The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-11-09
COMPLAINS OF MALTREATMENT

COMPLAINS OF MALTREATMENT
Mr.. John Frelsmuth Accuses Street Car
Conductor of brutality and n Squire Of
Injustice.
Mr.. John Treismuth called at the In.
TELLidEScER office aud made n state.
inent in regard to some trouble that
occurred between himself and street
car conductor, yesterday, two weeks
ngo. Mr.. Frcismuth stated that he
and some friends had been visiting In
Benwool on that day, and that they
got OH the electric street car between
ten and eleven In tho evening. The con-
ductor collected only fifty cents for the
partyof eleven though Mr.. Frcismuth nd
mits that there were eleven in the party.
1t is charged that he was also given
fifty cents more by another man on the
platform, though Mr.. Froismuth did
not find this out until afterwards. AZ
ter the car hud been going for some
time Mr. Freismuth claims that tho
conductor came in and asked for five
cents more for tho eleventh member OF
tho party. He was given dime and
afterwards refused, Mr.. Freismuth
further says, to give up tho other
nickel. Arrived at Forty-third street,
the conductor, Mr.. Freismuth
charges, pushed him off the
car from behind and hit him back
Of the car. In wildly grabbing to keep
himself from falling, he caught tho
conductor by tho coat, aud tore a
piece oil it of, when the conductor pro-
cceded to polish him off in great style
and hit him on tho nose.
On the next day Mr.. Frcismuth was
charged with assault and battery COM
mittcd on Conductor Coyle, and was
taken before Squire W. W. Rogers.
Here he was fined S. and costs, the total
amounting to SIT 20, besides lawyers
fees. Mr.. Freismuth then saw one OF
tho stockholders OF the electric COM
pany, and told him he would let the
matter rest il the company paid his fine
and costs. The stakeholder advised
him TO sue the company for the extra
fifty cents he claimed had been paid to
the conductor.
An lNTELMGENcER reporter saw MIR.
Joseph Coyle, the conductor in ques.
ton. Mr.. Coyle said that the crowd OF
men and women got on his car Sunday
night, two weeks ago, coming out OF,
saloon. One man was so drunk he had
to be supported by two others, the rest
OF the crowd being under the influence
OF liquor, though, Mr.. Coyle says, one
OF the women was perfectly sober. At
the proper time the conductor went
into the car to collect fares and was
given fifty cents by ono OF the men.
Arriving at the switch he went outside,
and after attending to his car went in
again and counted the party, counting
each one aloud. Finding there were
twelve, he asked for ten cents more and
q woman started to pay him. One Of
the men interposed and handed
over the dime. They afterwards
wanted five cents back, which he
refused, OF course, to give up. Arrived
at Forty-third street Mr.. Coyle stepped
off the platform and waited for the pas
sengers to get of. As none appeared he
looked on the rear platform and saw
Fresmuth standing III front OF the
door, blocking it up. lie called to him
to get out OF the road, and as he made
no motion to clear the passage, stepped
upon the platform, caught him by tho
arm, and pulled him of. Freismuth,
Mr.. Coyle says, grabbed his coat and
tore big piece off. Freismuth raised
his hand to strike him, and seeing he
was in for it, the conductor "smacked
MIN a few" The conductor denies hav-
ing been paid fifty cents twice, and says
he got only sixty cents for the party.
Squire Rogers had something to say
about Mr.. Freismuth's claim for over
charges on costs, OF which the squire
showed the reporter the bill. There
being about ten witnesses, the cost OF
summoning, issuing the warrant, and
all the 'squire's and constable's fees
amounted to 81 co. for the case OF as
sault, and 81 GO for Freismuth's charge
against the conductor, which was dis
missed; the fine was S., the witness
fees 50, and the total aggregated SIT 20.
"Why," said the squire, ''the man
ought to be glad to get oil so easy. He
sat on the witness stand and told how
he had used tho worst kind OF profanity
on the car. | expected every moment
to hear the conductor ask for warrant
for him for swearing Had l done as
some justices are said to do, I could
have fined Freismuth on that charge;
he could have been fined Tor destroying
the conductors coat, also for breaking
the Sabbath, and might have been put
under bond to keep the peace. The
whole thing could have been made to
cost him S15, but knowing that the man
was Woodworking fellow, made it as
easy on him as l could. He ought to
con rrntulnta himsnlfO