The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-04-06
ASSAULT UPON OR OBSTRUCTING
RAILWAY TRAINS. H

We are not friendly to over legislation, but
are very much in favor of severe laws with
regard to obstrncting or assaulting railway
trains. Ii is no uncommon thing for fire.
qnent traveller to notice, and even to run some
considerable risk from, stones thrown through
ear windows. We have known some two or
three eases where persons have been badly
wounded by this class of assaults. The stones
may be thrown by persons who do not really
mean mischief, but as they do coinmi. and are
liable to commit very serious assaults, even
to numbering unollcnding passengers, they
should be punished with corresponding Sc
verify, no matter whether the mischief fol-
lows the commission of the AFT or not. Boys,
and even grown men sometimes ainuse them
selves by putting distractions upon the rail
merely tor the fun of seeing the locomotive
crush il to pieces o. jump ever it. A practice
so dangerous should be put down BY severe
enactments. Under certaii circumstances a
very slight obstruction wii throw the engine
from the track. and then i becomes matter
of luck whether the trail will receive no
damage, or whether ten OF n hundred persons
will be killed. When obFructions are placed
upon the raiIwilh the design OF doing damage
to the train, the punishm'n Int should be severe,
decided and prompt. Interference with the
public travel, especially with regard to its
safety should be most de+idedlyopposed, and
by the most energetic mans. It is not long
snce we heard of case where the employees
Of road took possessionpf the line and re-
fused passage to the trains Under such cir
cumstances the offenders .hould have been
shot down like so many mad dogs. They
certainly could claim nolenity from the law
or sympathy from the pubic. A few instances
of prompt punishment for the commission of
these grave offences will soon bring forth the
proper results. 1he pra,tice OF throwing
MISS Is at railway trains las been considered
by the Legislature of lutiana, and the follow
ing act has been passed wth reference thereto:
AN AcT to provide for lhe punishment Of
persons interfering with trains on railroads.
SEC. |. Be it enacted Dy the General AS
scmblyof, the State of lndiarh, That any
person who shall shoota gun, pistol or other
weapon, or throw, Il stone, stick, clubs, or any
other subst,IlIce Whatever III or against any
locomotive or car, or train OF cars containing
persons, on any railroad in this State, shall
be deemed guuly of Il misdemeanor, and upon
conyictlon shall be fined in any sum not less
than ten, nor more than one hundred dollars,
and imprisoned in the county Jail not less
! than ten days nor more than three months
/ Sec. Q In case any person on such loco
motive, car, or train of ears shall be injured
or wounded by any such act, the person 50
offending shall, on conviction, be deemed
guilty of an assault, with intent to commit
murder, and be imprisoned in the States
| Prison, not less than one nor more than four
years; and II death ensue, such person shall
be deemed guilty of murder in the first de-
gree, and punished accordingly ,f.e4t "A
SEC. 3. III cases OF prosecution under this
act, it shall not be deemed necessary in the
information or indictments to nanie or set
out the names OF persons or injured or wound
ed except in cases of prosecution for murder.
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