Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-16
1'I-SCALPING BILL.
HEARING by SENATE COMMITTEE
OF TICKET BROKERS RESUMED.
MR.. MKENZIE'S LARGE BUSINESS.
In 1894 1t Amounted to $f,3s0,00O,
and the Net Profits Were About
s37,OOO-He Shows Some Daniels
Pastors.
Pastors.

! WASHINGTON, d. c., January b.
The Senate Committee on Interstate
Commerce this morning resumed its hear
ing on the misunderstanding bill. Pend
| ing resumption of the testimony Of
George NJ. Mckenzie, of Chicago. n state
ment was submitted to the committee by
Bert w. Lyon, editor OF the Commercial
| Traveller, of st. Louis Mr.. Lyon said
that he made the statement in rebuttal
of some assertions heretofore made TO
the committee by Il. j. Feely, OF Chicago,
and L. T.. DOVE, Of New York, who
claimed to represent the commercial ira
velers Of the country. Mr. Lyon was abb
solutely satisfied that a great majority
OF the commercial travellers were in favor
of the pending BILL
Mr.. Mckenzie presented afIidavits from
various ticket-brokers i'm Chicago, ST.
Louis, Boston, Louisville, and other
cities, setting forth that they had pur-
chased tickets directly from the author
lied agents Of railroads, and in some
cases received commissions thereon.
Senator Elkins inquired what the an
nual volume Of Mr.. McKenzie's business
was, and he replied that it aggregated
last year SG600
Now, aren't you making a fight against
this bill?' said Mr.. Elkins.
The questioning OF Mr.. Mckenzie
brought out the statement that the bulk
of his business was done over the weaker
lines. Mr.. Mckenzie did not say that he
himself had received commissions from
the railroads for the sale Of tickets, but
he presented statements from other
brokers that they had been paid commits
sions from various railroads.
Senator Tillman asked sharply: Cant
you produce some absolute proof I'm the
shape of cancelled checks, or something
of that kind. that these railroad men who
have appeared have lied? That's what
we are trying to get at"
Mr.. Mckenzie then submitted some fur
Their statements of brokers, a few of
which had attached TO them cancelled
checks.
STATE LAW DISREGARDED.
do you, as a broker" inquired Senator
Cullom, pay heed 10 the State law re-
quiring that no railroad ticket shall be
sold except by authorized agents of the
railroads."
eve pay no attention to that law" re-
piled Mr.. Mckenzie
"Why?" asked Mr. Cullom.
1--WE don't think IT Is a good law" was
the reply
you say" said Senator Elkins, "that
in 1894 you did a business aggregating
$500, 900? Now. what was your profit Gu
that business?"
II will say" replied Mr.. Mckenzie,
that in that year we, my partner and
l, had five offices. our aggregate bust
ness was 81 $4,000, and our net profits
We're about $4,000"
In the course Of Mr.. McKenzie's state
ment he presented TO the committee GER
tain pastors, which the brokers had used
to extend the time of limited tickets
purchased from the Wabash road. the
pastors bearing the name Df George II.
Daniels, passenger agent Of the New
York Central, who was at one time the
general ticket agent Of the Wabash
Mr.. Daniels desired to offer a brief ex-
ception of that statement He said that |
during the time he was the general |
ticket agent Of the Wabash system he |
had reprinted the entire stock Of pas !
sengers tickets of their lines, at a cost |
of $4,000. He explained that the pastors |
presented by Mr.. Mckenzie were used |
by the road in the making out of limited |
tickets, and We're for the convenience Of |
the Wabash agents. and not for scalpers. |
THE particular pastors presented by |
NJ. Mckenzie" said Mr.. Daniels, were |
used several years after I had severed |
my connection with the Wabash system
1t IS likely that many of the tickets |
even now being sold by the Wabash bear
my name. i desire TO say as emphati-
cally as / can that I never had any con-
naoffou xt-ffh tiplxaf-caq1 baua ravar
broken a rate agreement, and have never
sold tickets to anybody over any line
with which 1 was connected for less
than the regular rate"
The committee then adjourned, TO meet
at the call of the chairman