The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-12-29
HOW He RODE FREE.
HE BEAT AN EASTERN RAiLWAY our
or $40.


More Than q Year-A simple scheme
which Required Only Nerve ana self
Control-Tricks OF Conductors.
There liz a well settled belief on the
part OF most people that the conductors
on the steam railroads havea an intuitive
knowledge OF the persons who have not
paid their fares, and that, while they
may occasionally pass man without
taking up his ticket 30 phenomenAIsis
the memory Of tho average condnct0x
and 30 well does he remember faces
that it is almost impossible To deceive
him. While this may sometimes be
true, IS q rule IL 10 the passenger him
self who gives the cue for the conduct
or's action. The man who deliberately
attemptsato evaae the payment0g i fars
in nine cases out,of enwill BY HIS looks
and action say to the conductor, 81 have
not paid my fare, and I don't intend
%" Some conductors with shokt mem
cries and distrust of their abilities for
detecting the frauds will continaously
call out theword s'tickets'' assthey pdsss
through the cars. where many changes
are taking place between stations at
the same TIME extending their hand Co.
ward each seat. The man who has not
paid feels that this Is q direct appeal
made to himself and responds according
~. But IL this ruse does not succeed in
making the would be beat deliver MP
his ticket it 90 far changes his face and
demeanor that he often shows conscious
guilt anu bis ticket ID then peremptorily
demanded.
II sometimes happens, however. that
even all the tricks and articles of the
conductor will fail, and q man win snc-
coed daily in eyading payment OF his
fare, not merely FOR weeks, but for
months. A remarkable case of this kind
was recently observed on the Fitchburg
railroad. For more than q year q man
employed in ONE Of the large wholesale
houses i'm this city has been taking 3
train from one OF the suburban stations,
and acQhaintances who rode ON the
same a were surprised to see that he
never paid fare.
AT first it was thought that he might
have D pass, which the conductor, know
ing him well, did not require him TO
show. But 1t was learned. that he al
ways paid his fare when coming from
Boston, when the conductor Is sure to
demand o fare from every person ON the
train. Then came the suggestion that
he had am understanding with the con-
ductor Of the train ON which he rode
when going to Boston. But IL was
found that when the conductor was
changed &c another train and stranger
took his place he also failed to collect
fare from the man.
So for weeks the man was watched
with much curiosity by the passengers
who knew of his success and were Curl
Gus to see how long it would continue.
They saw that he invariably got on the
train ON the left hand side, 50 that he
could not be observed by the conductor,
who stood on the station platform. As
soon as he entered the car he took one of
the many unoccupied seats next TO the
window and lost no time in becoming
deeply absorbed in the contents OF q
morning paper. When the conductor
ChKn6 bHTUUBH buO tKAAu W COAAUCe A@GU1
from the passengers who got In at this
station, this man, instead Of ignoring
his presence, as most men similarly sle.
uated would have done, gave D rapid
glance from his paper, looking the 9th.
cial sauarely in the eye, and resumed
his reading with Just the suggestion OF
impatience at the interruption. The re-
proof conveyed in that glance, carrying
with it d positive assurance that there
was no disposition to evade anything,
was so emphatic and pronounced that Ii
left no doubt in the mind Of the con.
ductor, IL he had any before that the
passenger had not ON the train at an
other station and bad paid his fare to
Boston. There was something about
the mans appearance dis well as his &c
tions that assisted IN the Keeping mp Of
this deception. He bore all the evidence
or d substantial, honest business man Of
middle aye. and far above evading pay.
ment of q S cent fare. But ii was eingu-
lar that day after day q sharp and dis
eliminating conductor should be 90 cas-