The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-10-17
.coSDUCTOE AND vlCE-PREsIDEEr.


L
At a certain period, some six or
eight years ago. the officers OF
one of our principal railroads had
good reasons for believing that
some of the conductors On a par
ticular section of their road we're
in the habit of rendering inaccu-
rate returns of their receipts from
'way-passengers,' and as they were
unable to fix the defalcation upon
auy particular individuals, Pinker-
ton was employed to investigate
the matter, and test the accuracy
OF their suspicious. For the exc
cution OF this delicate service he
selected sufficient number of his
best men to furnish four for each
car in the train, one to be seated
at each door and two in the center
of the car, the latter facing to the
front and rear, so as to see every
person who went in or out. These
men were directed not to recognize
each other, but to pay their fares,
and otherwise deport themselves
as ordinary travellers. Each was
provided with pencil and paper,
and instructed to keep an accurate
record Of every person who enter
ed or left the cars. noting the sta
tions to and from which they trav-
eled, etc., SO that if ut the end of
the trip their notes were in accord,
itawould be good evidence of accu-
raey. In this manner the major
was enabled, within a few days, to
make a detailed report which
showed conclusiveiy, that nearly
every conductor upon the section
of road under surveillance had
been guilty of swindling. He also
ascertained that these delinquents
owned property to a considerable
amount in Philadelphia. Where
upon, as l was informed, Colonel
s., the vice-president, sent for
the man and the following dialogue
ensued: -
"Mr. -, how long have you
been employed as conductor on
our roadi" o- -.s 81.
"About seven years."
"What pay have you received
during that timer"
Eight hundred dollars a
year" ~ ,eg.s-
'sDo you own the house No. =
ON 49, street," se
81 do" s4F t
'EHave you any other property
in this cityY' u
81 have"
'EWhat is it's value?"
well, sir, 1 can't tell precisely,
but it is considerable"
swell, what estimate do you
place upon your entire assetsY'
Something like forty thousand
dollars" ~
"Were you owner of any of this
property when you entered our
service?''
''Not dollars worth
"You have a family to support,
/ understand
It have a wife and three chill
dren."
evil you do me the favor to in
form me how you have been able,
in seven years, to support your
family and accumulate a fortune
of forty thousand dollars upon a
salary of eight hundred?'
81 have not the slightest Objec-
ton to answer your question, Col.
S., provided you permit me
first to PROFOUND few pertinent
interrogatories to you.''
every well. sir, I've no objec-
tons; what are they?''
"Will you then be so kind as to
inform me how long you have been
connected with the - railroadT'
Something like ten years.
"What, allow me to ask, has
been your salary during that
timer'
81 suppose it may have averaged
about $4,000 a year"
"You have a family to support,
if I am not mistaken
Yes sir, haYe family"
s'If it is not an improper ques-
ton, Col. s., will you suffer
me to ask you what is the amount
of your fortuner'
"Well sir, I don't know, pre-
cisely, but it is something hand
some"
"Would you estimate it at half a
million dollars, ColonelT'
ayes, dare say it is"
THAT being the fact, sir, if you
will do me the favor to disclose to
me the secret by which you, in ten
years, have been able to transmute
$4,000 into ten times that amount
without any visible means outside
your salary, I will most cheerfully
tell you how I have managed, by
turning an honest penny now and
then, to amass the comparatively
insignificant amount l have NAM
ed" ...r..t
THAT is all very WE'LL" replied
the imperturbable vice president,
"but you seem to hove forgotten
that there is slight difference be-
tween your status and mine upon
the railroad, in that you are
responsible to me for stealing the
company's money, whereas / am
not accountable to you for my
transactions. In view of this fact
it now becomes my duty to inform
you that your services are no lon
ger required upon our road"
The faeeticioHs conductor prob
ably anticipated this result, and
with his characteristic GOODNESS
remarked: SIN that event, SIR, it
may become necessary for me at
some future time to seek employ
ment upon another road. Would
it be asking too much for you to
give me a letter setting forth your
estimate of my ability to perform
the duties of q CONDUCTOR?
''If you desire it, l have no OBJ
LECTION to giving you testimonial
to the effect that look upon You
as the most INSCRIPTIONS and un-
blushing kuave that eyer disgraced
the catalogue of our employees, and
that any company having anything
to do with you viii be morally GER
tain to be robbed. "-Harper's
Magazine for October.
/ The uniform in which Freder
lex the Great died, according to 8
story which comes from Prussia