The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-15


We are all onthe tptoe Of anxiety Tor Bourcicaults
new drama, to be produced ct the Adelphi next
Monday Mr. James Anderson has gone to Liver
pool. Mr.. Samuel Emery is in town. Mr.. and Mrs.
Wigan are cung the theatrical profession, in order
to form efficient company for their Olympic ven
ture. Miss Robertson is still delghtng the Lyceum
AUDIENCES.
The No,walk Calamity In an Eng1ish Point
Of View.
from the London Advert iser, May 80
The appalling railway catastrophe which has &C.
Cured on the road between New York and New
Haven, has rendered the American people anxious
to know what they to do in order to secure for
the travelling public as much immunity as possible
from calsmites Of this fearful nature. We are
scarcely in position to give them advice as the
suit Of our efforts TO bring about better state of
things in our own country, although we could offer
suggestions which have been recently made, and, in
particular, could tell them of the course which is
likely to be taken in Scotland, and which will att
least have the effect of leading the gentlemen who
occupy the position and enjoy the emoluments Of di-
rectors to feel that their position has its duties as
well as its rights.
On the morning Of the 9Th of this month the draw
bridge near Norwalk, Connecticut, was opened to
permit steamboat to pass; while open, the train of
cars from New York came along at speed Of fifteen
miles per hour and the locomotive, the baggage car,
and two passenger plunged into the river fifteen
feet below. There fearful loss OF life. Passen-
gers mangcd, crushed, smothered, and drowned.
Up to eight o'clock on Friday morning some forty
dead bodies had been recovered, two Of the injured
had died, and eighteen persons were severely hurt
three dangerously. 1t was supposed that about sixty
persons were murdered through the wicked careless
ness of the employees Of the company 1t is very pro-
perly asked what possible could exist for open
ing the draw at the time when the train ofcars
pected? The man in care of the bridge alleges that
signals displayed, admonishing the engineer of
the state Of things and the passengers confirm this
mans statement. The American press calls for the
infection of punishment on the careless servant by
whom the bridge was left in this state at time when
he knew the train was due, and, regarding him as
murderer, assert that he should receive murderers
doom. AS further measure of justice, and with
view to the prevention of further accidents from care
lessness, it is recommended that railway companies
should be fined ten thousand dollars for every pas
senger who may be killed on its cars by any accident
whatsoever, for which he is not himself clearly re-
sponsible.
We are not certain that the motive furnished by
the fear Of such penalty would be sufficient in the
case of wealthy company to secure all that care and
attention which are due from those who hold the Office
Of directors, and who, even If fine of two Thousand
their inattenton or want of Skill would still have the
satisfaction of knowing that the money would not
have TO he paid more by themselves than by the ge
neral body of the shareholders.
There seems to be just now the commencement Of
another method Of dealing with this subject among
us, which if it should become general will have more
coercion in it than all the fines suggested by our
American contemporaries II the directors OF a rail
held responsible for all due and attention
we hold a man who drives cab and if, as has re-
Gently been the case legal proceedings were taken
against the Board not as an abstraction but against
all the individuals who sit at it, there is moral GER
tainty that this method would wake up these gentle
men to their duties in thorough earnest and that we
should witness that amount of vgilant attention to
business which it has been the object of all our ap
peals to produce.
One Of the principal causes of the carelessness
shown by persons employed on railways, is the GUS
tom on the part Of their employers of delegating
their powers to others. Now, we maintain, that
whatever may be the competence of any general
manager of a railway there are many ways in which
the public may suffer if board will entrust the exer
else of its controlling power to any one man who, In
a hundred ways, may err in the appointment OF SER
wants and the superintendent of the vast business
entrusted to his care. railway requires for its
proper management all the eyes of Argus, and all
the hands and arms Of Brareus, and all the wakeul
ness OF an Anipater, and we are at loss to find out
the one man in whom all these advantages are COM
bined, and who, whatever may be his qualification,
ought to be stimulated by the fact that he is aided
by the CO operation of board, every man on which
is compelled to do his duty.
We believe that the outcry against the stupidity Of
railway servants and against the careless neglect
of duty will never until such pressure shall be
applied in every boardroom, as will make each of
its members feel that he must do his duty faithfully
retire for those whose time and skill qualify them
to do the duties for which he is incompetent, or
which bis other and more profitable engagements
will not allow him to discharge.
If it should be found that the remuneration of
directors is not sufficient to secure to company the
full benefit Of their services, by all means let that re-
enumeration be increased and perhaps it might in
many cases be great adv antage to reduce>th mum
Der OF directors and by dispensing with great
and large numbers, secure the valuable and we'll paid
services Of men who can do the work assigned to
them, If their time is properly secured.
HORRIBLE MURDER.-On the night of the 9th ult.,
land Omi Fl izen off Ia
county murdered in bed, in his o~n hou The
assassns seem to have used heavy club axe,
probably the latter and despatched t1e sleeping victim
by DfictDg two tremendous blows upon his cheek
bone mapeing and crushing in almost the entire side Of
his face And although his skull not broken IL is
thought by the physicians who examined the wound that
after the blow but insensble and neither spoil
moved during the time large quantity of bioed was
ousd upon the bed and his nerson. and portions OF Il
sprnk]ed the floor the wall and upon the cell
log above Mrs. McFsrapd being awoke by the blow up.
her husbands face, ang rom the bedwas seized
by Of the assastns-cIisd Mr. David French who
s epibg IN room above and made her esca se be-
fore be arrived but fred at by Of the party
she left the house Mr. French arrived too late to
der any assistance dete:t the murderers. Mrs.
Mcfarland reports to have three feur per-
in the ROOM and is confident they white men;
but owing TO the fright and hurry Of the OCCASION could
not accurately describe their dres appearance It
Lot known whether the nurderers were influenced by
malice or punder-lkeIy both. Thsy got money, bus
carried away watch Many Of the neighbors and q
number Of gentlemen from collected 1T the house
the next hing coroDer's inquest had, but
yet nothing has ed been discovered giving clue
to the perpetrators Of the deed OcesborOugh XIV
Gazette.
CoUNTERFEITEEs ARREsTED.-For some time past
anan, famed Washington Wheeler, has been suspected
OF being engaged in counterfeiting On Thursday night
about 10 o'clock. Mayor Foley, accompanied By officer
Wolf went to wheeles house for the purpose Of arrest
ing him. On entering the house they notced that Wheeler
very much sgitated and wien they made known
their business ne jumped out Of window and escaped