The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-18
COLLECTED FARES.
StreetCars Held Up by
Three Men.
THE END OF HYDE STREET.
Corporation Dollars and Its
Employees Watches.
BOTH TAKEN BY HIGHWAYMEN.
Encouraged by Their Success the
Robbers Repeat Their Profitable
Performance the Next Night.

The Californ street Cable Company is
not in the business of hauling people
gratis. but it carried a thousand or more
passengers last week whose nickels never
reached the receivers window at the
power-house, and conductors and gripmen
in the company's employ now 60 in search
of some armor plate for protection when
they are so unfortunate as to be scheduled
for the last car at night.
This precautiOn Is taken on account OF
the rather exciting experiences which
have of late awaited the carmen at the
North Beach end of the Hyde-street line
and which have resulted profitably for the
self-constituted receivers at the end of the
line.
On Wednesday night of las. week the
next to the last car was 'Eeld up"-at
least the members of the crew were. and
forced to surrender everything valuable
belonging TO themselves or the company.
The car is presided over by Lord" Har-
rim gtoD, conductor. and Louis Il. Doli-
yer. gripman. just as they were prepar-
ing to leave North Beach three men
stepped up. two of them with drawn
revolvers, and requested the conductor to
contribute.
There is hardly more forsaken spot
about the city than the terminus of this
line, just at the foot of the Hyde-street
hill. The saloon at that place closes its
doors about midnight, and from that time
the carmen usually have things all to
themselves, as the residents in that vicin-
ity are few and there are not many late
passengers down TO the beach.
When Harrington heard the request of
the hghwaymen he could not find it in his
heart to refuse, especially since it was
backed up in such a substantial manner,
and when he had dug up the last nickel
the cable company was poorer by $50 So.
The robbers then relieved the conductor
of his watch aud did not slight Deliver,
but took his timeplece as well. The car
men were then informed that it was time
for them to 60, and 'No. 81" rushed into
the pOwer-hOuSe, at The corner of hyde
and California streets, without the brake
ever being applied.
The last car on the succeeding night met
with the same experience. The descrip-
ton OF the men Is the same, their method
Of procedure quite similar, and they
chose the same spot TO make their appear
ance. George Rice was on the ear as gri o
man, while the conductor was new man.
running as extra. He. too, was forced to
give up his half days receipts, which
amounted to about as much as Harrington
ductor's and gripman's watches were also
taken.
The fact of the conductors having such
an amount of money with them is ac-
counted for by the method followed by
this company. Instead of the conductors
reporting at the end Of every round trip,
as Is the rule on most of the lines, on the
California street eompany's road they
makeTeturns twice day and have quite
an amount at the end of that time. The
miscreantS who robbed the cars evidently
knew something of this custom and picked
out this line as the best one on which to
make the raids.
When the same thing was repeated on
the second night, Superintendent Harris
concluded that il might be tried again, and
accordingly went to the North End police
station, when four officers were specially
detailed. and, in addition. several men
were sent down from the p0weT-house on
Friday night, and if the highwaymen had
put in an appearance they would have
been outnumbered three to one. But they
remained away.
OF course. the affair is denied by all con-
cerned, from Superintendent Harris TO the
policeman on the beat, but the fact re-
mains that four OF the cOmpany's en-
ployes are wearing new watches, and every
car that goes down 10 North Beach after
midnight carries an armament that would
put regiment Of high waymen to flight.