The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-07-25
BOGIS or Els.
The Clever Plan Adopted to Detect Dis
honest Conductors in Boston.
From the Boston Globe

hOIC feStolISileu 10 ma themselves
suddenly confronted with new con-
ductor during yesterdays trip. At
Boylston Street two unimportant-
looking people had boarded the car,
one OF whom, of stalwart proportions,
contented himself with standing
place upon the rear platform in an at
tltude indicative of readiness for active
duty. His compartment fell at once into
easy conversation with the man who
was punching the fares. The latter
rung the starting and stopping signals
with more than customary alacrity,
was remarkably polite to the occu-
pants, and in general seemed prepared
to devote his best efforts to the service
OF the Metropolitan Railway Com
pany. just as he had assisted lady
into the car with unusual kindness,
the one with whom he had been talk
ing and to whom he had showed con-
siderable Difference, gave a peculiar
look to the stout man who accom-
panied him. This person, who was
none other than Inspector Gerraugh-
ty, of the central Office, Immediately
placed his hand upon the conductor
and informed him that he was under
arrest. The other person, unknown
to those aboard, but who was in fact
one OF the division superintendent of
the road, pulled the signal strap once,
and then the detective and his prison
CT alighted from the car, which, under
its new guide, was safely driven to the
ferry, where a regularly commissioned
conductor took charge.
Scenes similar to the above took
place on several cars of the diff
ferent lines OF the Metropolitan Com
pany, the principal actors being one
or more inspectors from police head
quarters with conductors and super
intendents.
The first explanation of the affair
was derived from the statement of In
spector Gerraughty, when he had
lodged his man in a cell at police head
quarters.
"About a week ago." he said, pres
ident Richards, of the Metropolitan
Railroad Company, sent word to this
office that he had every reason to sus-
pect that thousands of forged tickets,
so much like the genuine that only a
very careful scrutiny and comparison
was sufficient to show the difference,
were in circulation. Many of them
had been received from conductors
making their regular settlement. In
fact, one conductor was handing in
nothing but bogus ones. The effect of
all this was made appreciable by the
fact that the receipts of the road were
beginning to fall off about 500 a day.
Similar fOrgeries had been committed
during his official career, but every at
tempt to ferret out and punish the
WrOng-dOers had met with but
partial success. Conscious that
the fraud was discovered these
former offenders had ceased to oper-
ate. Here then was a case which de-
manded prompt and active measures.
Inspectors Hanscom, Mountain, Col
Inns, Dugan and myself were assigned
to work up the case. To make a sue
cessful beginning we were obliged first
to familiarize ourselves with the bogus
and genuine tickets, so as to be able
to discriminate between them From
the railroad office we were supplied
with both kinds. 1t was noticeable
that the material of the forged ones
was of somewhat poorer quality than
the others, and were also not as many
inches in length. Otherwise the two
kinds were almost identical. The
road managers having given me a hint
as to the men who seemed more than
well supplied with the false tickets, |
boarded an East Boston and Chelsea
car of the fremont Line, and pur-
chased some tickets from the conduc-
tor | brought in a while ago. An ex-
proved cOncluSively that
he had sold me forged tickets, and so
in company with an official of the
road | arrested him as you know.
His name is Lewis Connors, and he
has been in the employ of the South
Boston Railroad Company. Upon
him were found a number OF the bogus
in fact he did not have a sin
gle honest bit of pasteboard about
him"
While he was speaking Inspectors
Mountain, Collins and
Dugan entered, havingin custody Hor-
ace II. DinsmOre, Robert f. Jones and
Walter B. Perkins. The prisoners,
who were also conductors on the
Metropolitan Railway, had Just been
their cars. The trio were
at once searched, and upon each of
them was found a number of false
slips They all acknowledged having
bought them of certain conductor,
thus admitting their guilt in uttering
forged paper. In this way they were
enabled to buy for So tickets which
would net them S5-a profit OF cents
ON every ticket sold. From certain OF
their admissions and remarks of his
own, Connors is supposed to be the
middle man between those who print
the worthless pasteboards and his fel-
Under this impression Inspectors
and Hanscom visited his
lodgings at the South End. After a
lihgent and prOtracted search 700 of
the bogus tickets were discovered hid
1en within old shoes. No apparatus
Indicating that they were printed there
was found. Confronted with these
proofs of his guilt, COnnOrs was dumb
founded. He had previously averred
that he bought $40 worth OF them
from man who claimed that they
were all right, and said that he re-
ceived them in payment for a bill.
1--WE have no doubt, " said Inspector
that there are has many
as 10000 of these tickets in circula-
ton. The exact number can only be
determined when other roads have re-
turned their Metropolitan tickets
to the latter company. Indeed,
should not be surprised if a similar
forgery was being perpetrated on other
roads. This exposure will, of course,
render them more wary, and detec-
ton also more difficult. Who is print
ing them? Well we won't say now,
but we think we come pretty near
All of us feel quite satisfied
with the result, and are confident OF
securing a conviction"
eve have made no mistake this
time" added Inspector Gerraughty;
''frOm those we have already landed
weare sure that we have nipped in the
bud a fraud that was likely to as
sumo gigantic proportions. | also
think that before long we shall sue