The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-08
The Recent Manslaughser ON the Baltimore
ana susquebaana Railro>d.

xhe Rscent Mans,aughser ON the Baltsnaors
anu susquebaana Railrosd.
The yer 10 Of the coroner's nque on the
deaths can by the recent collision on the
Baltimor an Snsquehanna Raj road W Md be
more ere table g. the urors I it had been
more explicit in It's term and ore direct in
It's cen ur. 4 IL quite o vi US that, as the
jury says, the deaths Of the per Ons killed were
caused by the negligenc of Scott the conduc-
tor and 1t IL also clear that ce sure il due to
the cficers Of tie oompany not being more
explicit in their Instructions tn cond Ictors.
But this ia not all. Quite ~ avp rent as the
two facts above mentioned % the negle t Of the
company in app nting an incOmp n engineer,
and rendering it p ssible for an accident Of this
nature to occur. This is in point Of fact the
gravsmen of the injury of which we are now
entitled to complain. When an accident Of this
nature occurs, it is absurd to talk of oensuring
conductors, whose insigniacance is q perfect
shield from public retribution the com ~ is
the party which should be mad, to feel the
weight of our vengeance. Scott, whose mis-
management was the immediate canse Of
the disaster, cannot be reached by anathe-
mas, and is secure from punishment; his
Incarceration for life would neither remedy
the evil he has caused nor guard against
its recurrence in future. The railroad
company on the contrary can be made
TO feel the cost of similar instances of negli-
gence and mismangement. Heavy damages,
sweeping off a long list Of dividends, would
sharpen the wits OF railroad men, and the pub
ic may rely upon it that they can prevent
accidents if it be made their interest to do So
There is no railroad in this country on which
it is safer to travel than the New York and
New Haven; but this safety is wholly due to
the enormous expense to which the Norwalk
accident put the company. That disaster
swallowed up eighteen months earnings Of one
Of the most prosperous lines in the North, and
has had most salutary effect not only on that
road but on all others. The example must be
followed at Baltimore. The Baltimore and Sus-
quehanna road has long been noted for the
ineficiency Of its management and the Mig
gardly spirit Of economy by which necessary
improvements and safeguards were prevented.
duced their obvious fruit, in the murder and the
manning of large number Of our fellow crea-
lures. No consideration must prevent ener-
ggetic Eetribution tor these injuries. The wound
g! should at once take legal proceedings against
the company for damages; the relatives Of the
deceased should in like manner sue for COM
pensation for their loss. 1t may seem repul-
sive to the feelings Of an orphan or widow to
seek money as consolation for the loss Of o
father or husband; but the survivors owe it
to themselves and to the country to pursue this
course. Those whose means of livelihood have
been taken from them by this accident should
demand of the company suitable mainte-
nance. Injury to limb should in like manner
be amply compensated in money. No cempro-
mise should be entertained by the victims that
leaves them worse of, in pecuniary point of
view, than they were before. There is Justice
enough in Baltimore to see that niggarily
corporation like the Baltimore and Susque
hanna Railroad do not fatten on the blood of
our countrymen. They must pay-pay largely
to the uttcrmost farthing of their earning,
and their assets; it is enough for the victim,
that they endure mental and bodily suffering
without the addition of pecuniary distress
The readers Of this journal are we'll aware
that we have uniformly advocated the establish.
mcnt of a rule, whereby railroad directors
would he rendered personally liable for 81
dents occurring through negligence or mis-.
management. The hardship which such rule
a ircf al 10 snr
in reality be no practical hardship at all II
railroad directors were working men instead of
capitalists who accept the Office for the purpose
of specializing they would not deem il oppres.
sive to be held responsible for accidents which
they could easily prevent. Private individuals
are accountable at common law for the CO.. -
quences Of their carelessness and no one has ever
been heard to complain of this rule as uoiust
or unfair. 1t is impossible to discover any
reason why corporations enjoying profitable no
nopolies, and intrusted with privileges far be-
yond any thing claimed by individuals, should
be exempted from similar liability Every acci-
dent which occurs confirms our opinion that per-
sonal responsibility for accidents should attach
TO the ONCE Of managing director of railway
Had the directors Of the Baltimore and Sus-
qaehanha road been thus liable, such precau-
tons would have been taken that the recent
frightful massacre would not have occurred:
and so 1t is with all the other accidents we
chronicle. They occur not from wilftrl perver-
sity in the managers, but from a want of that
vigilance and foresight which the dread of pun.
ishment and personal sense of responsibility
would ensure.
NEW YORK PoLrIcs-- roa
THE CAMPhGN.-The weather is hot enough
to suspend business, thin out the PRONE
nades, depopulate the theatres, and. in
fact annihilata ernrufh;nrr oxa.-4 LID,