The San Francisco call., 1896-03-05
BETRAYED BY A
PUNCHED TICKET.
How a Commuters Divorce
Suit Was Brought to
an End.
a DETECTIVES SECRET.
Dangers Of Throwing Away Com
mutation Tickets With
Signatures.
an INCENTIVE TO FORGERY.
Merchants May Demand That the
Ticket:Collector Be Required to
Destroy Them.
an INCENTIVE TO FORGERY
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALI
90S Broadway March


90S Broadway, March 4.
Passengers on the ferry boats who use
Communication tickets, and who may have
any reason tor not wishing to let every.
body know whether they cross the hay ol
not, Will need to exercise more care than
has been done in the past. Everybody
who crosses the bay on the last day of the
month is familiar with the thick carpet oi
punched-out commutation tickets thai
gather around the ticket takers on either
side of the bay. Very few, however, give
a thought to the complete record con-
tanned on each piece OF pasteboard, or to
the possibilities that such record may
lead to.
On each ticket the owner has to sign his
name. The punches show the days on
which he crossed the bay, whether by the
narrow or broad gauge routes, and
whether the return journey in either case
was made at night or next morning. That
these details are OF great value 10 private
detectives in working up cases has just
been demonstrated. The following story
from an Oakland detective, who also was
observed TO pick up discarded commuta-
tion ticket last Saturday evening, contains
pointers for thousands of people who
ously.
"a few weeks ago. said the detective,
"a divorce suit was filed in this county
that promised to lead 10 substantial reve-
lations. There was no desire on the part
of the lady TO force matters into publicity
II an amicable settlement could be reached.
The husband showed an inclination to
fight the case and refused to make any
compromise. The complaint contained
allegations referring to a date at the be-
ginning of February. In his answer the
husband, who is a San Francisco merchant
residing on this side of the bay, denied
that he came over TO Oakland at all on the
evening OF the day mentioned. 1t could
not be proved that be did, but his wife
could prove that he did not appear at his
home. While trying 10 settle the matter
II was suggested that glance at the gen.
tleman' S Communication ticket would quick
~ settle the difficulty.
As he was not living at home there was
nothing to do but wait till the end of the
month, when it was known the commuta-
ton ticket would be thrown away. He
was shadOwed and last Saturday night the
ticket was picked up. 1t contained his
signature and on looking al the date it
was seen that he had returned to Oakland
on the Gay in question and also on
the next morning. On being apprised of
these facts he withdrew his opposition and
one who viii learn anything of their dif-
ficulties OF course he might have at
tempted to prove that he loaned his ticket
that particular night, but it would have
been hard to produce the party who used
it. That is one use for exhausted commu
tation tickets and the same facts would
come in usefully in a dozen other WAYS
that will readily suggest themselves.
There is yet another feature OF this
commutation-tick business that l have
often heard discussed, and l would not be
surprised if some action were not taken
before long in the matter. ! refer TO the
easy manner in which the present system
makes it possible TO obtain the signatures
of prominent business men and capitalists
who daily cross the bay. There are prob
ably 5000 legitimate signatures of men
solid financially and socially thrown away
every month. Any one can pick them up,
and the possibilities for all kinds of
forgery ana misuse OF the names are very
great.
Mayor Davie has frequently thought of
the matter, and is of the opinion that the
commutation tickets should be destroyed
by the tlcket-collector when they are
punched for the last time.