The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-08-19
SArlfR DAYS WHOLESALE
SI.Ala;spTEIs.

but horrors In addition to one COM
menicd on in another article. and others
which we pass by, as comparatively inSig-
niticant when contrasted with the greater
ones. the Chicago and Alton railroad. Sat
Uray night, was the scene of the most
causelcss, the most wicked. the most recl-
less and the most damuable accident that
the press has even been called upon to re-
cord Accident did we say? Rather let
it be called murder wilfu destruction of
life. limb and property We do not sup
pose that the parties in fault to whom we
shall presently refer, actually intended to
commit the crime of murder mutilate indi-
viduals or destroy property, but if there ever
was a case in which the good old rule of
law, that man is presumed to intend that
which his acts necessarily result in. ought
to I've applied, this is one The passenger
train it seems, had the right of way"
and was going along at her ordinary rate
of speed, the engineer. firemen and passen-
gers all unconscious OF danger and every
precaution being taken toguard against the
same, when suddenly. without moment
of warning, in going around curve, eleven
or more individuals are hurled into eternity
and. at least, thirty-tiv more crippled for
life. if so be that their lives be spared.
The fireman and engineer of the passenger
train, although they saw that Il collision
was unavoidable, remained at their posts,
and by reversing the engine did their Mt
most to make the collision as light as pos
siblc. In the noble discharge of duty they
sacrificed their lives, and have added their
names to the long roll of heroes who val
ued duty more than life. All honor to such
men, and it is a consolation to their friends
to remember that their names will never he
suffered to pass from memory.
Turn we now to the other side, and we
see picture o. wicked recklessncss that
deserves the most condign punishment.
The cause of the accident. as the associated
press dispatches inform us, was the crim-
nal rccklessness of the conductor and en-
gineer of the coal train. whose duty it was
to wait at Lamont until the passenger train
luSSt,l. uHitSS tllNl iiehl I'ANiN'h l'bNlNiNN
orders TO proceed. Is there any doubt
about this? Yet in the face of the facts,
and Notwithstanding the conductor was
unhurt and has departed for parts I'M
twas not the case If the conductor of the
coal train" Are we to infer from this
that he received positive orders from the
officials of the company, AT this time, to
proceed? Or, are we to understand that he
was directed to run his train, at all times
and under all circumstances, regardless Of
the safety of his own train, or the life and
limbs of passengers being transported over
the road? One or the other conclusion is
irresistible. on else the engineer and CON
ductor were criminally reckless The rail
road officials, however, say that they were
not. There is hut one course for the au-
thorities of Illinois to pursue in this case.
Under their laws. rs well as under the
laws of most other civilized states, if a
person looscs his life by the criminal care
lessness or recklessness Of another, the per-
son so recklcssly and carelessly conducting
himself is held TO be guilty of manslaugh-
ter, and is amenable to the laws for such
crime. If the conductor is the guilty
party, then he should he arrested. tried,
convicted and punished IT, however, as
we are led to infer, the rules of the rail
road company authorized the course pur-
sued by the conductor and engineer of the
coal train, then every director, who assent
ed to such IA rule, is legally and morally
guilty of the crime of manslaughtcr No
matter how wealthy these men may he.
how high they stand in the community, or
how powerful an influence they exert in
society Illinois owes il to herself and the
country that these men be punished for
| their crime. The conviction of n few such
men, and their imprisonment in the pen-
tertiary, would prevent numberless rail
road accidents, and render collision" al
most an unused word in connection with
railroad travel