The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-09-28
RAILROAD and BROKERS
A Passage at Arms Takes Place
Between the Two
THE CIRCULAR NUMBER 43
Eyokes Reply From Local Ticket
Agency
General Passenger Agent Byrne's Good Health
and Redondo YeiiowtaiIs in Soliloquy.
Local Railroad Notes

The reading public j. familiar with the
recent trial of the People versus Hugh
j. Byrne, in which Albert Forman was
the complaining witness. The verdict OF
the Jury in the matter was that the peo-
pie had no case and that Conductor
Byrne was innocent of the charge brought
against him. pom the ending of the
case 7. II. Goodman, general passenger
agent of the Southern Pacific company,
caused to be printed a circular, copy
of which was sent to each of the ticket
brokers of this city. Circular No. AZ
reads as follows:
The following is given for the informa-
ton of all concerned Upon the oath
day of July. 1895, A bert Forman boarded
Il train of the Southern Pacific company
at Los Angeles and presented to the con-
ductor for passage an excursion ticket
sold at Denver in December, 1899, by the
Denver ana Rio Grande Railroad com
pany for the use OF one J. ii. Frerichs
for San Diego and return via Los Ange-
les, San Francisco and Portland to st.
Paul.
Forman was employed in scalpers
office in Los Angeles, and the scalper
gave him the ticket TO see if the South
ern Pacific companys conductor would
Owing to the fact that the contract Of
the ticket was one of the non-transferable
FORM, the conductor lifted the ticket and
put Forman off the train at a small sta
ton ninety miles north of Los Angeles.
On Forman's return to Los Angeles he
had the conductor, Hugh Byrne, arrested
fUr larceny. Tine scaiping fraternity OF
Los Angeles backed the case on the
ground that the Southern Pacific had
only the right to lift their own coupons,
and not those of connecting lines.
Conductor Byrne was tried by u jury, and
after the case was submitted, the jury
promptly bro ught in a verdict OF acquit-
tai.
This decision would seem to settle the
point concerning the railroad company's
right to oontiscate tickets calling for
transportation reading over It's own lines
and those of other companies. Very
respectfully, etc.
A we'll known railroad ticket broker of
Los Angeles Immediately wrote Mr..
Goodman as follows:
Dear Sir-I herewith return circular
No. 49, with many thanks for your kind
consideration in sendirg same. How
ever, | was fully posted on this matter
several days before receiving your kind
information, and consequently had no
use for the enclosed article
1 also submit the following for your
consideration as setting forth my views
upon the matter, views that are enter
tanned by the ajority of the American
people and recognized by the supreme
laws of the land
Common Carriers-They aie anxious
for profits. Travel furnishes their great
est hopes for profits. Competition makes
common carriers careful to increase their
business by compelling their employees
10 be courteous to all customers.
passenger insuted or abused Will
drive hundreds of travellers to another
route.
Common carriers EN- ployees some times
think Intensely endowed with powers
which find no warrant in law or equity.
They are not courts of inquiry and
they have no police powers, and are
guilty OF larceny when lifting tickets
against the passengers will.
The United States constitution pro-
vides that no citizen shall be deprived OF
his life, his liberty or his property with
out the authority of duly constituted
court. Railroad tickets are property;
they are simply due bills calling for
certain transportation. There is nothing
in America today which is not saleable
and purchasable except human flesh. We
buy and sell railroad tickets, claiming
the inalienabl rights of American citi-
zens. 1t will not cost the railroad COM
pany an extra pound of steam if they
carry person out of Los Angeles on
ticket originally sold to some one else.
We have the good will of the people
generally, and request an opportunity to
secure yours.
Jay Gould never went to Jail, but that
does not prove he did not steal the Man
haitian road, Yours truly,
The end is not YET. Mr.. Forman will
be tried today for forgery. The brokers
have declared war on tho Southern Pacific
Railway company ahd the officers of the
latter look severe.