The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-04
BROADWAY CABLE SCORED
CRANE THINKS PASSENGERS HAVE
SOME RIGHTS.

ne DISCHARGES a Salesman Arrested Tor
Not PayinE Two Fares 60 GO from Spring
street TO eBrd street-One Car Heing
Blocked, the Salesman Bearded Another.
The officials OF tho Metropolitan Traction
Company we're roundly scored yesterday after
noon In jefferson Market Court by Magistrate
Crane when Eugene Lezinski. a salesman, Of 40
East Twenty-second street, was arraiRned by
Policeman Ryan Of the Mercer street station. on
n charge Of dlsorderly conduct preferred by
Conductor John A. Wheeler Of the Broadway
cable road.
Lczlnski was arrested At Broadway and Ninth
street, at l 30 O'Clock, on wheelcr's complaint
that no had been forced to eject him from the
car, as he would not pay his fare. When ar
raigned before the Magistrate, Lezinski said that
he was em ployed by p. Stein & Co. of 5l5 Broad
way. At l2 o'clock he boarded at Spring street
car 1870 Of the broadway road as II was going
up town. He paid his fare, but the car had not
gone over half q block when 1t stopped and
he discovered that there was a blockade ex-
tending TO Houston street. lie waited for the
car to start, and. after II had remained without
moving for over half an hour. he looked
out of the window and saw that the
downtown cars were being switched over to
the uptown track and started back up town.
while the cars below Houston street continued
to be blocked. He spoke to conductor No. so.
who was In charge of the car, and told him that
as he was in a hurry he was going to Houston
street and board ono Of the cars that was being
switched. He said TO the conductor that II his
car came along in time he would board the same
car, but IL the blockade continued he was going
TO get on one of the switched cars and ride
without paying another fare. Conductor 80
told him this would be all right II he explained
matters.
He walked up to Houston street and there
spoke to an inspector, also telling him what he
was going TO do. He then boarded Wheeler's
car, and as he entered the car he explained the
case to him. Wheeler said that he would have
to nay another fare. but Lezinski told him that,
while he was perfectly able to pay several other
fares, he did not intend to do so as a matter OF
principle. He felt that when he boarded the car
at Spring street to go to Twenty third street ne
den de b. but hi y block. ." Wheeler told o II H that he
shs care e''h Iezi MAKE re Tel Rsy sn to- do e anIs or and sst at at
Ninth. street Wheeler took hold Of him, and.
and called on a policeman to arrest hun. '"''"'
Lezlnski explained the whole matter to the
BBS St g. Mh,e sna K in.is,e eid R RGt %a pln 60 arrest fslI him;
under arrest. and the party started to walk to
the Mercer street police station. While they
were on the way. car 1870 came along. and
Lezinski stopped the car and got conductor No.
so to corroboate his statement They were then
met by II young man who said he was Adolph
lsaacson, and that he represented the company.
lsaacson tried to compromise the matter, but
the salesman refused to listen to him, and said
that he would see what the police courts would
have to say abeut the case.
After Lezinski had told his story. Isaacson. who
told Magistrate Crane that he represented the
attorneys for the company. began 10 cross
story. Lezinski showed a card on which were
the names OF several persons who. he said. had
s ssgn ans for witn SecmrreP Then an isa snsm eS s9n.d
Crane, that Lezlnski should have paid MS
nNnn fnrA md hnh A. a mi nj dtSnrlnrlU
said that lezinski had already paid one fare;
IF he had stayed on the first car said
Isaacson he would not have been obliged to
Have the passengers no rights - said Magis-
on one OF your cars for over half an hour and see
other cars moving his way only a block or two
people are in a hurry they don't want to wait the
convenience Of the railroad company before
they are moved again. Here is a respectable
Spring street to Twenty-third. street. and you
carry him only half a block and then make him
wait half an hour. He sees other cars going the
way he wants to go, and because he takes one of
those cars he is asked for another fare. and the
demand is made although you have not fulfilled
your contract with him."
He had no right To board that second carr
said lsaacson. IF he had waited a little longer.
the blockade would have been raised and he
would have been carried to his destination all
Passengers are not obliged to wait for your
convenience" said Magistrate Crane. Your
company should have each conductor armed
with a book Of transfer slips, and, when such n
blockade occurs. transfers should be given out
to the passengers so that they would get a
return for their money. and not be forced to
give another fare II they wanted to reach their
destination in the time they expected to when
they boarded the car"
I'VE are not responsible for accidents" said
Isaacson.
"Surely the passengers are not" said the
Magistrate. Most OF these accid emit are the re-
suit OF imperfect machinery or carelessnes on
the part of your employees"
We can't provide for unexpected occur
rences." said lsaacson, and. any way. there are
not many hlockades on our roads"
A loud laugh was caused In the court room by
this statement, and when order was restored
Magistrate Crane said:
why. within the past two weeks there have
been a number of serious accidents on your road
and several blockades. Only night before last
your line was blocked for three hours, ana n
number of people were hurt in one OF these
accidents. 1t seems TO me that the Broadway
cable officials forget that the travelling public
have any rights whatever. That's where the
trouble lies. This man was Justified in his re-
fusal to pay a second fare, and he is honorabiy
discharged.
Lezinski told reporters that he intended 10
sue the Metropolitan Traction Company officials
for heavy damages for his arrest. He said he
thought 1t was time that a lesson was taught