The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-09-05
HOW HE RODE FREE.
IKE BEAT AN EASTERN RAILWAY OUT
OF $50.

Which Required Only Nerve and Self
Control Tricks of Conductors.
There is II we'll settled belief on tho
part of most people that the conductors
on the steam railroads have All intuitivc
knowledge of the persons who have not
paid their fares, and that, while they
may occasionally pass man without
taking up his ticket, SO phenomenal is
the memory of tho average conductor
and so well does he remember faces
that it is almost impossible to deceive
him. While this may sometimes be
true, MS u rule it is the passenger him.
self who gives the cue for the conduct
or's action. The man who deliberately
attempts to evade the payment of fire
in nine cases out of ten will by his looks
and action say to the conductor, 81 have
not paid my fare, and l don't intend
to- =" Some conductors with short melu-
cries and distrust of their abilities for
detecting the frauds will continuously
call out the word tickets" as they pass
through the cars. whore many changes
are taking place between stations, mt
the same time extending their hand to-
ward each seat The man who has not
paid feels that this Is direct appeal
mado to himself AID responds according
". But if this r,,se does not succeed in
making the would be 'boat" deliver up
his ticket it so fur changes his face and
demeanor that he often shows conscious
guilt, and his ticket is then porcmptorily
demanded.
1t sometimes happens, however, that
even all the tricks and articles of the
conductor will fail, and man will sue
coed daily III evading payment of his
faro. not merely for weeks but for
months y remarkable case of this kind
was recently observed on the Ftchburg
railroad. For moro than u year man
employed i'll ono of tho large wholesale
houses in this city has been taking n
train from one of tho suburban stations.
and ncquaintallccs who rode OIL the
same car were surprised TO SEQ that he
never paid fare.
at first it was Thought that he might
havo pass. which tho conductor, know
ing him well. did not require him to
show. But it was learned that he al
ways paid his fare when coming from
Boston, when the conductor is sure to
demand fare from every person on the
train. Then came the suggestion that
he bud al understanding with the con-
ductor of the train ON which he rode
when going to Boston. But it wa:
found that when the conductor wn.;
changed to 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 tho passengers
who knew of his success and We're curl
GUS TO see how long it would continue
They saw that he invariably got on the
train on the left hand side, 80 that he
could not be observed by the conductor,
who stood OH 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 i'll the contents of Il
morning paper. When the conductor
came through the train to collect fares
from the passengers who got in at this
station, this man. instead of ignoring
his presence as most men similarly sit
uated would have done, gave II rapid
glanoo from his paper, looking the Off
cial squarely in the eye, and resumed
his ronding with Just the suggestion of
impaticnco at the Interruption The re-
proof conveyed III thnt glance, carving
with it a positive assurance that there
was no disposition to cvudc anything,
was so emphatic ana pronounced that il
loft no doubt III the mind of the con.
ductor, if he had any before, that the
passenger had got on the train ut an
other station and had pnid his fare tc
Boston. There WAS something about
the mans appearance as we'll as his nc
tions that assisted III the keeping up of
this deception. He bore all the evidence
of substantial, honest business man OF
middle age, and far above evading pay
mont of a . cent fare. But il was singu.
lar that day after day sharp and dis.
eliminating conductor should be so cas-
lily deceived, and apparently against his
OWN convictions, for OH several occa
slons he reached for fare, but war
checked i'll his advances by that re.
proachful look with which he was con
fronted.
But the end came at last, on that
train at least. Either the conductors
suspicious were so completely aroused
that he determined to satisfy himself
whether he was being imposed upon, OF
oisc Soiiic oiic iiin Cstilcl Ills utlcntlOn &c
the deceit practiccd, for one morning he
reached out his hand for the fare but
received only the swift and impatient
glance. This did not satisfy him, for
when the man returned to the pcrusal OF
his paper he was tapped on the shoulder
and his fare demanded III no uncertain
terms. A Communication ticket was re
luctantly produced, punched without
comment and returned to the pocket