New-York tribune., 1885-01-15
MR.. KEENE REFUSEDT TO PAY.
TROUBLE ON THE LONG ISLAND RAILROAD.


HE LEFT HIS COMMUTATION BOOK AT HOME AND
CAME IN CONTACT WITH TWO CONDUCTORS.
For tho last six months tall, heavily mus.
tached carefully dressed man has travelled nearly
every day upon the Long Island Railroad. This 10
James r. Keene. the well.known speculator and
ex-millionaire, who since the summer has occupied
q cottage at Wave Crest. Far Rockaway, and comes
to New-YOrk nearly every morning, returning by an
afternoon train. Like all residents of the neighbor-
hood whom bushes inclination calls to New.
York frequently, Mr.. Keene has used a commuters
book of tickets. BY this arrangement person Is
enabled to travel once ench way every day between
Far ROckaway and New-York for $33 year. Com
muters given little paste board covered book.
the yellow leaves of which are ruled of into little
coupons with the date stamped upon each from the
first to the thirtieth of the month BY the COM
pany's regulations it is absolutely necessary that
this book be shown each trip by the passenger to
the conductor that the latter may detach tho
trip coupon. Otherwise the ordinary fare must be
paid.
Last Monday Mr. Keene. who is now known by
sight to majority of the employees of the road
travelling as usual to the city. When Conductor
Mahonev, of the ROckaway branch, came round to
collect the tickets Mr. Keene felt in his pocket and
found that he had left his little yellowleaved book
at home. This he explained to the conductor,
evidently expecting that that was sufficient The
conductor however, quietly shipped duplex ticket
to lace-like appearance after the fashion OF con-
ductors and handing the rebate check to Mr. Keene
asked for 60 cents-and did not get it. NJ. Keene
declined in forclble terms to pay mis- fare The con-
ductor thought the situation, and rather than
have any alteration with person of Mr.. Keene's
standing in Wall Street paid the fare outof his
own pocket as far as Jamaica, where the change to
the main line is made, and where his authority
,JaJ Tba in from otutw in ohar0a n
Conductor Randall, who was not inclined to pay
the fare of his passenger. He made the same
request for the fare as his predecessor and met
with the same response. He then told Mr.. keene
that he would have pay the fare be put OF the
train Mr. Keene thought it would take bigger
man than Conductor Randall to induce him to leave
his seat until the train reached its destination. The
conductor thought he would make the experiment,
and had rung the bell for the engineer to stop the
tram when q passenger slttlng III iront OF Mr;
the Journey was reached, however Mr.. keene,
according to Conductor Randall, approached him
with a troubled expression and INDUCED in
language which, if not choice, had an unusually
torcible ring about it. From words, according to
the same authority. Mr.. Keene showed a disposition
to proceed 10 blows and his pugllstc desires werc
with difficulty checked. M
The occurrence was reported to the authorities by
the conductor, and the companys detective was
given instructions TO keep an eye on the exowner
of Foxhall W hen ne should return IN the afternoon
Mr. Keene. however. bought his ticket on the .'ew-
York side. and made reference to the experience
of the forenoon.
Speakingof the affair yesterday, of the officers
of the company said think from the statement
of the conductor to me that Mr.. Keenes conduct
was 10 say the least, unbecomng. Our rules ana
regulations in regard to commutatlon tickets are
clearly printed on each book and our conductors
have strict orders TO collect tue fare wheueyer the
book is not produced. Every day some one OF our
commutation ticket holders will step up to the
ticketseller and with a smile buy his ticket, saying
hab baSi iaft hia mas at | reiQeinDer
that we have ever had case such as this happen
bafo