The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-10-02

lie, a, to how IL can DO stopped. We SEQ
that one of the passengers robbed at Glen
dale a short time since, hss instituted suit
against the railroad company for the amount
he Loaf. He takes the ground that having
paid his fare on the train, the company, as
common carriers, were bound to protect
him, both his person and his property, do
argues tlat when merchant chips freight
by railway train, the company is respon-
sible for the safe delivery of that freight at
the point for which it may be billed. and oy
parity of reasoning, contends that the
company 10 responsible FOR the protection OF
ils passengers. Without expressing an
opinion pro or con as to tho tenability OF
this point, we must say that il looko plausible
on lis face This suit suggests TO us, how-
ever, a plan that might be made feasible for
the defense and protection Of railway nains
against outlaws. That is TO arm the train
men, making each one by law Especial OIL
Ger, authorized and empowered to make ar
rests. Ga every train there is h
conductor, an engineer and fireman,
two or three brakemen, u baggage master, 40
express messenger, porter, sleeping car
conductor and porter, making a force Of
eleven or twelve men. Put Winchester
rifles and six shooters into the hands of these,
the conductor being in command, and with
what assistance they could get from passen-
gorB, ii would DO force strong enough 10
beat off almos! any gang of robbers that
would tackles train. Ia two or three car
loads Of passengers there would always be
found eight OF ten men with arms about them
who would not fail to rally to the assistance
OF nuclues OF ten or twelve well armed offs
GERS Of the train in a struggle for the protec-
ton of passengers against bandits. After
ono or two fights, and the killing Of Il few OF
tho thieving road agents they would conclude
the business Wa too risky and unremunera-
tive to DO longer followed, Il Is not very
pleasant reflection, We must admit, that y
railroad corporation must DO forced to defend
itself and its paLr ons travelling on its train
against lawless men, when |. 10 the duty of
tho state 10 render that protection, or in case
of its inability, ,hen thu duty of the federal
government. we take it. Still if the arms
were furnished by either the state or general
government, and the train men
made by law special officers, il would
DO in measure, the state rendering the
nrotocton. There seems to DO something
radically wrong somewhere, when robbery
after robbery can DO committed with appa-
ront immuaity to the perpetrators from de-
lection, apprehension snd punishment.
True one Of the participants in recent
train robbery has been caught, tried and
given twenty five years in the penitentiary,
which will at least stop ali further opera,
toms of the same kind by him. 10 secure
this robbers conviction another one Of ihl
gang Rad 70 be turned loose, but IL 10 believed
that the information ho gave to tho officer
will lead 10 either tho arrest and conviction OF
tho others of the gang or the driving of them
of from tho country. This is something
gained, but 1t is not enough. Whist tht
country wants is vigorous prosecution o
the laws shat will make train robbories i'm.
posSibe and what the travelling public do
mands Is absolute pcotoction from oullawry.
A train robbery could not t.ko place in
England, or if band of mon 50 reckless ss
to attempt such thing there should sue
coed, they would be in custody inside OF
tweniy'four hours. Are We less cailized
Than tho English beople, or les
respectful of law and tho blessings that a
strict enforcement of law securri lt,has
been charged that among tho American PEG.
pie there was not that veneration for the
forms and requirements Of tho law that there
should DO, and because of this laIness oil
public sentiment, officials under the law were
not as rigid in carrying into execution It's be.
heS,s, and IL is lamen table fact that is aeem
ingly SO. In England no malefaclor OF
transgressor of the law escapes u speedy pun
ishment, and no mswkish seniimentali,y s,ts
itself up rs barrier to justice
but the same cannot be said of our country
Referring again to the suit brough! by tn,
robbed passenger against tho railroad com
pSny for tho loss he sustained, the question
arises "lf the railroad company must REIN
burse the passenger, has i. no recourS,
on the state for failing to give that protection
the state owes to individuals and corpora
tionsp II il be true that tho railroad hs
recourse on tho state, then these robborio
become invested with graver feature thar
they were before. When tho railroad strike,
took place in Pennsylvania q few years ago
the state and the city of Pltisburg had TO 10
imburse the railroads for property destroyed
by the rioters, and are not the cases parallel
These riots cos! Pennsylvania and Pittsburs
largo sums of money-much more than |,
would have cost to have prevented them, &c
say nothing Of the disgrace attached to the
affair.
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