New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-28
TIE sLOCUM VERDICT.

Justice long delayed. was dealt out yester-
day when a jury in the United States Cir
cult Court found guilty OF criminal negligence
one of the several responsible contributors to
the General Slocum disaster. William +. Van
Schaick, the captain of that death trap e1cur-
sion boat, was convicted on the charge that
he had failed to maintain the fire drills re-
Quired by law and was sentenced by Judge
Thomas TO ten years Imprisonment at hard
labor. On two other counts the jury disagreed,
Just as other juries disagreed in previous trials
growing out of the SlOcum horror. In conse-
quence of these diSagreements the public had
become inclined TO look with skepticism on
any and all the efforts made. or likely to be
made, to punish the agents morally respon-
sible for the tremendous sacrifice Of life on
the burned excursion steamer. It was feared
that loopholeS in the law would allow the es-
cape alike of the owners who furnished the
craft with bogus life saving appliances, the
inspectors who passed as serviceable this
worthless apparatus and the officers who neg
lected to test its value by actual usage. The
government tried an inspector three times and
could not convict him, but at last. after nearly
two years Of delay, responsibility is thrown on
some ones shoulders and punishment is ex
acted.
In passing sentence Judge Thomas remarked
that the penalty imposed might seem excessive.
This may be fairly admitted. Some sympathy
is likely 10 be expressed for officer who at
the time his vessel burned behaved with credit
and who may plead that the managers and
owners Of the boat were more directly respon-
sible than he was for its shOddy and fraudu-
lent equipment. 1t IS not clear how far Cap
tain Van Schaick had It in his power to intiu-
ence the management and compel the installa-
ton Of real life saving appliances 1t Is in
his favor, too, that he took the same risks as
his passengers and did not gamble on their
chances Of survival in case OF fire or shipwreck
from the safe refuge of a pier Office or a d.
rectors' room Yet his share of accountability
for the disaster cannot be lodged or explained
away He was required to drill the crew and
to test the fire and Hfesaving apparatus, and,
had be done his full duty, the rotten hose would
hare burst and the Overweighted life preseTv-
ers would have gone 10 the bottom long before
the panicstricken Sunday school eXcursionists
he carried up the East River were forced TO
turn TO them as their last hope of rescue.
Captain Van SchaiCk's sentence is in meas
ure exemplary. 1t is none the less Just Full
legal reparation should be made for the Teck-
less trhing with human life exhibited in the
mana cement of the Slocum. For the proteC-
ton Of the public criminal responsibility should
be fixed, If possible, on all the agents who had
a hand in setting and springIng this particu-
lar death trap. The members Of the corpora
ton owning and managing the craft cannot
escape moral responsibility for its shocking
condition and equipment. Gratifying as is the
verdict now obtained against the company's
salaried employe, a verdict against the man
ayers themselves would have been welcomed
as even more salutary by an indignant com
munity.