New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-07-11
Tho Case Of james Conner, switehman Of
the Hudson River Raiiroad. st Irving.

To ns Editor If The ~ Y Tribune.
SIR: l ask little space in your journal %
state the case Of hard.working faithful man. having
wife and six children dependent upon him for support
whose neglect OF among the mutifarious divers
and conflicting duties imposed upon him by the mean
ness Of mercenary corporation has lately cost one
man his life brave officer Of our navy both his feet
anu hns inflicted serious injuries eight other
persons
You have already spoken of this matter at length,
but II you had been 10 possession Of q details which
am about TO give you would have felt that the sub
jet demanded still stronger words than those you used
Monday OF last week all that we learn Of tie affair
deepens the guilt Of the Company and excuses the un-
| happy man on whom no doubt they would be glad to
heap the whole blame.
River Railroad eleven years. during all which
time he has never been reproyed for negecting
single duty belonging to his places on the contrary he
well known to the company that employs him. to the
station master Of this place and to the people who live
here as man devoted to bis duty. steady, willing and
civil and always ut his post II is true that on two oc-
casons he has been discharged from his place for vo
lent conduct while under the influence OF liquor and,
with many this confession will. perhaps. close the case
against him. but although think that no corporation
has right 10 employ In a position on which as many
lives depend any man who. even occasionally drinks
too mueh much less to take man back who has once
been discharged for such ofense. yet 81 must be
borne in mind first, that James Conner Is not drinkers
aud, In the second place. that the fault for which he
was discharged had nothing to do with his immediate
duties TO the road. He was not discharged for Gny
neglect Of duty but for violent and noisy conduct such
against the rules Of tho Company; that the last
OF tLsse 0ienses committed four years ago. and.
since that time be has never subjected himself even to
a reprimand.
Nor must any charge that the fatal accident Of
Saturday Was Ing to COnnors not being in state to
attend TO his duty Not only is everybody agreed that
he perfectly sober but. myself testify to the
fact met and spoke to him only sbort time before
the train by. In truth, however such exp!ana
ton is necessary The whole case lies in Nutshell
As IstO
kndling wood underneath the that leapcd upon it
and crushed it-talkiDg to two men who. with many
others, Lad escaped rom II uIhurt as II by miracle
a afdozen men began TO mutter and cry Hang the
switchm.nw Lynch him !" " Shoot him 4" AID other
tire itenng words But. said 10 them. Srs. you
on the wrong SCENT the who has done this thing is
not the switchman. Nanybody Is to be hanged shot
II Is the Directors who give man dozen duties TO
attend to- the neglect OF any one OF which will cost him
his place; and risks tho fate Of thirty trains aday
upon his faithful performance year in and year out.
Of what no one man conld ever hope to do well
Now. learn. what were james ConnOr's duties. In
the first place le switcitensl Near 80 trains
day pass this place, according 10 the timetable. be-
side whatever others may be run occasionally for
extra purposes. For every one Of these the switch
tender has to see that the rood il in running order and
the neglect to attend TO this part Of his duty may
leopard many lives suppose you are aware that to
the creamer brake and the quick eye and presence Of
mind OF the engineer we IL that the whole train
was not hurled into the river II This work alone il
enough for man to attend Ia; the man who IA set 70
do 1t should be called to attend TO any other
duty. But IN ADDITION 10 tnls, tOnnor WAS baCgSgc
master lie had to give every check that required
and keep account Of them. 10 be rendered every
evening; to mark all baggage. beside checking it, to
pat the baggage and take ii OFF the train. This
sgan is plsuly the work Of man. or at any rate
is work that should be added to the switchmans
duties. But thirdly, the switchman and baggage-IDas
ter was also. fagmani lie must get through with al
bis other duties in time to hold out the nghthag to
the coming train
Here surely much wo-k As could reasonably
be eractcd OF for ihrty.ive dollars month So
think you and J. and all Iryington but the directors
greedy dividends and reduced expenses say other
wise. freightirain is put ON. and word IA sent up
from the central Office that the baggage master at
each station to be at the back Of the master Of the
freight train 10 help in the unloading. No matter
then II aloug. no matter what else the factotnm
happens h. bc doing. he ust obey the orders of this
man In this particular case II was his damnins and
currng and bullying Of Conpor. say nany-I do not
get IL frum ConuOrtiat confused him. and hurried
him that he forgot he had not replaced the switch for
the dovncIpress But mind. here were. Ia this poor
unslncated but well meaning man. fro conflicting da
tios Vie did not know the higher law ~ prcemi.
nent duty With which no other can by any reasoning
conflict, He two and. alas chose the very ono to
obey that oasb N have beet neglected gross error
in iadencnti But are all the cardinal virtues on hire
ia ono person. at thirty five dollars u month
But -,y the sleek directors. smoothing down their
pleihorc pockets-"cspn this man do fev odd
chores TO the money we obliged 10 pay him =
On ye.i Another order from the Central office Let
James COnnor carry the mail bag back aud forth for
the Office. IL j. only rod or twoi Here Conner be
gins 10 balk. lie declines the additional duty. Hold
Telegraph the Post Office down TO the Board" Con.
nor reusssl' "Let Conner obey" taps the telegraph
back. "or leave" Wife and sir children tug at Jims
heart strings he doesn't like 10 give up place he has
had for eleven years--he shoulders the mail bag
And now the sv.tch..eRser. baegage.master, neg,
man, frcigh, gnl?adef mail carref iiaJ rest in odd
;s,nn,es YOU thlnkt what what what I" gasp the
Directors IN chorus "Hls hs an odd minute Oh.
Lord what will become of our dividendW Must we
paw another man tn keep the track clear of grass
Tap tap tap" goes the telegraph Lot James Con-
G. ,pen the locic OF eventsi Thi, man filing four
responsible paccs-IO, to lsy any stress on The st Two
lcrs up ~ odd momeuts-hfer eleven years OF steady
faithful service negleets du'i hai has ,sS'
AT that particular juncnrc only three times III cgh'
yearsi Only that number 81 times has this freight tram
switched of from the track II was on ana now oniy
toes so because the express late. Conner turns tho
switch for It, and sets the upper itcb rghi iof
~. express and il going down 10 make the other rght
when one Bullying dsmning bend OF IN, Hesht't lam
orders him iu another direction jim obeys hm from
the insnct of obedience thinking be can attend 20 th
switch IN time. lie il kept away too long Ihe express
comes laundering along lie meehahi.ahi Iuas ah h
sezes the white flag the tram sweeps ny he hcars the
800 cxclaims my God that switch T. aui PUSHES
like mailman up the hili Poor iello" net nun, As
ran down the hi. rushing np WIN ihce as Nhte a.
Tho d.ad and wounded In the sm0sbed-up cars ploW
Iyb,l. the crowd of men tugging apd hhullns AZ
the locomotive trying 10 get her out oil "a. t'sr
TODD and talked with the engineer O one OF lhe 9e2
,o,i,cs sent M TO help IN the job. " " ell, sad l.
81 honc The tompany will learn Il little lesson III
econo,ny. $1,000 wont pay for TINS OBSTRUCTION pu'
IL wonld nav for an extra hand or tWoT no thcy
won't learn lesson SAYS NY gil' ,,, ~ IN,
learns one lesson at time. tneiu ensrsi you won
have another smash up at lryngton Tor siA OF seven
year hut there may be one to morrow soinewnerG e.ic
liz told en- year after year they'd otter nave ha 4,
| peeksklll on the hill thar. whnr yer come round
Them ore mounteis but they never gave u' orc M ono
day there smash.up-one tram ran mo Hno'nor
! and since then we've bad fling nj Peokskill
! s,vs lanes Conner to mo, Nv nat WANT SIT, - AZ
ipyestigntion ! know I'm guilty; dldnt 40 my
duty Bat want to go before the board; and Tell my
s,oyv I don't want 10 be taken back. | never wal
49,. ,bs railroad again But want the people that