The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-10-08
STORY OF THE LAW SUITS
He Stopped Over and Walked
Pretty Regularly.
THE RAILWAY COMPANY'S BLUFF
Detectives Crowded Around the
COmmuter and Often Followed
film Day and Night.

!
in the great slab-side of the Southern Pa
ciflc Company, was in a happy state of
mind yesterday. All through the day he
received re pOrters and friends in his Ala
media home and laughed and talked mer-
| rily about his victory over the Southern
| Pacific Railway Company of Ken lucky.
| The decision of the State Supreme Court,
| published yesterday, in favor of DR.. Rob
inson was the principal subject of con-
versatioD. and was the pivot around which
| the doctor's joyful spirits swung as he
laughed and sportively shook his long
| white beard
1T is a complete victory for me and the
people" he said, when interviewed on the
subject of his persistent efforts in the
courts. ut isn't question of pecuniary
gain with me-" he went on. sit has cost
me more time and money than shall ever
get out os it. Y ct to me it is most valu-
able decision. | took up this fight for the
peoples rights. as against tie railr Dad
cor poration more than three years ago,
and at last, in this long hoped-for deci-
sion, the people come out victorious.
am proud of it and l am going to do more
of the same.
DIR. Robmson's litigation with the South
eTD L dcluC OOUn pdHG ptooculo many III
teresting as we'll as humorous episodes.
The now famous controversy dates back
10 MAY 81, 1891. On the day above named
DR.. Robinson as usual presented himself
and his cash at the ticket WINDOW at the
foot of Market street and demanded first
class ticket to Alameda. 1t was given him
and he Immediately boarded the broad
gauge ferry and was duly landed on the
Oakland pier. There he took the Alameda
| local train, ike other passengers bound
for the peninsula city. but did not go
through. Before the train reached the
| Broadway stop he asked the conductor,
| George Baker, for stopover check.
eve don't give EN-" CURLY replied the
| conductor. IF you want to stop over and
then go to Alameda you will have to pay
| aDother fare"
| DR.. Robinson stepped from the train and
waited about an hour. when Conductor
| Baker came along with his train again,
| bound for Alameda, the doctor entered a
car. The train started and few moments
later Baker came along and acc0Sted tie
doctor, demanding fare.
"You can't get any more from me this
trip." returned Dr.. Robinson. u have
paid my fare from San Francisco to Ala
media, and TO Alameda | am going without
paving you another cent
Then you'll walk or ride somebody
else's train said Baker, as he yanked a
couple of lusty yanks on the bell-rOpe and
stopped the train.
DR.. Robinson was forcbiy elected from
the car, under his solemn protest, but
without any distur bance. He saw the
| train move on, and then he walked to his
home in Alameda. lie felt pretty we'll
though, because the very thing he wanted
most had happened, and just the way he
wanted it. too. Early In October T. How
ing he filed suit in Judge Hunts court for
S499 damages. Before the case came ia
trial it was agreed between counsel on
both sides that if judgment were rendered
against the railroad company 1t should be
for $780, the full amount sued for. On
April 6, 1892, Judge Hunt rendered de.
cision and Judgment tor the amount
stated in favor of the plaintiff. The case
was then promptly appealed by the South
ern Pacific Company, and so importan
did the corporation deem the case that al
the force OF its law department was set to
work on the appeal. After numerous
DELAYS, submissions and resubmssions,
the Supreme Court finally settled the case
by a decision adverse to the Southern Pa.
clfc Company.
In the meantime DR.. Robinson continued
to hatch and breed no end of trouble for
the railroad company. He actually got
himself disliked by the entire corporation,
from T.. p. Huntington down to the man
whose duty il is to derail cars by throwing
switches too soon or too late. The doctor
made new lawsuits every day, every east
ward trip. de bought frsl-class tickets
and stopped over in Oakland almost regu-
larly every day. He also walked with
regularity almost like clOckwork.
| But one day he refused to walk. 1t was
in July, 1891. and it was not. AS usual he
had stopped over in Oakland. just before
the succeeding train moved out he stepped
onto the platform of car. Conductor
Baker came along and demanded fare. Dr..
Robinson told the conductor to go tor
words TO that effect-somewhe and
| some place not marked on maps or charts.
He refused to pay, and defied Baker and
his Whole crew to put him off. That day
| DIR. Robinson rode to Alameda.
No souner had DR.. Robinson's purpose
become clear 20 the railroad officials than
the latter began TO worry him in theiI
| turn. They set three detectives to watch
him wherever he went-tO follow MIN
night aud day, for what purpose nobody,
except the railroad officials, knew. The
detectives, one of whom was Len Harris,
used to crowd up on the doctor every time
he went to a ticket window. Pretty soon
the ticket agents began to refuse to sell
him tickets. Then they changed their tao
tics and tried to make trOubIa in another
way.
One day DR.. Robins on demanded ticket,
as usual at the Market-street depot. Mr..
Beach was the agent at the window.
swell, L must take your application fol
a ticket In regular FORM" said MIR. Beach.
as he brought forth long blank form and
pen and ink. "What is your name?"
''W. IL. Robinson"
where do you liveP'
alameda"
"lour age?"
1t was given; also occupation, weight
height. color of eyes and hair and all that
Thus it often happened that the doctor
would be crowded ticketIess from the win
dow by the rush Of the crowds from boa
to boat. One day the agent tired of the
routine of worry and asked Police Ser
geant LangfOrd TO remove DR.. Robinson
from the ticket window.
This was quickly done. but the doctor
protested and asked LaDgford what hs
meant by LAYING hands foicibly upon hin
while he was acting peaceably and In &
lawful manner.
THE gentleman tells me you Interfere
with him and annoy him. Pm here t
do as the gentleman says"
That was al! the satisfaction the doctor
could get from that officer. But he con-
tinued in various ways TO worry the ia il
road company and pile uD law suits OF
top of each other. The Justices court.
on both sides of the bay of San Francisco
are full of these forms of litigation. each
calling for the statutory damage of S2O0
as per section 400 of The statutes in such