The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-16
HAD THE HICKMAN ARRESTED.
A DIFFERENCE OVER FARE LEADS
TO A CASE IN POLICE COURT.

VIM. Gordon Demanded n Dollar For
Bringing Mr.. BedeII and His Wife
From the Central Depot to the
screven, Because stop Had Been
Made on the Wny-WheI Mr.. Be-
dell Refused to Pay the Double
Charge Gordon Carried OF Hts
SntcheI-A Point in the Question of
Hack Fares That Demands Settling.
William Gordon, co.ored, driver of
hack for George Stockett, was arrested
yesterday by Detective Scully on the COM
plant of Mr.. j.. X. Bedell of Woodbine,
who charged Gordon with attempting to
collect greater amount than is allowed
by the city hack ordinance.
MIR. Bedell arrived at the Central depot
on the Florida Central and Peninsular
train about 2 o'clock yesterday He en-
gagged Gordon to take himself and wife
to the Screven house, going by way of Dr.
Duncan's residence. When the hack ar
rived at the hotel Mr. Bedeil gave the
driver 50 cents. Gordon claimed that he
was due dollar, and Selling hold of
small sachel, which Mr.. Bedell had in the
hack, announced that he intended to keep
the sachel until he received the other half
dollar
There was a lengthy argument over the
matter and Gordon finally drove off car
rying the sachel with him. Mr.. BedeI;
reported the matter to the police barracks
and requested Gordon's arrest 1t hap
pened that Gordon had notified Mr. Stock
EFT of the matter, and by the latter's ad-
vice had accompanied him to the barracks
for the purpose of preferring a charge
against Mr.. Bedell for beating him out of
MS fare. Gordon was arrested by Detec-
1--WE Scully He claimed that under the
city ordinance he was allowed to charge
70 cents for each passenger for each trip
and that Mr.. and Mrs. Bedell made two
trips' the first from the depot to Dr. Dun
cans house and the second from DR.. Dun
cans house to the hotel
Mr.. Bedell stated to the sergeant that
ne engaged the hack at the Central depot
with the express understanding with the
driver that he was 20 take himself and
Wlle 70 the Screven house by way of Dr.
Duncans house, he wished to leave
word there for DR. Duncan to call on his
wlte at the hotel, the price stipulated be-
ing % cents a seat. Thinking that the
uriVer might have misunderstood him he
asked him, after they had started from
the depot. If he understood that he was to
De pald 70 cents apiece for taking himself
ana wife to the Screven by DIR. Duncan's
ana that the negro replied that this was
his understanding. At DR.. Duncan's office
the mack only stopped a minute or two
Mr.. Bedell said while he went inside and
| wrote note on Dr. Duncan's slate for
him to call at the Screven to see Mrs Be
delI. Inc latter did not leave the hack.
Mr.. Stockett wanted to enter a charge
| agaMst Mr.. Bedell of beating his fare
| but Chief McDermott declined to allow it
! 70 pc entered, stating that there was no
! Guy ordnance covering such q charge. and
| that the matter would be investigated by
| the recorder this morning.
Gordon surrendered the sachel at the
| barracks Mr.. Bedell demanded that he
| return it to the Screven house. where 1t
| should have been left in the first place
| Gordon refused to do this and Mir. Bedel
| lett the sachel at the barracks, declining
| to take ii away with him. hlr. Bedell is
| a prosperous merchant at Woodbine. Had
he been less even tempered man he
| would never nave allowed the negro to
| take the sachel away from the Screven.
George Stockett, the owner of the hack
4 driven by Gordon, was very indignant be-
cause he could not have Mr.. Bedell arrest
| ed. The ordinance ought to be amend
! ed" said Mr.. Stockett, so that a hack
/ man could get justice. If a passenger dis
putes a charge with a hackman and re-
! fuses to pay the hackmaD has no resource
J but to go before a magistrate and enter
/ suit for his money or take out a labOrer' S
lien, and then he runs the risk of having
the costs of the case assessed against him,
which would amount to several times the
charges a passenger, or if the passenger
| claims that he has been oVercharged, he
can have the hackman arrested and
! brought before the police court. The only
show my man had for his money was to
/ hold the yalise and if l had been in his
/ place would have done the same thing. -
/ Mr.. Stockett was asked If he thought
! the charge of 81 was correct. Certainly
/ ii was" replied. Carrying the man and
| his wife from the depot to DR.. Duncan's
mouse was one trip and from DIR. Duncan s
| house to the Screven was another trip
| That made a dollar"
The question as to the right of a hack
| a n a a roo hon fora k1,a
same ride because his passenger makes a
stop on the way is of interest, because it
Is matter which brings on frequent diff
| ferences between the hackmen and their
| passengers, both citizens and visitors.
| There has been a good deal of complaint
recently of the hackmen, nearly all of
| whom are negroes. Many of the hacks
| have no numbers or schedule of fares as
| required by ordinance, and about as lit
tle attention. IS paid to the hack law as is
| possible; Nearly every day complaints
! are made of attempted overcharges. The
! regular rate of fare between any two
! points N the city, except to the Ocean
! steamship and Merchants and Miners
| steamship wharves, is % cents per pas
senBer The fare to the steamship
/ wharves is 80 cents. one of the common
/ practices of hackmen Is to carry a pas
/ senSer short distance and then tell him
/ he won't carry him the distance he wants
! TO go for less than double faye, or perhaps
/ 30 cents If the passenger is willing to
| pay. the hackman IS that much ahead of
the game. If he refuses the hackman
If there is any branch of public con-
! ven.ence in the city that needs thorough
ly regulating by the police it is the hack
! service. If the Society for Prevention of
| Cruelty to Animals were in existence il
would find a large opportunity to use its
efforts in behalf of dumb brutes. MANY
hack horses are driven day and night, and
| what little rest they get is standing by
a curb while the driver sleeps in his
hack
RECEPTION TO TALMAGE.