New-York tribune., 1871-05-01

indifference Of the conductor who could hurry |
away and leave q dying man senselcss in tho
road, and much stronger feeling toward the
driver, who is now in Jail on suspicion of COM
plicity in the outrage. We shall not PREJUDICE
these two men. There may be extenuation of
the conduct of the one, and the circumstances
which throw suspicion upon the other may be
incorrectly reported. Bat tho case has called
out great number of communications from
passengers who have experienced the dangers
of the city cars, and there is no doubt that on
several of tho roads robberes and assaults,
winked at by the drivers and conductors, are
comparatively common. There are certain lines
which the pot-h0use politicians and strikers
are understood to use for the benefit of their
friends, and on which ruffian who has rem
dered good service to the party at primary meet
ines and on days of election is always sure of
a situation. And men who know something of
the dark side Of city life have often noticed
that pimps and pickpockets on these roads
are generally on terms of confidential intimacy
with the company's employees. The writer OF
these lines saw a gang OF thieves make an
attempt upon gentlemans pocket on a 'front.'
car-platform, but, being foled, they jumped
off and escaped. The conductor then came
forward and laughingly remarked to the driver
that \" they did MT DO it as well "a usual to-
"night" In reply to question, he admitted
that the same gang "worked his car" every
night "DO you mean to say that you iee
"them do it ~ "Well, it's none OF my business
"pd only get myself into. trouble if | sad
"anytbipg.n-a sentiment in which the driver
heartily concurred. On the same line we saw
ell
lady,s lap, and the conductor. when asked to
put him out, plumply refused. We suppose tha'
was none of his business" either There Is
at least one line on which men in the most
offensive stage of drunkenness have full
license to annoy other passengers ana terIiiy
women; on which respectable ladies are hardly
safe from insult at any time, and II insulteo
will get no protection from the conductor
We do not mean the line on which Mr.. Put
nam was killed but it seems, from the events
of Wednesday evening, that the regulations oi
that road also give drunken men the rlSht 10
do pretty mnch as they please III the cars
proyided they have paid five cents and are ac-
quainted with the driver.
II has been proposed to remedy these dis
orders by giving railroad hands the power to
mako arrests, holding the companies respon-
| sible for whatever abuse they may make OF
their authority. That plan would probably
aggravate the evil in city like New-lork
Conductors have already the right to expei
from their cars anybody who is dangerous to
the other passengers, or who ollends against
decency by intoxicatiOn, profanity, and so on
What we want is an order from the com
panies that this right shall be rigidly exercised
| Conductors must understand that their duties
are not confined to making time, packing
passengers, and collecting fares. They are
bound to protect their passengers in person
and property. They are not to laugh
while pockets are picked, nor to look on while
women are abused by drunkards, nor to let
the friends of the driver chase young ladies
| from ono corner of the car to another and
then dash out the brains of any gentleman
who intcrfcres to protect them. Here is les
son from the mournful tragedy of last week
which surely can be learned without much
trouble. While the horror of that assasslna-
ton is still fresh, we wish few of the dl-
rectors of city car companies would spend
day and night in travelling over their lines and
seeing for themselves the rampant ruf1lanIsm
for which they are responsible.