The herald., 1895-07-26
.HE HAD A BROTHER -|N-LAN
Erring Ways'of a Boyle Heights
Conductor
lie CHEATED THE COMPANY
And Then Gave the Superintendent a
Hot Chase
lie CHEATED THE COMPANY
How F. A. Erickson nanaged to Raise His
Salary Without an Official An
nouncement

Generally speaking, every man has
right to claim brother-in-law. and some
even have the temerity to claim two or
thrc, such relations. This, however, is
NOT permitted on the Boyle Heights cable
road and thereby hangs II tale implicat-
ing Conductor f. A. Erickson and several
important Off GERS of the road.
Erickson has been in the employ of tho
company for Period OF about seven
months and has always been regarded as
an exemplary and conscientious en-
ployee. Lately he fell under the ban of
suspicion and Superintendent S. J. Aiken
soon found cause TO fix his eagle eye upon
certain of that gentleman's s actions while
in uniform. Irregularities in the turning
over of fares to the company's office
caused an Investigation to be set on foot.
and Yesterday afternoon the grand finale
was staged.
The dramatis personae included Super
intendent Aiken. Eickson. Conductor
Kutz and Foreman Petrie. A mem ber OF
the Los Angeles police force also shared
in the audience of his presence on the
field.
Erickson was the conductor on car so,
and on his nOon trip he entered the
power house at Boyle Heights. Here he
encountered Superintendent Aiken and
the interview was both brief and sacchar-
inc.
"Gve me your punch and money"
said Aiken to TIE thoroughly astonished
conductor. He compiled with the reques
in silence.
"Now turn over your machine" was the
futhcr remark of the official.
Il won't" was the brief response. and
dickson turned aad bolted through the
door.
Aiken followed in close pursuit and
Petrie, Kutz and Officer Stevenson joined
In. Up Soto street to Third went pur-
suers and pursued, the ground smoking
under their rapidly moving feet. Erick-
son, in an endeavor to avoid capture. then
gress down Breed street. Petrie is no
mean sprinter himself, and after hot
squirt closed in on the fugitive and cap
tured him just as he was about to turn
into Fourth street.
He broke down on being taken into
custody and begged to be allowed to go:
He had the "brother-in.law" IN his hand
1t was picked up and given to the super
,ntendent, after which Ericskon was re-
leased for the present.
The machine itself is very cleverly
constructed contrivance ana must have
been made by Bkillful machinlst. In
appearance IL is iudll CiCuiui StCcl ooA
one inch in thicnkess and two and
halt in diameter. 1t contains small
bell that can be rung at the pleasure OF
the holder by pressing small button
protruding from the rim. The mode OF
operating is verv simple. The cheating
employee holds the machine in the hol-
low OF one hand, and. after collecting a
fare, maEes a pretense OF ringing it up on
his punch. Pressing the button of the
"brother-in-l -law,n that obliging -Tslative
rings and the passenger vainly imagines,
if indeed he thinks about it at all. that
the sound proceeded from Tho regulation
phncn. The fare is then placed in the
purse of the operator. The railroad COM
pany is frequently the loser by some ~ or
S3 a day by the little joker.
In the case of Erickson no criminal
proceeding has vet been instituted, and 1t
is probable that he will be given q
chance tu reform.