Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-08
ONE rEDDnEn,s FAILED.
Hnckmnn Could Not Help Him Hold 20
Y Corner.


There IL a city ordinance which provides
that peddlers cannot take stands on the
streets with their wagons until after 4
o'clock in the morning. This ordinance went
into effect last fall. Before that time ped
dlers were in the habit Of taking stands on
the street corners as early as II and IL
o'clock at night in order to get a good posi-
ton for the following day. They would roll
themselves up in blankets and go to sleep
In their wagons or on the sidewalks until II
was time for them to do business, which
meant when people began to appear on the
streets.
The new ordinance caused more trouble
in peddling circles than a strange pug in
the Third ward. In their anxiety to get
good positions, peddlers still persisted In
coming earlier than the ordinance permitted,
and 1t required a number Of arrests before
this habit was discontinued. OF late, how
ever, the peddlers have not appeared until 4
o'clock. At that hour there is always a
lively scramble to obtain favorable corners,
which very Frequently terminates in a fight.
There has been more trouble over the cor
ner at Sixteenth and Dodge streets than any
other in the city, as II is considered the
best. 1t is an unusual thing when some
peddler is not in police court every morning
on the charge CT fighting in that vicinity,
and among those who have been up several
times is J. Alperson.
Alperson of late has not succeeded in pre-
empting the corner and In consequence he
mas been very much annoyed. He has lost
sleep in trying to think out some scheme by
which he might outwit the ordinance and
incidentally his competitors. The inspiration
came the other night. After walking the
floor for several hours Alperson hit upon a
scheme which he thought a hummer. He
put 1t into effect last Thursday morning.
He went around to a hackman friend of his
and made a bargain with him to take a
stand at the desired corner on the following
morning at 2 o'clock and hold 1t for him.
The hackman was to receive $3.50 for this
work, but 1t was specifically agreed that
the money was not to be paid over to the
hackman IL Alperson was not safely in
stalled upon the corner. At least so Alper-
son and one Of HIS friends say. The hack
man denies this part of the agreement.
The scheme worked to a certain point,
The haclsman took his place on the corner
at 3 o'clock and held it until 4 o'clock, when
Alperson appeared. Then he drove out and
Alperson prepared to take his position. But
a hitch occurred at this point. Another
peddler, who watched the proceedings and
smelled rodents, got in his work a little
quicker than Alperson and when the hack
drove away he slipped in and secured the
corner.
"Get out Of there" yelled Alperson.
Yes, I will, / don't think" nswered thu
other, and he positively refused to bulge
Trouble began at once. The hackman de
manded his pay and Alperson refused to Civ,
1t. After a jangle Of half an hour the hack
man drove away, swearing vengeance, ant
caused a warrant to be issued for Alperson'!
arrest for beating a hack bill.
The trial occurred yesterday. Alper
son swore that he had not promised to pa,
anything If the corner was not turned owe
to him. The hickman denied the proviso
Judge Gordon dismissed the case.
This is a good thing, but it is pushed
little too far" he said in giving his decision
"If find that the man beat the hackma
out of a fare, the hackman can be prosecute
for being on a corner which is not a hac
stand. If I decide that Alperson violated tn
! peddling ordinance, then the hackman is a
guilty as he, because he entered into con
spiracy with him to do So"