The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-10-05

The Law Against Ticket ScaIpinR Enforced

ed all the stolen property.
The Law Against Ticket ScaIpipg Enforced
in New Jersey.
From the New York Sum- September %. 1897 !
The two ticket scalpers convicted in
New Jersey last week are the first offend
ers to suffer punishment under the Act To
prevent frauds upon travellers. Whether
they thought justice slept or were deter.
mined to defy openly the law ia not an
parent, but the bold manner in which
their business was conducted would in
cline one to the belief that thew felt little
apprehension of being called to account
Atlantic City in summer offered a pecu-
llarly fruitful field for the productive prac-
tice OF their Legitimate profession on ac-
count OF the large number of low-rate ex-
cursion tickets sold to that point from all
sections OF the country, and the promising
harvest of ill-gotten dollars was too tempt-
ing to resist. One of the so-called sbrok
ers'' emigrated from Washington, hired a
post-offlce box, and openly advertised to
buy and sell railroad tickets, and when he
was asked if he did not fear detection
promptly replied that he was a stranger to
lear, as he could smell detective a mile
OIL. His nose proved cold, however, as
an ofDcer OF the secret service of railroad
company was in negotiation with him at
the time. The other member of the fra
ternlty did rushing curbstone business.
and the quantity and variety of the tick
cts yielded up from his inside nock Of
seemed unlimited.
Both OF these young men are now re-
penting leisurely of their folly behind The
bars of the Mays Landing jail. Their SEN
fences, 1t is true, were not harsh hut the
majesty of the law which they seemed TO
regard so fiippantly was fully indicated
prominent official of one of the rail
roads interested in the cases said vester-
day.
"These prosecutions were pressed simnlv
to prove that the law for the protection ri
travellers could and would be enforced in
New Jersey and elsewhere. 1t bebooved
the railroad companies to protect their
patrons from imposition by unauthorized
whose stock in trade consisted of
non-transferable tickets, passes. and tick
cts which had expired by limitation. or
had passed in some way out of the hands
of their original holders. The outfit of
the average scalper is composed of such
material as this, and a number of frand.
ulent tickets was found in the collection
Ut these parties. The ticket for the sale
OF which one of the men was convicted
was personal ticket. 1t represented a
contract between the purchaser and the
railroad company, which had been signed
by the purchaser and attested by the rail-
road agent. All conditions had been ac-
cepted by the passenger in consideration
Oh the reduced rate at which the ticket
was sold, and in order to enjoy the benefit
Of the return passage it was necessary for
the holder to identify himself as the org
maj purchaser before an agent of the sell.
Ing company, and thus secure the proper
stamp OF valuation for the return trim.
w men the scalper was asked how this OBJ
stacie could be overcome he suggested
mat the signature could be counterfeited
without much trouble and the original
purchaser thus impersonated. The com.
MISSION OF forgery by an innocent mr.
chaser was to be part of the price of the
yoodsl
"fhis is but one example of the meth.
Ids adopted by the scalper to rid himself
IF his stock. 1t involved not only an lille.
,al act on the part of the scalper, but a
one on the part of his dupe.
Altered tickets are frequently sold nv
he scalpers; that is to say, tickets on
which the date or destination has been
changed. Limited tickets that have ex
bred and consequently are invalid stolen
lckets and passes issued by the railroads
or some other consideration than money.
Ind n-transferable, are sold to an I'M
inspecting public at temptingly low rates.
These evidences of the right to travel NAV
De accepted for passage sometimes, but
hey are often declined, and the deluded
purchaser is called upon not only to give
Up the FRAUDULENT ticket but the proper fare
rs well, or accept the alternative of being
elected from the train. The more ipnor-
ant class OF travellers are the chief suffer-
srs, at they take the bait of low rates more
Eagerly and are at the same time easier
game for the willy scalper These are the
people whom the anti scalping laws seek
to protect, and it is in their interests that
the anti scalping prosecutions are institu
led by the railroad companies. In the
recent cases in New Jersey there was no
spirit of prosecution or revenge manifest
sd by the representatives of the railroad
companies, but in each case the Court was
to impose a light sentence.
mainly to demonstrate to the unfortunate
Young men that they could not trifle with
the law with impunity.
zone unwholesome feature of the scalp
er's trade as 1t applies directly to the rail-
roads is the opportunity held out to dis
honest employees to dispose of stolen
tickets. The scalper is a corrupter of
The morals of those who have the hand
ling OF tickets, and cases are known
where otherwise upright men haye fallen
On account of the temptation offered
by the scalper's Office.
The existence of the scalper and his
trade is not necessary from any point of
view, for every anti-scalping law provides
all possible means for disposing of I'M
used tickets or portions of them in legit-
mate manner"