Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-09-20
HOW HE RODE FREE.
He SEAT AN EASTERN RAILWAY OUT
OF $40.
Were Deceived by Him Tor
More Than q Year-A simple Scheme
which Required Only Nerve and Self
CoutroI-Trieks of Conductors.

Conductors Were Deceived Dy MIN Tor
More Than = Year-A simple scheme i
which Required Only Nerve and Self
ControI-Trieks Of Conductors.
There is a we'll settled belief on the |
part of most people that the conductors |
on the steam railroads have an intuitive |
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 well 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 fare
in nine cases out of ten will by his looks
and action say to the conductor, II have
not paid my fare, and I don't intend
to-" Some conductors with short men,
ories and distrust of their abilities for
detecting the frauds will continuously
call 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 up
his ticket it so far changes his face and
demeanor that he often shows conscious
guilt, and his ticket is then peremptorily
| demanded.
1t sometimes happens, however, that
even all the tricks and artifices of the
conductor will fail, and man will sue
ceed daily in 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 year man
employed in one of the large wholesale
houses in this city has been taking a
train from one of the 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 pass, which the conductor, know
ing him we'll, 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 had an understanding with the con-
ductor of the train on which he rode
when going to Boston. But it was
found that when the conductor was
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 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, so 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 6
morning paper. When the conductor
came through the train to collect fare
from the passengers who got in at TIL
station, this man, instead of ignoring
his presence, as most men similarly sit
uated would have done, gave a rapit
glance from his paper, looking the off
cial squarely in the eye, and resumed
his reading with just the suggestion O.
impatience at the interruption. The re
proof conveyed in that glance, carrying
with it positive assurance that Their
was no disposition to evade anything
, was so emphatic and pronounced that i
left no doubt in the mind Of the con
, ductor, if he had any before, that tn
passenger had got on the train at an
a other station and had paid his fare t
, Boston. There was something abou
, the mans appearance as we'll as his &C
, | tions that assisted in the keeping up Q
this deception He bore all the evidenc
a of substantial, honest business man c
a middle age, and far above evading pay
, ment of a cent fare. But it was singu
lar that day after day sharp and dis
: eliminating conductor should be so eas
D lily deceived, and apparently against hi
r own convictions, for on several occa
9 sions he reached for fare, but wa
checked in his advances by that re
proachful look with which he was COL
8 fronted.
Il But the end came at last, on thu
4 train at least Either the conductor
suspicious were so completely arouse
3 that he determined to satisfy himse
g whether he was being imposed upon,
else some one had called his attention
: the deceit practiced, for one morning /
g reached out his hand for the fare, bl
h received only the swift and impatiel
!. glance. This did not satisfy him, fl
!, when the man returned to the perusal
n his paper he was tapped on the should
:. and his fare demanded in no uncertal
n terms. A communication ticket was r
IL luctantly produced, punched witho'
n comment and returned to the pock
r. whence it was taken. The next morni1
the passengers watched curiously f
h the next move in the game, but the MI
" had evidently given up the contest {
10 that train, for he has not been seen {
If it since. As he was known to ha
- evaded paying fare on that train dai
r. for more than year, it was roughly G
timated that the Fitchburg Railro'
company was thus defrauded out Of Il
less than $20.-Boston Transcript.
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