The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-12

beauty and fashion of the country from all
points of the compass. Let the managers and
| the shopkeepers and hotel men keep sharp
lookout. The best horse will win the purse.
The scAaghticoke Railway Msssacro-
Manslaughter Goes Unparalleled.
| The terrible railway slaughter at the Schagh.
ticoke bridge, on the Albany, Vermont and
Canada Railroad, on the I'd Of August last,
is not likely to be soon forgotten, although it
seems according to articles in the Troy papers
which we transfer to our columns to-day, that
the parties responsible for it are to escape
punishment. BY the criminal negligence and
recklessness of the company, in running trains
over bridge known to be rotten and d.
lapidated, eight persons lost their lives.
and twenty or thirty more were cut bruiscd
and mutilated. coroner's inquest was held
over the body of one of the victims. We all
know how inquests nowadays are managed
80 as to screen guilty parties as much as pos
sible; but even this jury brought in verdict
highly censuring those in charge of the road,
and denouncing the bridge as being in rotten
and unsafe condition.
But that was not going far enough in the in
terest of public justice. It was no satisfaction
to those who were injured, or to the relatives
of those who were killed, that the guilty parties
should be censured by coroner's Jury. The
severest punishment which the law provides
would be far too light for their crime;
but, such as it was, it should at least be
inflicted. How? By the Grand Jury of
the county finding an Indictment against
the president directors and superintendent,
and by their being prosecuted to conviction
before petty jury. The statute makes their
offence manslaughter in the fourth degree, pun
ishable by imprisonment for two wears. or a
fine Of a thousand dollars, in the discretion If
the Judge; and certainlyno one would say that a
two years incarceration in Sing Sing would be
too severe penalty for those soulless mem
bers OF a railroad corporation who sport reck-
lessly with life and limb.
Among the passengers who escaped from the
scene of slaughter, and who was fortunate in
getting off with pretty severe cuts and bruises.
was lawyer of this city, named VIM. J. A.
Fuller. This gentleman was determined to
leave no stone unturned in an effort to bring
these railroad officials to justice, and to have
the road itself indicted as nuisance. He
attended in Troy last week, appeared and
testified before the Grand Jury, and on his re-
turn to this city employed counsel to give his at
tention to the matters preliminary to the finding
of an Indictment The District Attorney consent
ed to have Mr. Fuller associated with himself
as counsel for the prosecution. We understand,
however, that no Indictment has been found by
the Grand Jury, and that, so far as that body
concerned, the authors of the Schaghti-
coke massacre are at liberty to go on
and slaughter ruthlessly the travellers
who trust themselves to their tender mer-
cies. 1t is also said that Mr.. Fuller has not
been able to have process in q suit for civil
damages served on Mr.. VIM. White the Super
intendent of the road although two personal
friends of the complainant residing in Albany.
were entrusted with the service of the writ
and although the defendant is daily in that city.
Finally, it is gravely asserted that the politi
cal conspirators of the New York Central Rail-
road have had their finger in this pie, and have
lent their powerful aid in thwarting the fair ad
ministraton of the law in this matter.
But we understand that Mr. Fuller is a man
who is not to be easily foiled in thing that he
has resolved on He is determined that the
authors of the Schaghticoke massacre shall be
brought to justice, and he will persist in his
efforts to that end. If one Grand jury Ia
weak or ignorant there may possibly be
found another Grand Jury with enough Of
public spirit in its members to induce
them to do their duty. And so, perhaps,
in course OF time justice may be meted out to
these railroad assassins. We understand, too.
that it is in contemplation to have urged upon
the next State Legislature the passage of law
raising similar offences to the grade Of man
slaughter in the first degree, of which the ne
nalty shall be Imprisonment for life; and also
OF law giving to judgments recovered for
personal damages priority over all other mort
cages and liens. Such laws are eminently ne
cessary and proper if the community is to eu-
JOY any degree of safety in railroad travelling.
We never expect to see railroad president or
director sent to Sing Sing for life, or for
term Of years; but it is at least to be hoped
that those who recover judgments in civil ac-
tons against insolvent railroad corporations,
for injuries to the person, shall have priority
for their claims above all others. The laws in
these respects require to be altered; but, above
all such laws as we have require to be admi-
nistered fairly and impartaly.
The DESTINATION or THE GREAT EASTERN STILL.
UNDECIDED-LEvER's CHANCEs.-The letter of
our London correspondent, published to-day,
in a measure explains the hesitation and delay
on the part of the Great Eastern Company to
come to final settlement regarding the desti-
nation of the monster steamship 1t appears
that the company is composed of no less than
three thousand shareholders, the directors,