New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-22
STREET-CAR OUTRAGES.
DENs OF BRUTALITY AND NDECENCY

DENs OF BRUTALITY AND INDECENCY
GROSS EVILS OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM or CITY
TRASsIT-How MIN ARE ROBBED AND wO-
MEN NsULTED IN PUBLIC COEvEYANCEs-
| DIs6RACEFUL SCENES IN THE STREET CARS
That the city railway cars are often the
scene of insult theft and has already been
shown in the columns of THE TRIBUNE. That on MANY
lines nearly every has its daily episode OF eY Ie"
ready believe because few outrages reach the
public ear yet such the fact made patent by oOsFVa
and the testimony OF a TRIBUNE reporter, whose
daily experience has been recorded notebook, the
pages OF which are herewith opened for inspection
This record taken for comparatively short time shows
every conceivable kind Of outrage II reveals the con-
duotOr connivng theft ntently occupied 10 one part
OF the while a number Of thieves suddenly sur
round and relieve OF watch OF wallet some
unfortunate man who IL getting on or IN the car
and who discovers loss only too late 20 recover hs
property find the thieves. II shows the terror
stricken conductor 0verawed oy roughs VINO TOD her
victim III that officials presence and VINO silence Hn
with their threats II tells Of the rbald rowdy "ho III
suit ladies' by gesture speech, and conduct untu they
silently 10 another part the forced 70
have 10 entirely. Others appeal 70 the conductor VINO
rarely does his duty by handing the offender over 20 the
Police. II tells how the conductor often the confed-
cate OF courtezans frequent the cars 70 hnd VIC
TINS. sometimes lurng them 70 leave the ear il tnef
company, ana then be duped. backmaied or robbed
II shows how bog preconcerted plan, charge II SUI
denly made by two three oourtezans against some
person IN for insulting Them, when the
conductor appears indignant ana collars the
offender. While the women decIaiming against
him. aud the conductor is hustling him 10 the
platform, the victim, taken by surprise fails 20 FEEL the
hands Ia hs pockets and does not know that he has
been robbed until he has recovered from the Oe"ldef
ment Of finding himself thrown into the street. while
the beyond recall He had reason ~ ascertain
I the If ha he
made aud can give the police clue 20 the offenders
10 II also shown how party OF roughs vii sometimes
take possession " car overawe driver ana CONDUCTOR
systematically rob the few respectable passengers VINO
unfortunate enough be within on their arrival
and then rush in body from the platform, separating
IL all directions. aud so escaping arrest.
Men often In street ears IN beasty STAGES OF
iutoxicaton reenng nither and thther, and pressing
the shoulder OF young lady bred only 70 things
sweet, delicate refined, that she shuddes AZ ther
touch FOul-mOuthed men and sslacious women tax
profanev and obscenely and disgraceuly as 10
disgust respectable passengers, VINO look appeansy 10
the conductor for an abatement Of the nuisance.
The conductors. too rough. uncouth, and brutal
frequently intoxicated and seem incapable OF speak
ing a pleasant word. Why officials generally
men OF such cnaracterI
First They are required 70 work more hours and re-
ceve pay tnaz any other class Of persons Cheap
labor Is always uncutured.
line with the toughest people in the
city, and unless they belong 70 the same class or under
stand how deal with tAem are substantially unb' LOT
their positions.
Third 1t is more 10 the interest o. the railroad com
panes rough and brutal drivers and conductors
their service than gentlemen and men OF tender reel
ugs. THIS may strange at first sight, but when IT
Is considered in the light OF decision Of the Court Of
Appeals il VIII be understood BY the decision which
vac given on appeal in the OF Isaacs against the
Third-ave. Railroad Company II was affirmed that
master not responsible for the wtu Or brutal acts OF
his servants. TINS where a conductor nad
showed lady from step OF causing her TO break
her lex THIS decision enables railway companies they
can prove the driver conductor 20 be OF brutal DISPOSE
ton 10 be relieved Of the obligation OF paying damages
for persons run over by that is Fastening TO make
up lost time As the only thing the companies fear Is
the expenditure OF money in paying damages, nothing
stands at present the passengers and insult 0r
injury except the caprice or magnanimity Of the EN-
piOyes, who may prefer 10 be gentemanly ana SOBER
| from personal considerations.
All classes and both forced by the conductor
who anxious III his 10 sit ana stand Inherently
close together the refined and cultured Lady frequently
wedged between rough, uneouth. and vulgar men, The
/ promIscuOus mIngling Of high and low elements OF
society is demoraizng and detrimental public morals
The following the diary add emphasis 10 the
outrages in the streecars earlier IN the week, which
/
! been brought 70 the scaf0ld:
THE REPORTERS DIARY.
! Jan Entered Tlird-ave. car al Printing House
/ square about p N. Nearly al the occupants were
men many OF whom might be expected on that day'
we're intoxicated and noisy several disputes arose De-
tween conductors and passengers about the making OF
change and. as the disputants were not women, the
conductor did not attempt TO bully them. Any such
/ attempt would certainly have preciptated a night
jan 3-Ieft city Hail Park about .. The car soon
/ filed. ana when opposite the Bowery Iheater was
packed Noticeable in the upper end OF the car some
sitting and standing, we're bevy OF young women
whose husky grating and free use OF slang pro
/ claimed only TOO well their characters. The men OF
their moral level in The banded epithets with them
and ndulged IN coarse jests Tie gentlemen present
looked dlsgusted while the three four ladies who
were packed away between members OF the opposite sex
| threw angry glances at the testers. As the car
proceeded up the and raced past Nineueth-st
the reporter looked casually at wedressed, benignant
looking man. who had got in the near Chambersst,
and was hanging strap al the upper end Of the car
He stood opposite one OF the garruous young women
who whispered 70 her companions They mmedi-
| ately raised their eyebrows and glanced at the
/ stranger furtivelv He did not notice them. The
! car stopped two three times, and one
hundred-and-ffth-st. was reached. There We're
only left in the beside the i've young women the
heairDaut gentleman and the reporter dark-0oking
| man sitting II the colHu4 HS"I 1-iO -0''' -' w.
scowed in the other direction Ominously. There we're
also two elderly gentlemen peacefully doing opposite
The gentleman OF appearance seemed 10 observe Tor
the first time that vacant seat ana pro-
ceeded TO avail himself OF the nearest one This hap
pened TO be next 70 one OF the young women He had
lust touched the cushion when the conductor at single
/ bound sprang from the platform rushed toward the
stranger and coIlared him, exoaiming: You d. par
son hyp0crite I've had my eye on you all
the wav m. insult lady, will your emphasizing the
question with series OF jerks that threatened to shake
his teeth out The feminine quintete, as II this was
! signal Immediately surrounded the astomshed man
shaking their fists in his face, pinchng him, whining