The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-23
PASSENGERS ASK DAMAGES
A Refusal to Recognize Tickets on
the Metropolitan Line.
Two Suits Filed by Persons Elected
From tine Cnrs-Thc Prosecuting
Attorney Requested to Act-Lnw of
1884 and Custom of the Company.

Samuel NJ. Whedbee today sued the Me-
tropolitan and Washington and Great
Falls Electric Railway Company for $500
damages before Mr.. Callan. justice of the
peace. for assault in connection with put
ting him off train coming from Cabin
John Bridge for refusing to pay his car
fare. The case is the outgrowth of Judge
Mills decision in the Police Court last
Tuesday In the case of Columbus Brown,
in which Judge Mills held that under the
act of May %. 1894. each car iinc must
accept for full fare within the District of
Columbia the car tickets issued by each
of the other lines.
Mr.. Whedbee is chief train dispatcher
of the Washington, Alexandria and Mount
Vernon Railway Company. He went to
Cabin John Bridge. and when returning.
it is said, he offered the conductor, with
in the District. Washington, Alexandria
and Mount Vernon Railway Company
ticket. The conductor refused to take it,
and elected Whedbee from the car. 1t
is alleged he had to walk a quarter of
mile to the next station. He claims
damages to the amount of $500 for the
assault and Inconvenience to himself.
Robert II. Mason also sued the Metro
politan Railroad Company and the Wash
ington and Great Falls Electric Railway
Company for 800 damages. Mr. Mason
alleges that he was elected from one of
the cars of the above company, having
offered for transportation Washington,
Alexandria and Mount Vernon Railway
Company car ticket. He was put to much
Inconvenience. and, therefore, demands
judgment before Justice of the Peace Cal
Ian for this amount.
The counsel for Columbus Brown,
Samuel NJ. Whedbee. and Robert H.
Mason, and others, yesterday wrote
to A. Leftwich Sinclair. the Assistant
District Attorney, in charge of the Police
Court, requesting the prosecution of the
Metropolitan Railroad Company and the
Washington and Great Falls Electric
Railway Company, under the act of May
Is, 1894, which is an act making it COM
pulsory for each railroad company to ac-
cept the tickets of each of the other rail-
road companies and in case they do not
they are liable to fine of $40 for each
offence. The attorney calls the attention
Of the District Attorney to the alleged
abuse and the etectment of several of his
clients. and requests vigorous prosecu-
ton of the railroad companies.
MIR. Sinclair. when seen yesterday after
noon. had not replied to the communica-
ton. He stated that he probably would
do today.
The section of the act of Congress I'M
der which the Attorney for the District
is asked to proceed against the railway
companies is follows:
That after thirty days from the pas
sage OF this act each street railway and
street herdic transportation company in
the District of Columbia shall issue its
own tickets and sell no tickets issued by
another company. Such tickets shall be
printed and sold In sheets of six tickets
each and after having once been used
shall be Cancelled by the company which
issued the same: Provided that all street
railway companies and herlic transporta-
ton companies doing business in the Dis
trict of Columbia shall receive and ex-
change tickets with each other and said
companies shall make monthly state
ments with each other and shall redeem
in money any tickets in excess of the
number of tickets exchanged
A second section to this law provides
that any company violating the provision
of the act shall be liable to a fine not TO
exceed $40 for each offence. to be recov-
cred in any court of competent jurisdic-
ton.
1t was announced yesterday from the
office of George Harries, Vice Presi- |
dent of the Washington Traction and |
Electric Company. that it was customary |
for the line to Cabin John Bridge, within |
the District TO receive the tickets of the |
and Mount Vernon Company. |