Black Tom Island Explosion Occurred Off the Coast of New Jersey on July 30, 1916

Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster

1916-1969

5.25 linear feet

Processed by Melissa Perlzweig December 2012

Source: Report On Explosion at Black Tom, N.J., July 30, 1916, by Colonel B.W. Dunn, Chief Inspector of The Bureau of Explosives. February 1, 1917. Photograph No. 3, page 7.

Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library Archives and Special Collections St. John’s University

Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library

Table of Contents

Abstract 3

Source 4

Access 4

Preferred Citation 4

Historical Note 4

Scope and Content 5

Subject Terms 5

Organization 5

Series Description 6

Container List 6

2 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library

Abstract

Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969. 5.25 linear feet

The Black Tom Island explosion occurred off the coast of New Jersey on July 30, 1916. Soon after, a group of insurance companies organized the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster to make sabotage claims against Germany. The case was heard by the German-American Mixed Claims Commission and Germany was originally found not liable, but after a rehearing in 1939, several Germans were found responsible for the explosion. The result was a settlement of $50 million to be paid out to a group of 72 insurance companies. This collection includes newspaper clippings, Committee meeting minutes, correspondence, briefs on the hearings, damage reports, auditors’ reports, account books, bank statements, and additional records from 1916 to 1969.

Collection donated in 1981 to the College of Insurance by the New York Board of Fire Underwriters.

Subjects: Black Tom Island (N.J.); Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster—Records and correspondence; Explosions—New Jersey—Black Tom Island—1910-1920.; Sabotage—New Jersey—Black Tom Island—History—20th century.; Lehigh Valley Railroad Company—Disasters—1910-1920.; World War 1, 1914-1918—Claims—United States; Mixed Claims Commission, United States and Germany; New York Board of Fire Underwriters; Irving Trust Company; Rumsey & Morgan; E. C. Niver

3 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library

Source This collection was donated in 1981 by the New York Board of Fire Underwriters.

Access An appointment is necessary to use this collection. Please review the library’s access and membership policies. Access to certain materials may be restricted at the discretion of the library due to preservation concerns.

Preferred Citation Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster. Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library, St. John’s University.

Copyright Materials may be subject to copyright restrictions. It is the responsibility of the researcher to request permission from the copyright holder for further reproduction.

Historical Note Black Tom Island was an island in New York Harbor off the coast of New Jersey, owned by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company from 1905 to 1916. During World War I, the island was used to store and ship ammunition supplies for the Allies. On July 30, 1916, there was a series of explosions on the pier at Black Tom Island. The largest explosion occurred at 2:08am and was felt as far away as Philadelphia, causing damage in New Jersey and Manhattan. Several people were killed in the explosion and property damage was estimated at $20 million in 1916. Two German men who worked at the pier were suspected as responsible for the bombing.

After the explosion, a group of insurance companies created the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster as a way to make sabotage claims and collect money from Germany. In 1924 after all of the claims had been filed with the Committee, the Committee presented them to the German-American Mixed Claims Commission that had been established after World War I. Following a hearing, in 1930 the Commission announced a decision that Germany would not be held liable for the explosion. However, the Committee petitioned for a rehearing and in 1939 the Commission reversed their decision. The final settlement was $50 million to be paid out to 72 insurance companies between 1941 and 1967.

Today, due to landfill projects, Black Tom Island has become part of mainland New Jersey at Liberty State Park. There is a commemorative plaque at the site of the explosion.

4 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library

Scope and Content These records document the claiming process and disbursement of funds through 1969, by the Special Committee following the July 30, 1916 Black Tom Island explosion. The collection includes newspaper clippings from 1916 to 1941; meeting minutes from the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster; correspondence between lawyers, insurance companies and individuals; damage reports from the explosion; briefs on Mixed Claims Commission hearings; auditors’ reports; bank statements; and other insurance company records.

While there are original inventories of these records (see Box 1, Folder 1), the documents had been moved out of order many years ago. Upon attempting to reestablish the original order, it was found that the inventories were not completely accurate.

Subject Terms Black Tom Island (N.J.) Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster—Records and correspondence Explosions—New Jersey—Black Tom Island—1910-1920. Sabotage—New Jersey—Black Tom Island—History—20th century. Lehigh Valley Railroad Company—Disasters—1910-1920. World War 1, 1914-1918—Claims—United States Mixed Claims Commission, United States and Germany New York Board of Fire Underwriters Irving Trust Company Rumsey & Morgan E. C. Niver

Organization The Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster collection is arranged into five series:

Series 1 – Original Inventories Series 2 – Record Books and Published Reports Series 3 – Reapportionment and Distribution Records Series 4 – Irving Trust Company Series 5 – Correspondence Series 6 – Insurance Company Records Series 7 – Rumsey & Morgan Series 8 – Releases Series 9 – Miscellaneous

5 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library

Series Description Series 1 consists of the original inventories of the collection as it was donated in 1981. Please note that the original inventory is incomplete and does not match exactly the contents of the collection.

Series 2 consists of meeting minutes, briefs, record books, account books, and published reports from the Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster and the German-American Mixed Claims Commission, spanning from 1916 to 1968.

Series 3 contains records of reapportionment and distribution of the money awarded to claimants in the Black Tom Island explosion. There are reapportionment and distribution of dividends from 1947-1948; reapportionment and distribution of recoveries from 1952-1954, 1958-1962, and 1964-1967; history and record identification data from 1916-1958; and auditors’ reports from 1941, 1949, 1957, 1961, 1963, 1966, and 1967.

Series 4 consists of U.S. Treasury bonds, an account book, statement of securities, bank statements, and a checkbook from the Irving Trust Company, between 1941 and 1968.

Series 5 consists of correspondence from people involved in the events following the Black Tom Island Disaster, including E.C. Niver, long-time secretary of the Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, and Cecil Shallcross, long-time Chairman of the Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster. Correspondence spans from 1919-1968.

Series 6 consists of insurance company records from 1940-1974, by companies with claims in the Black Tom Island disaster. Most of the records are from the Globe & Rutgers Insurance Co.

Series 7 contains documents from 1923-1967, related to Rumsey and Morgan, the law firm that represented claimants in the Black Tom Island case.

Series 8 consists of 1941 releases of Henry Morganthau, Jr., Cordell Hull, Charles A. Ericson, William D. Mitchell, F.F. Beer, and Paul L.G. Hilken.

Series 9 consists of documents that do not fit into other series in the collection. It includes newspaper clippings from 1916-1941, a photo of Black Tom Island pre-disaster, IRS F990 and F1099 tax reports from 1963-1968, and various other miscellaneous records and documents.

Container List

Series 1 – Original Inventories

Box 1 Folder Description Dates 1 Original Inventories c. 1958, 1981

6 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library

Series 2 – Record Books and Published Reports

Box 1 Folder Description Dates 2 Committee Minute Book, Including Circulars to the October 3, 1916- Companies and Various Forms January 10, 1940

Box 2 Folder Description Dates 1 Committee Minute Book, Including the Final Circular to September 26, 1940- the Companies January 9, 1968 December 12, 1967

Box 3 Folder Description Dates 1 Memorials of the Underwriters August 10, 1922 2 Ericson Worksheets for the Memorials (removed to oversize) n.d.

Box 4 Folder Description Dates 1 Brief on Behalf of Insurance Companies who Suffered Losses through The German Destruction of Private Property in Time of Peace November 1926 2 Brief for the Underwriters in Support of the Memorials Filed by the Underwriters and by the Lehigh Valley Railroad July 24, 1928 3 Reply Brief for the Underwriters March 15, 1929 4 Memorandum on German Exhibits LI, LIII, and LIV April 1, 1929 5 Underwriters' Memorandum on the German Response to the Order for Production of Documents September 14, 1929 6 Final Brief for the Underwriters March 22, 1930 7 Press Release by the Department of State on October 16, November 15, 1930 1930 Decision of Mixed Claims Commission 8 Petition for Rehearing January 12, 1931 9 Supplemental Petition for Rehearing June 30, 1931 10 Brief of the American Agent Supplementing the Oral July 30-August 1, Argument had at Boston, Massachusetts, July 30- 1931 August 1, 1931 11 Brief on the Wozniak Letters and the Herrmann Message November 22, 1932 12 Certificate of Disagreement by the Two National Commissioners on Supplemental Petition for Rehearing November 28, 1932 13 Decision of the Commission Rendered by the Umpire, Honorable Owen J. Roberts December 31, 1932 14 Decision of the Commission Rendered by the Umpire December 15, 1933

7 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library

15 Memorandum Compiled from the Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island and of the Sub- Committee on the Black Tom Island Disaster July 13, 1939 16 Brief for Intervener-Respondent Lehigh Valley Railroad Company October 1940 17 Intervener-Respondent's Brief in Opposition to the Granting of Writs Certiorari October 1940 18 On Writs of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia January 6, 1941

Box 5 Folder Description Dates 1 Report of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster Relating to the Unpaid Balances on Class III Awards as of November 30, 1941; supplemental newspaper clipping November 30, 1941 2 Report of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster Relating to the Sabotage Investigation and Recoveries for the Period June 2, 1924 to November 30, 1941 November 30, 1941 3 Statements to Individual Companies Holding Class II Awards by Policy Number and with Reinsurance Proportions 1941 4 Statements to Individual Companies Holding Class III Awards by Policy Number and with Reinsurance Proportions 1941 5 German External Debts Conference London February 28, 1952. Correspondence and Reports to Award Holders by their Committees February 28, 1952 6 Memorandum on Possible Sale of the Awards of the Mixed Claims Commission July 21, 1967 7 Bureau of Explosives Report February 1, 1917 8 Committee records – 1968: Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster Cash Report of the Secretary as of November 15, 1968 Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster Anticipated Recoveries – 1968/1978 Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster Anticipated Kingsland Adjustments – 1968/1978 Preliminary Reapportionment on Estimated Sale of $75,000 Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster Anticipated Recoveries after Kingsland Adjustments – 1968/1978 Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster Anticipated Recapitulation after Reapportionment – 1968/1978 1968

8 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library

Box 6 Description Dates Books of account – Company ledger 1955-1966 Books of account – Journal 1956-1966 Books of account – Cash receipts & disbursements journal 1966-1968 Books of account – General journal, general ledger, & Black Tom Underwriters sub-ledger 1966-1968

Series 3 - Reapportionment and Distribution Records

Box 7 Folder Description Dates 1 Reapportionment and Distribution of 1947 - 1948 Dividends 1947-1948 2 Reapportionment and Distribution of 1952-1953-1954 Recoveries 1952, 1953, 1954 3 Reapportionment and Accounting as of June 1955 1955 4 Reapportionment and Accounting as of June 1956 1956 5 Reapportionment and Accounting as of June 1957 1957 6 Reapportionment and Distribution of 1958 and 1959 Recoveries 1958, 1959 7 Reapportionment and Distribution of 1960 Recoveries 1960

Box 8 Folder Description Dates 1 Reapportionment and Distribution of 1961 Recoveries 1961 2 Reapportionment and Distribution of 1962 Recoveries 1962 3 Reapportionment and Distribution of 1964 Recoveries 1964 4 Reapportionment and Distribution of 1965 Recoveries 1965 5 Reapportionment and Distribution of 1966 Recoveries 1966 6 Reapportionment and Distribution of 1967 Recoveries 1967 7 Distribution from Reserve Fund and Net Proceeds of Sale December 1967 8 Special Committee on Black Tom Island Sub-Journal: Reapportionment and Distribution of Recoveries (removed to oversize) 1966-1967 9 History and Record Identification Data July 30, 1916- December 31, 1958 10 History and Record Identification Data July 30, 1916- December 31, 1958 11 Auditors' report November 30, 1941 Auditors' report November 29, 1949 Auditors' report August 26, 1957 Auditors' report September 21, 1961 Auditors' report September 20, 1963 Auditors' report July 11, 1966 Auditors' report May 31, 1967

9 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library

Series 4 - Irving Trust Company

Box 9 Folder Description Dates 1 U.S. Treasury Bonds 1956-1966 2 Account book January 13, 1941- December 28, 1967 3 Statement of securities April 19, 1966 4 Committee meeting minutes December 12, 1967 5 Bank statements October 1949- November 1955 6 Bank statements December 1955- August 15, 1962 7 Bank statements October 1, 1962- March 3, 1969 8 Check book December 1, 1964- December 16, 1968

Series 5 – Correspondence

Box 10 Folder Description Dates 1 Cecil Shallcross (re: retirement) 1919-1944 2 Cecil Shallcross 1941-1942 3 E. C. Niver 1937-1968 4 Amos J. Peaslee 1924, 1941 5 Gilbert L. Scott 1955-1968 6 John N. Blegen 1962-1968 7 James J. Meyers 1965-1968 8 Robert H. Tullis, Jr., Esq. 1968

Series 6 – Insurance Company Records

Box 10 Folder Description Dates 9 Globe & Rutgers Insurance Co. 1965-1974 10 Reinsurance Bureau and Reinsurance Clearing House 1941

Box 11 Folder Description Dates 1 Agreement of Merger of Globe & Rutgers Fire Insurance Company and American Home Assurance Company December 1, 1954 2 Reapportionment payment to American Home Assurance Co., Globe & Rutgers Insurance Co., and Insurance Underwriters Agency of the Insurance Co. of the State of PA December 26, 1967

10 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library

3 Insurance Underwriters Agency of the Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania 1962-1969 4 Home Indemnity Company 1940

Series 7 – Rumsey & Morgan

Box 11 Folder Description Dates 5 Correspondence re: Lien of Elizabeth Bailey Rumsey November 14, 1939 6 Cravath, Swaine, & Moore: payments to Elizabeth Bailey Rumsey, Rumsey & Morgan, and Sophia Arnold October 17, 1950 7 Rumsey & Morgan I 1933, 1939-1950 8 Rumsey & Morgan II 1923-1939 9 Rumsey & Morgan III 1924, 1939, 1947, 1967 10 Rumsey & Morgan release, Mrs. Elizabeth Bailey Rumsey release, Mrs. Sophia Arnold release 1941, 1950

Series 8 - Releases

Box 11 Folder Description Dates 11 Circular to companies re: Morganthau and Hull releases, January 8, 1941 and accompanying releases January 10, 1941 12 Charles A. Ericson release October 29, 1941 13 William D. Mitchell release October 25, 1941 14 F. F. Beer release January 30, 1941 15 Paul L. G. Hilken release June 21, 1941

Series 9 – Miscellaneous

Box 12 Folder Description Dates 1 Final Apportionment of Awards April 17, 1941 2 H.R. 4044 June 1948 3 H.R. 5802 October 18, 1951 4 German Special Deposit Account 1941 5 Statement of Partial Distribution of Recoveries (removed to January 11, 1924- oversize) June 2, 1924 6 Clippings 1916, 1932-1941 7 Black Tom Explosion July 30, 1916 as Seen by Pathé News for Mississippi Wire Glass Co. 1916 8 Photo of Black Tom Island pre-disaster n.d. 9 Miscellaneous receipts 1967 10 Memos and receipts 1968-1969 11 Applications for Awards October 30, 1939

11 Records of the Special Committee on Black Tom Island Disaster, 1916-1969 Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library

12 Lehigh Valley Railroad Company January 30, 1941 13 Petty cash records of overtime payments and expenses for typists, etc. 1940-1942 14 Distribution of Balance of Reserve Fund upon dissolution of Committee 1968 15 Annual Statement of the Fire Insurance Company to the Commissioner of Insurance of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (removed to oversize) 1940 16 IRS F990 and F1099 Tax Reports 1963-1968 17 Postage bills and petty cash 1966-1967 18 Correspondence re: Kingsland awards 1967-1969 19 Miscellaneous 1958-1968