Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-11-10
HOW HE RODE FREE.
HE BEAT All EASTERN RAILWAY OUT
OF $40.


Which Required Only Nerve and Self
Control-Tri.ks of Conductors,
There is we'll settled belief on the
part Of most people that the conductors
on the steam railroads have an intuitiye
knowledge of the persons who have not
paid their fares, and that, while they
may occasionally pass a man without
taking up his ticket, so phenomenal is
the memory of the average conductor
and SO we'll does he remember faces
that it is almost impossible to deceive
him. While this may sometimes be
true, as a 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 a fare
in nine cases out of ten will by his looks
and action say to the conductor, Il have
not paid my fare. and l don't intend
10. Some conductors with short mem.
cries and distrust of their abilities for
detecting the frauds will continuously
cali out the word Tickets as they pass
through the cars. where many changes
are taking place between stations, at
the same time extending their hand to.
ward each seat. The man who has not
paid feels that this is direct appeal
made to himself and responds according
ly. But if this rUse does not succeed in
making the would be beat" deliver nm
his ticket it so far changes his face and
demeanor that he often shows conscious
guilt, and his .icket is then peremptorilv
demanded.
1t sometimes happens, however, that
even all the tricks and articles Of the
conductor will fail, and man will sue
coed daily i'll evading 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 a year a man
employed III one Of the large wholesale
houses in this city has been taking a
train from one % rEe suburban stations.
and acquaintance who rode on the
same car were surprised to see that he
never paid fare.
At first IT was thought that he might
have q pass which the 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 i sure to
demand a fare from every person on the
train Then came the suggestion that
he had an understanding with the CON
ducto- of the train on which he rode
when going to Boston. But it was
found that when the conductor was
changed 10 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 We're curl.
Gus to see how long 1t would continue
They saw that he invariably got Oh the
train on the left hand side, SO that he
copld not be observed hv 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 i'll becoming
deeply absorbed in the contents of a
morning paper. When the conductor
came through the train to collect fares
| from the passengers who got il at this
| station, this man, instead of ignoring
his presence, as most men similarly sit
| uated would have done, gave a rapid
| glance from his paper, looking the Off
| cial squarely in the eye, and resumed
his reading with just the suggestion of
lmpatience at the interruption. The re-
| proof conveyed in that glance, carrying
| with 1t positive assurance that there
| was no disposition to eyade anything.
was SO emphatic and pronounced that it
| left no doubt in the mind of the con.
| ductor, if he had any before, that the
| passenger had got OH the train at an
other station and had paid his fare to
Boston. There was something about
the mans appearance as well rs his ac-
| tons that assisted i'll the keeping up of
this deception. He bore all the evidence
OF substantial honest business man of
middle age, and far above evadlng pGy-
ment of a ) cent fare But it was singu-
lar that day after day a sharp and dis
| eliminating conductor should he so cas-
| lily deceived, and apparently against his
own convictions, for on several occa-
slons lie reached for Il fare, but was
| Checked III his advances by that re
proachful look with which he was CON
fronted
But the end came at last. on that
/
suspicious were SO completely aroused
that he determined to satisfy himself
whether he was being imposed upon, or
else some one had called his attention to
the deceit practiced, 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 perusal of
his paper he was tapped on the shoulder
and his fare demanded in no uncertain
terms. A communication ticket was re-
luctantly produced. punched without
comment and returned to the pocket
whence II was taken The next morning
the passengers watched ur.Cusly for
the next move III the game hut the man
bad evidently given up the contest on
that train. for he has not been seen on
1t since. As he was known to have
evaded paying fare on that train daily
for more than year. it was roughly es-
timated that the Fitchburg Railroad