The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-10
LETTERS ON LYING TOPICS.
The Duties of Employees vs.. The Interests Of
the pcopIe.

To THE EDITOR OF The SUN-Str: Dur
Ing the past week several witnesses have been
called to testify, under widely different crcum-
stances. In two cases Of the deepest interest to
the public. refer to the Coroner's inquest ro-
earding the cause OF the loss Of life at the Ash
tabua bridge disaster, and the investigations by
10th Houses of Congress which have led to the
summons Of employees of the Western Union
Telegraph Company to appear before the Con-
gressiDnaI cummtttees.
In the Ashtabula case It Is quite evident that
witness have withheld important testimony
regarding the number ~ passengers IN the train,
the condition of the hrdse, and upon the DE-
puted question as to whether the railroad ON
Ct IL lreytn ed the extineuishina of the flames
at a time when many more bodies, II not lives.
might have been saved. 1t may not be that actual
Instructions were given to these men rs 10 tue
exact be Of their testimony, but any employee OF
a corporation understands from instinct, devel-
oped Nv long experience. That should he be too
prolific of worus. he viii be II bic to lose hts sit
u .tiun. These men are trained 10 be thus non
committal. - any person m " learn bv endeavor-
ing to obtain Information In case OF an accident
~ which he may II We a uersOnll interest IL IS
standing rule on the most important rallroads
that no Information sb all he CIV, regarding any
accident that may occur. AT the present time,
when EN- pluyncnt Ia 40 dificult to obtain. IT Will
rendils be seen that corporations may exercise n
ueSiouc supervision over the testimony OF tner
employee, while the law AFFORDS no protection
to the witness. nor power TO compel hun To- tes-
tify. Should be- ue guided Nv tho ADVICE OF the
cOmpanNs lawyer. ne IA cert ain OF ample urO-
lection 80 long is he Is faithful TO tue interests
of MS omplo or. he same influence Is app r
ent In the cases Of Messrs. Barnes aud Tuner,
VINO nave been brought, AT considerable expense,
from LOuisi INA ana OREGON to testify ie aidlnR
certain kilograms Jf when they are supposed to
have knOwIedge. After President O.toD mad
defined the policy of MS company IN his letter
to air. Morrison, II was IDLE to sLtpo-e that any
employee wound bo allow d TO testify IN Oppo-
elton toif. Inc arrest for cOn.emDt IL but an
iule threat No punishment that can ue ifnict-
ca nv Congress can eau / mt which President
orion huds over tue head Of the man
tRar OF the New Orleans Office. In The one case
lie might be noniuaily Imprisoned. but his sat
ay would continue: In the other he would be
free. out ont OF cmplovment. do not say thdt
he wOuiu be actually olsen rged. hut every en-
IID,ee understands That II ne sooevs the or
ders of his suD, nor he Is Hole to DE punished
III that manner. Let no suppose a case IN wni'h
an oDer itor a. Washington Is In possession OF
information upon whicn depends tue future ad-
miuRtration Of the Government; that he has
positive knowledge Of the success OF a con-
spiracy to uee.t the Will OF the IcOple. ana that
he remains quiet under the suplosition That
he Will be discharged N he volunteers to testify.
Can you eDlishten me as TO the duty OF man
under these crcum ,tancesf Are there any
nieaus by which TINS undue influence over EN-
piovees may be actually, not Theoretically, pte-
vented HUDSON.
NEW YORK, Jan. g. 1877.