The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-11-12
DEAD BEATS.
How Impecunious aud well-to-Do People
Work the street Cars.

tors were rehearsing experiences at the |
big barns the other afternoon during |
their reliefs, and the topic of dead |
beats was discussed.
"There are many men in this city |
who are well-to-do." said one conductor |
who had called out streets for several |
years, "who will never give up their |
fares unless asked to do so. They rely |
principally upon their well-dressed, gem
tlemanly appearance, and many times
1t carries them through. In my ex-
periences have found" continued the
conductor, 9Th middle-aged men of
the middle classes are the ones who
most frequently beat the conductors
Sometimes, when the car is full and a
number get aboard and mix with the
crowd, it is hard for the conductor to
remember who has paid and who has
| not He has but one resource then--he
gives each man good, square look
and then glances at his hands Most of
them finch, and then give up their
precious nickel. Others will look straight
ahead and pay no attention to the polite
fare, please I had an experience re-
GENTLY" said the conductor. "a man
got on my car at Forty-fourth street,
and, shortly after, / pushed through
the crowd and asked for his fare.
go gave you my fare he said.
"T beg your pardon, but you are mis-
taken
GLOW dare you insult mel and his
face flushed crimson.
81 was about to insist, but the frowns
of the passengers showed me it would
be useless and l passed on, knowing
that was short that fare"
zone day not long ago." said another
conductor, "a gentleman with an open
umbrella on his arm got on my car and
handed me silver dollar, holding his
hand for the change. l counted it out
to him and turned toward the rear plat
form, when he said:
"I beg pardon, conductor, but you
have made a mistake; I'm half a dollar
short
knowing that had given him the
correct change, told him Iguessed not
"'But you did, he said; here is the
change and he held out his hand.
picking up the umbrella, turned it
over and out rolled the half dollar on
the car floor. think that man would
. have thoroughly enjoyed choking me as
he got up hastily and left the car. On
his way out he dropped a quarter.
; called to him, but he never stopped, SO
7 it was a case of a bitter being bitten"
81 never had the heart to put wo-
man off my car" said another con-
4 ductor. 'If one gets on who has nc
> money and no one pays her fare, LEI
her ride anyway. About four weeks
. ago two ladies and little boy got on
u my car at Thirty-third street. There
u was but one other passenger--a young
. man. When / asked for fares, one Of
the ladies, after fumbliug in her pocket
said: Il declare, l have forgotten my
y purse The other lady said she had bu
t car ticket for herself What shall
d do?' said the little woman / turned
y tc the young man for his fare, and HI
! handed me quarter and held up fou
l. fingers took out the fares, and as
y went back to the platform, there was
3 look on the woman's face that causeC
the young man TO burst out laughing.
20 joined, for knew them to be beats"
q Speaking about BEATS" said anothe
conductor, II had a champion on
down trip the other day. He was dap
per young fellow dressed in the heigh
ar of fashion. My car was about half full
when eight people, including the youn
'S fellow, got on. l counted them an
ie went in. When / collected the fares
Z, rung up seven, and knew / was on
II, short. l went back to the young felloN
ai who was sitting in the corner.
u; "'Did get your fare, SIR? 1 asked.
III " Il want to get off at Twenty-thir
III u street. he replied.
"His nerve embarrassed me- | aske
a. several others if they had paid, an
"A they all said they had. One asked:
u, "'Why, what's the matter?'
ST "'Some dead beat is trying to chez
" me out of his fare said l as locke
straight at the young fellow. The fe
rt low flushed but did not say word.
w was raining, and on the next cornC
en was an old lady with an umbrella.
ne stopped the car and she got on. II
H. young follow began to grumble abol
a crowding the car. This made me angr.
o. After 1 got the old lady seated wei
We up to him and said:
re "'Did you get on at Fortyfourt
We street,
no "I want to get off at Twenty-thil
as street he replied.
en- "'Never mind where you want to g
Uh off; what l want to know is if you g
IN on at Fortyfourth street?'
'e, YES
at "Well, then, you just give up yor
on fare before you do any more growing
he ''By this time all the passengers wei
he looking at him and he turned red as tt
80. proverbial beat. He handed me up h
"a nickel which he had in his hand all
'o the time. IN. Y. Recorder
ny