The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-09
Story of Gigantic Bluff That
Wasn't Called.
Perpetrated by General Passen-
ger Agent W. J. Black.
OUTWITTED A CROWD.
He Also Proved Himself Equal
to Serious Emergency.
Another Chapter of His Famous
Circus Coup.

\
J Black of the Santa Fe. It was about
two years ago on the morning after the
night he successfully rounded up and
ticketed the 525 members of Ringing
Bros circus out of Purcell, L. T, where
the show disbanded, to various points
in the east
of the 525 people with the circus. 800
were performers, officials, etc, all of
whom were well able to pay the regular
fare to their respective destinations
The remaining 225 were the tent men
or ''hoboes' of the show, roustabouts
with only a few dollars apiece, and 1t
was simply a question OF the railroad
accepting a lower rate from them or
leaving them in Purcell to later beat
their way out on freight trans 90 ac-
cordingly Mr. Black instructed his
agents to cut the rate for their benefit
in order to get them out Of town.
When everything had been attended
to, and the last train was ready to pull
out, the general passenger agent took
berth in one of the PullmanS and went
TO sleep. Early in the morning, before
the train reached Arkansas City, he
awoke, and the first sound that greeted
his ear was a discussion of the COM
pany's action in cutting the rate for
the tent men. It was going on in the
berth across the aisle, occupied by the
principal of the side show and his wife.
Mr.. Black listened, and he heard the
man say:
There's a rebate coming to US on
this deal, and there's no way for the
road to get around it. They cut the
rate after we bought our tickets and
now they'll have to refund the differ
erence."
Then it suddenly dawned on Mr..
Black that the man across the way
expressed the sentiment of the 300 peO-
pie who paid regular fare 1t also sud
denly dawned on him that he was, to
use a common expression. up against
it" He realized that the minute ne
showed himself on the outside of his
berth the 300 people would be after him
%11afT
The first thing that suggested itself to
him was flight, and he quietly cOllared
the porter and asked him if the regular
train was following the tram ne was
on. 1t was his intention TO have the
train stop at a small station, drop of
and take the regular into Topeka But
the porter informed him that the regu-
lar train had passed the extra IN the
night. The only course then left for
him was to stay in one of the small Ok
1ahoma towns all day or face the mus
ic. After a moments consideration he
decided on the latter, and started to
dress.
By the time the Santa FEES general
passenger agent had finished dressing
the train stopped at Arkansas City for
breakfast. He walked into the dining
room, and was greeted by smiles and
mods from the show people assembled
there but in every nod and smile he
felt he could read rebate" No sooner
had he finished his meal and returned
to the train than he was approached BY
a committee of three consisting of the
principal of the side show, the snort
change man, and the band leader
ION the part of our people, COM
menced the short change man, we
want to ask at what place the company
intends to give US our rebates?"
Rebates" said Mr.. Black in as as
tonished a tone of voice as he could
muster. What rebates are you talk
ing abOut2"
The entire committee then started to
explain While the three men were
telling him that the people who paid
full fare naturally expected a rebate
corresponding to the difference between
the rate charged them and the rate
made for the tent men, the Santa Fe's
general passenger agent was thinking
hard. Suddenly a bright idea came to
him 1t was only a '-bluff'' but he de-
cided to try it. He let the committee
members go on talking until they were
tired, and then he said:
When you people bought tickets last
night you were satisfied"
yes, but started the side show
man.
Hold on, let me do the talking now
interrupted Mr.. Black. You were sat
isfied then and the company was salts
fed in selling them to you. isn't that
fact2''
7 suppose So" said the change man
for the others
And the tent men were satisfied
when they bought their tickets" went
on the general passenger agent
tee.
Now this morning the company is
still satisfied and the tent men are sat
isfied and the only diSgruntled people
are you folks who paid regular fare"
"Of course we're disgruntled," ex-
claimed the three together.
Then the only thing [ know to do
said Mr.. Black. lis for you three to ac-
company me back in to the hObOeS'
cars, and tell those people that you OBJ
ject to their riding on the same train
because they paid less fare. I'll stop
the train and you can put them off.
You must remember though, the re-
sponsibility is yours
The members of the committee stared
at the passenger agent in blank sur
prise for a moment The band leader
was the first to find his voice.
Why man." he said 1T would be
worth our lives to go back and tell
those men anything of the kind
I don't know anything about that"
said Mr.. Black I only know you are
dissatisfied because those men are rid
ing with you for less money, and I'm
trying to remedy the matter
Say" said the short change man,
coming close to the general passenger
agent, you ought to get a job with a
SHOW You're the toughest proposition
I ever got up against Boys" he con-
tinued, turning to the other two, we
might as well quit. There's no use
bucking against a brace game like
that"
The committee took his advice and
abandoned the rebate question. But be-
fore the train reached Topeka Mr..
Black, with the aid of several boxes of
cigars. had the good will of the show
people and they were laughing over the
way he '-bluffed them to a standstill.''
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