The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-10

Ferry masters and Ticket Collectors Accused
Of Thievire-now stealing is Done.


Ferry masters and Ticket Collectors Accused
Of Thtevisg-now stealing IL Done.
Oficers Of the Pennsylvania Railrosd
Company have long believed that their ferry
masters have been dishonest, and numerous
plans have been tried 60 stop the stealing. The
last, adopted a little over year ago, was deem
cd effective, but II failed. Mr.. Henry W. Gwin-
ner. the auditor OF passenger receipts, deter
mined to ind out how the stealing was done.
Yesterday he caused the arrest Of ferry masters
Morgan Decker and George W. West, and ticket
collector Jacob A. Van valkenberR, all Of jersey
City. They were arraieDed before Justice Muir
ray at the Tombs for examination.
The manner In which IT Is claimed the COM
pany was swindied Is very simple. passenger
entering the ferry house pays the Jerry master
three cents and receives ticket, which he car
ries few feet further on, passes through
another wicket. and hands 1t TO a ticket col
Iector, whose duty It lie to drop It In a strong
box. At the end OF each watch " these tickets
are counted, and the ferry masters money
should agree With the number OF ticke te In the
box. IL Is claimed that the coecto instead
OF dropping the tickets In the box, hold them
In their hands, or hide them In their pockets
until they accumulate hundred or more, and
then make some excuse to visit the ferry mas
ter's box and hand them In to him, or else 81 nd
them by a confederate. These tickets he sells
over again, and the money Is divided. These
watches are each eight hours long. and
Auditor Gwinner estimate. the number " tick
cts stolen at from W to 80 on each watch"
he ferry masters get $40 MONTH the coliec-
tors SO.
nrst arrangement In Jersey City with Ferry
Master Van vslkenbure. In MAY, 1870. Palmer
being At that time a collector. Van Naikenoefg
told him to send him up 100 tickets saving,
else" lie replied, "All right" nd afterwards
took M the tickets. Van Valkenburg paid him
also. his share Of the theft, aud they continued
working together until September Of the same
year, wnen he was transferred 10 the Desbrosses
street ferry In New YORK. There he remembers
bot one instance where they worked together,
and then tie hauded IN sixty tickets and got hts
one-haf. He swore that ne had similar Trans
June, 1875. West wished him to relieve Col
lector W ntehead. and let hun go TO breakf, ~.
tuat time he handed to West to be sold again,
receiving his share of The money. In August
he had "A talk with w est, VINO told him Van Val
keDbure was scared To death, and thought
there was n detective after him. tut he did not
think SO. 1 he witness said they had conversa
tons and transactions similar to those nth
Van Valkenpu aud West, WITH FefIy Masters
James 4. white, L. r. Larrabee, Jonn c. Rob
bins, James NJ Herman, and Capt. kissam. hoo
bins came to him, ne said about o'clock Que
morning In May. lS15. wnen he relieved All Val
was ali right" and he snsw v"s Yes" Then
Robbins said, " The longer what you lives, the
more you finds that little fellow out" Robbins
asked him how much he had made the night be-
fore, aud he replied 81 30. Robbins said, mats
about right" He afterward took tickets TO Rob
Diur SEVERN tlues, anu tuey oOtu AZ
sey CT y and Desbrosses street. He had similar
transactions with Capt. Nissan IN jersey City In
July 1875 lie had a conversation with Larrapeo
In Cortlandt street. In which the latter said tie
wished Decker had n "solid man" with him In
place OF = Dutchman, aud that that accounted
for Deckcr's beng behind. He had another
conversation with Larrabcs at tho Desptosses
street Jerry, when the latter told him to " send
him up some tickets and he brought him ia.
Larrabce said " that's not enough" and he took
him rs many more, and then they divided. lie
had seen Herman anu White divide In jersey
CITY every other morning Tor Two or three
weeks.
Inc examination was adjourned for one week.