The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-14
ChicagO's Chief Ticket Broker Says
the Railways Are I'm CoIInsion with
the ScaIping Offices.
GEO. w. BoYD'S TESTIMONY
SECONDHAND TICKET SELLERS
AGAIN DENOUNCED As THIEVES.
n. 5. Taylor and Other Members of the
House Currency Committee.


Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-George NJ. Nc
Kenzie, Of Chicago, who is representing
the railroad ticket scalpers in their fight
against the anti-scalping law, began the
introduction of affidavits to-day at the hear
ing of the Senate committee on interstate
commerce. going to show that the scalpers
and railroad officials had been operating in
collision. He only got little way along
with the so-called expose" and will re-
sumo the discharge of his batteries at
adjourned meeting of the committee next
Saturday. When he concludes he will have
established the fact beyond any question,
it is said, that the ticket scaIpers have been
the chief agency by which sore railroads
have been enabled to violate the interstate
commerce laws. The railroad officials all
over the country have had this evidence
held over them a threat for years, 1t is
reported, and they are '.nerved" to take
their medicine" believing that the testi-
mony will be convincing proof of the
necessity of enacting the legislation they
are asking for, namely, a law TO wipe the
business out. traffic which is con-
fessedly so demoralizing cannot they ar
que, show any good ground for being al
lowed to exist. Mr.. Mckenzie fired his
heaviest gun first to-day He has stack
of affidavits two feet high which he pro-
poses to offer in evidence, and the railroads
say that when he is through he VIII have
utterly destroyed his clients
George w. Boyd, of the Pennsylvania
road, was the principal witness for the
railways to-day. He was sworn under the
resolution recently adopted by the Senate.
He said the ticket brokers preyed on the
poorer classes by dishonest methods, by
altered, forged and stolen tickets In reply
to a question from Senator Tillman, he
stated that five conductors on the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad, in one batch, had been con-
victed in the courts for stealing tickets,
but that in a majority of cases persons sus-
pected We're only dismissed and not pros
ecuted. While, however, the conductors
had been imprisoned. the ticket brokers,
who were the real criminals, were allowed
to go free. He said that the corrupting of
young men in the railroad service was one
OF the sad features Of the business. Mr.
Boyd also controverted the opinion that a
railroad ticket was like other merchandise.
Concluding his prepared statement, Mr..
Boyd denounced the ticket brokers as
pest to society and as thieves who were
breaking up homes, sedueing young men
into ways of vice and doing more mischief
than could well be conceived.
George NJ Mckenzie was then called in
behalf of the ticket brokers. Before pro-
ceeding Mr. Mckenzie sought to make a
personal statement in reply to attacks on
his character. which was. he said, dearer to
him even than the cause he represented
He referred to an Indictment found against
himself in St. Louis in 1882. The indictment
he said, was quashed and the railroad men
who examined his books completely ex-
onerated him. Not satisfied with this, he
brought suit for damages for malicious
prosecution and recovered 5000. He made
counter attack on the detectives of the rail-
roads, who had purchased tickets from his
nrm under promise to return portions of
them, but instead of doing so had turned
them over to the railroad companies to be
used in this investigation.
Mr.. Cullom called Mr.. McKenzies atten-
ton to a statement he (McKenzie) had
made to the effect that he had personal
relations with many of the railroads.
Mr.. Mckenzie then presented affidavits
from Simon Steiner, a ticket broker, of ST.
Louis, and j. Van Schor, broker of Cleve-
land, to the effect that they had purchased
tickets and thousand-mile books from the
regularly authorized agents of the Penn
sylvania Company the tickets being bought
presented an affidavit from Albert J. Gels,
a ticket broker of Chicago, stating that
ne had paid with check for $500 for mile
age books purchased from H. r. Dering,
assistant general passenger agen. of the
Pennsylvania at Chicago.
Speaking of the affidavitS presented by
Mr.. Mckenzie, Mr. Boyd said he had no
authority to speak for the Pennsylvania
lines west of Pittsburg. He remarked, how
ever, that the Pennsylvania line had
traffic arrangement with the Vandalia line
from whom the mileage books We're pro-
cured. The Vandalia line was a separate
company and operated as such, and at
present was in the hands of receiver Be-
fore the conclusion of McKenzie,s. statement
the committee adjourned until Saturday