The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-22

W. VI al AoSNC vi kttbtu RuoSV1 VNNt WV
Louisville and Nashville railroad that wcro
sold by scalpcrs during the last year. The
parties TO this fraud were the scalpers who
committed the forgery and sold the tick
cts and the parties who purchased aud used
or undertook to use thcm. The parties De-
frauded, or whom It was attempted to de-
fraud in this Instance, were the Louisville
and Nashville Railroad company and the
persons un!nstly Disseminated against by
being compelled to pay q higher rate OF
fare for like service than was paid the
scalpcr for the fraudulent passes.
| also have before me pass issued TO
the publisher OF a newspaper from nir-
miugham. Ala, to New Orleans. THE pa
per Is not published at pirminsham.) This
pass was. by the party TO whom It was
issued. transferred to another, who Inn
personxcd HIM. and thereby secured
transportation from birmingham. Ala. to
New Orleans. La. The writing on the re-
turn portion Of the pass was. by the uso
or chemicals, eliminated. and rewritten and
made good for d. w. Phelps. wife and
daughter. from New Orleans TO Cincinnati
aud the signature OF the official issuing
the pass forged thereon, So skillfully was
this done that the pass was accepted for
transportation of three persons by six dif-
ferent conductors. on the route from New
orleans to Cincinnati. The parties to this
fraud were the newspaper publisher to
whom he transferred II and who secured
transportation from birmingham TO New
Orleans at reduced rate. the senlper aud
forger who purchased the return portion
Of the ticket and changed II. making II
good for the transportation OF three per-
sons using II. The parties injured were
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
! company. which should have received pay
| for transporting one person from Brming-
| ham to New orleans, and from three per-
! sons from New Orleans to Cincinnati, ana
| passengers travelling upon the same trains
| under like circumstances and conditions
| who paid greater rate FOR services rem
| dered than VAS paid TO the newslVvvr pub
| Usher and the scalper by the parties Grim
| innlly using the pass
| ! also have before me parts OF tickets.
the issue OF what MIR. Patterson would
call one OF the smaller roads" These
tickets were sold by broker at one OF the
tcrmini of the Louisville and Nashville road
| to Wholesale merchants who purchased
them for the use OF their statesmen, The
Louisville and Nashville portions OF the
| ticket were from the terminus to New Or
! leans mud were used to somc Intermediate
point. say birmingham, Ala, Montgomery
| Ala. etc, where tho passengers disem-
| barkcd Not having completed the journey
called for by the tickets they were re
tanned by the passenger and returned 10
tho broker who returned them To his part
ner guilt. the dishonest omployo or official
of the road Issuing the same As thr
Louisville and Nashville Railroad company
had no evidrn e In Its possession that such
tickets were ever Issued. they were not
reported. The parties TO This fraud worr
the dishonest official or cmploye OF the
Iicad issuing the tickets. .hc scalper the
merchant or firm purchasing the tickets,
ana the salcsmcn who used them The par
tics injured We're the Louisville and Mash
Vlllc Railroad company who received no
COMPENSATION for the service rendered and
the competitors OF the dishonest merchant
who p8id regular fare for their agents.
These are few illustrations OF the many
dishonest methods practiced by the scalp
crs In addition to their so called legitimate
transactions. Yet MIR. Patterson very CON O.
placently SAYS u Mr. Latham You see
that this question Is ono have very thor
oushlY considered and very thoroughly un-
dcrs,and "
The scalpers. or. 40 they term themselves
ticket brokers who practice the methods
nave lust described. arn today the most un-
hcrurnlous ana thoroughly organized 1850.
citation for the commission OF UNPUBLISHED
crime that has ever existed In this or an,
other county No gang of banlitti even
oqnaled II In the extent Of ltg opcrattonn
) nm cognizant of AL Instance where ono o.
th"m. being confronted with convicti1n fo
: crime involving term In the penitentiary
refused TO oprnly give evidence against hi
J follow criminals. expressing the belief iha
/ should he do 40 he would he nssassinatad
and rather than take that risk he woult
endure penal servituie. His reluctance I,
giving evidence vas not the result Of "hon
or among thieves" rs he lid surreptItious
ly furnish all the information he had re-.
parding such operations, under an agree
mcnt that he WAS to he protected
VICIOUS puWlC OPINION.
The phase OF public opinion to which :
desire 70 call tho attention o; your reader
is the Indifference unaffected when wrcng
are inflicted by individuals. communities
and governments upon corporations, an
especially railroad corporations
The moral sense of the public has been
or is rapidly becoming blunted in matter
affecting railroad corporations. The fraud
and crimes committed by the scalpers nr
condoncd or acqulcsced IN by the people
OF course their right TO defend thomselve
and 10 employ skilled attorneys to al
them is conceded, as ID done other crimi
nails. but why should Mr. Patterson. n
experienced lawyer a skilled law make
and one who assumes the role of and
looked up to as a teacher OF wise aud jus
their crimes when not professionally en-
ployed? Mercantile and commercial bod
:, les which are organized to encourage hon
e est methods in business hesitate to con
E denim. II they do not ndorse. the nofarlou
business Of the scalper. Great newspa
pers, through Misrepresentation OF tn
facts. let us hope, defend them. Coul
! these pervcrsions. this inability to dis
J tingulsh between right and wrong. posi-
deal of their time to similar legislatio
9 railroad corporations directly affected
Unfortunately. this same perverson OF IN
. moral sense permeates the entire body pol
: itic II encourages. II II does not cnus'
i much OF the unfriordly legislation, Ma
tional. State and municipal. We see III
Z congress of tho United states enactlng an
u the government enforcing laws regulatin
y. railroads and requiring enormous expet
ditures In the interest OF a limited nun
9 Der OF patentces and manufacturers. M
at the same time persistent efforts mad
TO enact legislation comforting on con
= mssioncrs power TO Fix rates. that Is
q say, reduce the compensation received /
the carriers. which Is In effect to Jesse
their revenues and increase their burden
. Legislatures OF the States deNNe goc
. bly, occur were any other interest ths
/ ] nd