Telegram-herald., 1890-07-18
A FAIR FARE SPOTTER
TIE Way A WoNsN DETECTS OiS-
HONEST CAR CONDUCTORS


hers-shs Alw.ys Pays der F-Es and
Rides wfsA Dinsrent osss-Fhs Way
Colisesors 81 Fares Caa Cheat.
met female spotteE and was sar-
prised - learn 70 what al extent tbs
system of espionage Is carried on BY TIE
principal horse car lines IN tae eity. The
young WOMAN detective with whom
came IA contact was az exceedingly pre-
possessing looking girl, quietly dressed
IN = gray cloth gown, With small round
h2t % match.
oh. the queer things ! so and the
queer things | do" she quoted laugh
lnsly, with pretty gesture df perpie1-
lEy. My varied experierees would III
3 good sized volume. But come up 70
nay rooms while talk. Ny hours are
from II 10 4. 80 IS II IS Row 5 o'clock
am at liberty until tomorrow morning.
sac led the way up 10 small Sat IN
West Fifty-sixth street. furnished in
dainty, inexpensive manner, with evi-
/ dences Of u refined mind and cultivated
taste.
AnC4t NAA L4ttt4Cls II cSAA oA-
one big eat, she explained. and a jolly
looking little dumping OF a woman
came forward 10 greet US. She was evi-
dently an ardent adInirer Of her daugh-
ter's prowess and capabilities
DANCER OF DISCOVERY.
"We SIT here and laugh by the hour
after | get home over my days advent
ures-doat we, mother she ratified on.
do you find it tedious or mind the
position il places you in?
"Why, not bit. I've become so used
10 it now. Let me see, it's three years
since l first began, and haven't been
found out yet OF course it requires
great deal Of tact and watchfulness TO
be able 10 go over the same road day
after day and not be suspected by the
different conductors. but / am very care
ful not TO get on the same car more than
once day, though occasionally, if |
take, say, ear 40 down in the morning |
can board the same one coming back at
night, thus giving the impression that |
have been down town TO business all
day"
She said she made a point never to
start at the beginning OF the road nor to
end at the terminus.
Il have been engaged in this work so
long now," she continued, ''that l can
tell at a distance whether my right car
is coming or whether have been a pas
senger on it once before that day"
The road officials always employ men
as spoilers during the early morning
hours and later in the afternoon, the
traffic during those portions of the day
being greater than at any other times,
but in respect to the danger of discovery
the intermediate hours, when the car
takes on comparatively few passengers,
are really the most risky.
Are you an expertf'
"Wel, yes, they do call me an expert,
but was dreadfully nervous at first and
painfully conscious. Every time the
conductor looked at me | expected to see
him walk up, put his hand on my shoul-
der and tell me that he knew just what
was there for, but this feeling gradu-
ally wore off until now can look one
square in the face and hand him my fare
without even quiver of the eyelids."
DUTIES OF A sPoTTER.
What are you obliged to do?'
SIN the first place, 1 must take the
conductors number, and the number of
the car. Naturally if / ride any dis
tance these can be easily remembered
without the aid ofpencil or paper. Then
| the passengers must be counted as they
come IN. At the beginning Of my career
pursued quite neat idea of turning
over leaf Of the book | was pretend
ing to read on the occasion of every
fresh arrival; this action appeared nat
ural and conveyed the IDEA that | was
carelessly scanning the contents, but as
time passed on found l could rely on
my memory more and more, until now
have no difficulty whatever in retaining
large numbers in my head for any length
of time"
he fair spotter went on to say that
there are always several spoilers on one
line, and each one takes turn at every
conductor in rotation. 1t would never
do to stick to one during his entire trip,
as he would soon find out the game; so
when one spotter, for instance, watches
him from Fourteenth TO Thirtieth street
and then gets off another spotter takes
his place within radius of few
I blocks.
IF am not mistaken" she continued,
81 think there were eight discharged
through my investigation during the
first SIX months Of my work. but whether
it il due 10 their gradually becoming
aware that they are being constantly
and closely watched OF not, there is GER
tainly 100 per cent. less cheating now
than two years ago. OF the eight dis
charges which / just mentioned five
were for cheating. OF knocking down,
as they call 1t: one for impudence TO a
lady passenger. one for drunkenness and
the last for throwing newsboy of the
car under the wheels Of a heavy cart
and nearly causing his death.
Is it easy for conductors 10 defraud
the company
You can have no idea how easy it IS
for these men to cheat" she replied:
for instance, az the Grand Central
depot. or at big shopping points. such
= Fourteenth or Twenty-third street.
at least dozen or more will crowd into
she car at once. What moro easy than
or the conductor t. knock Oft couple