbert. he took refuge be-
hind his privilege. and to all of Mr. Garvan' S
inquiries monotonously returned the stereo-
typed answer, Il refuse 10 testify on the ground
that it might incriminate me"
Lundberg felt keenly the gruellins examina-
ton and the awkward position in which he was
As question after question was hurled at him he
moved uneesily in his seas, great drops of per
SEPARATION burst forth. ana his voice became al
most inaudible. When finally the Assistant
District Attorney had finished a list Of ques-
tions which he had written out he asked tina; the
witness be held in the House of Detention. To
this Lundberg'B lawyer demured. and Coroner
Berry finally held the inspector in 500 bail. II
was furnished by John W. Fleming, who in
spected the SloCums boi:e.s
I.undberg was the last witness called yester-
day Before he was interrogate-.. his LAWYER,
Mr. Gilbert, said that he hai advised the inspec-
tor 10 answer questions. The sentiment OF
the public and the press IN trying TO fix respon-
sibility for the disaster pointing toward
Lundberg. he said. Under these conditions he
thought IT best that his client make no answers
subsequent legal proceedings.
IF the witness has nothing to conceal he
need not fear to answer questions said Mr..
GaTvan. His refusal TO answer puts him IN the
light OF having something 10 conceal. 1t is
only when it is forced on the conscience of n
witness that answer will degrade IN
criminate him that he is justified in refusing 10
answer. This man is an employee of the United
States. and the spectacle OF a government official
taking this stand. refusing information to this
inquiry. is something we should resent
LUNDBERG's FIRST BAI.K.
Under examination Lundberg said he was an
assistant inspector, a salary of 5000 year
He was doing probationary service. He was
appointed from the civil Service list January
* Of this year. He had been a pilot in the
harbor for ten years previously. He baked FIRST
the question:
How many ships did you inspect?"
lie finally admitted that he had inspected the
Slocum, and signed the report which certified
TO her fitness.
did you take any money from any one on the
Slocum?' asked Mr.. Caravan.
Il took money for any inspection" an
swered Lundberg. with some slight show Of
spirit Il made an honest inspection"
Then what would tend TO incrirninate YOU II
examiner. who went on 20 ask the inspector
about his acquaintance with the regulations
governing the inspection Of steam vessels. par
ucularly their fire fighting apparatus and life
preseryers. and his carrying out Of those regula-
TORS To these questions there was no reply
Finally. Mr.. Garvan gave up the task. after put
ting in evidence two life preservers and a
life belt from the Socurn-the life preservers
old and tattered Lundberg refused 10 say
whether he considered these suitable life pre-.
servers.
Assistant District Attorney Garvan has re-
ceiyed an anonymous letter which saws there
vas a fire on the Slocum the day before the fatal
Wednesday. and charred wood from the hold
was thrown overheard. To every member Of the
crew who testified yesterday, questions regard
ing this supposed fire were put but no iufor1na-
ton about II ELECTED.
Edwin y. Weaver. the second pilot Of the
slocun. delivered testimony which showed the
equipment Of the Slocum in rather an unpleas-
ant light The only new fire hose on the vessel
he said, he had bought from n sample Of the
old hose. 1t was "two-ply linen thread" lie
didn't know just what il cost, but the bills
which Mr.. Garvan had, showed IT cost Is cents
. foot-4O cents, with 60 per cent discount
There had been new life preservers this
spring, said Weaver. The pilot was warm in his
commeudation Of the action taken by Captain
Van Schaick in Bleaching the Slocum on North
Brother Island. If he had been in command
he would have chosen the exact spot he de-
cared. It would have been impossible to
beach the steamer at sunken Meadows or at
Locust-ave. as had been suggested. because it
would have taken vastly more time to turn
than 10 go ahead; besidee turning would have
shifted the flames. blowing them over the star
board side Of the vessel. as well as the port
and all on board would have perished
Weaver had been a pilot on the Slocum for
elk years, he said. He described In detail the
arrangement Of the vessel, including the com
partments IN the hold and the various divisions
OF the three decks. There were six lifeboats and
two lifeTafts. all the hurricane deck he
said. There were life preservers on the main
deck and on the promenade deck but none on
the hurricane deck. They were taken inside IN
the winter for storage. He saw no new ones
this spring. He saw the inspectors when they
came, but was not asked TO explain TO them
anything about the workings of the vessel He
didn't see them inspect the life preservers al
though If 300 life preservers had been taken
from their racks he thought he would have
known OF il.
NEVER SAW ANY FIRE DRILLS ON BOARD
he told of buying the new hose from a sample
of the old hose. He knew absolutely nothing
about hose. he confessed, and simply bought it
on Captain Van Schaick's orders He had never
seen any fire drills board.
Weaver said he and the first pilot Captain
Van Wart. were alone in the pilot house when
the Slocum started from the Third-st. dock
They went up TO Hell Gate under full steam.
Q.-when did Captain Van Setback reach the pilot
house? Aust after we passed Hell Gate:
Q-When did you first hear the alarm of fire?
Ave were about three lengths past Sunken
Meadows | heard a voice say: She's afire can