New-York tribune., 1901-04-14
GOSSIP OF THE BOROUGH.

II IS interesting note the effect in Brooklyn or
the recent crusade against spitters IN pupc places
Although there are still many or these oHehoers
who will go free and others who Will be punlshed.
fence followed by more or less activity on the part
of the Sanitary Squad of the Police Department.
will probably quiet down IN Time
A peculiar feature of the law forbiddng splitting
In public places which shows how inadequate some
laws of that character are revealed in the
Buter-st. court the other day. A man sitting on
side of a streetcar had expectorated upon the
opposite. He promptly arrested, as the
offence against decency-it was no offence against
the law, it proved-was fragrant that even
the conductor, who usually does not see such
things felt called upon the spters arrest.
When arraigned in court the next day the prisoner
his client in splitting upon the seat had violated no no
discovered that II a misdemeanor to spit on
the floor. but the law said nothing about the sears
Although feeling that the prisoner deserved week
more in JAIL the magistrate was obliged to dls-
charge him.
1t Is the exception when there is policeman on
a streetcar, and. many of the conductors refuse
interfere the habitual splitter often goes unpun-
shed. There instance of this in Dekalb-
ave the other day. A man was periodically
emitting a of tobacco juice onto the floor.
endangering the handsome silk dress of a woman
who sat next TO him. A man finally felt called
upon to interfere. He small, and the other
man large and brutal looking.
DO you that sign?' said the small man.
pointing the notice of the Board of Health.
Yes. see that sign" growled the big man, with
glare
We'll. doesn't it anything to you?" said
the first man, softly.
Nav; does it anything to you?' growled
the other callously. who had meanwhile been eX-
The small man said more sharply: That warn,
ing must be obeyed. and if you spit again l will
..Aw. go to - was the courteous answer. The
other man, boiling with Indignation but at the
same time mindful that he not large enough
the conductor at the back of the car.
49, oh. l can't do anything. said the conductor
sstisfacton aus Ia @ the man could get Two blocks fur F
bng on the man had to get of the car LEAVING tne
daily occurrence.
As matter of fact, the conductors instruct
ed by the railroad company to see that the Board
Of Health notices respected. but it is seldom
that they trouble themselves unless especially re
quested to do so, and then they often refuse to
interfere
If citizens and conductors only do their duty in
this matter splitting in will soon be looked
upon a dangerous practice. That the courts
willing punish such offenders is shown by the
remarks of Judge Ready in the Court of Special
Sessions Friday. He had imposed several fines
of SO five days in Jail when he added:
Let me tell you you are getting off easy. The
the a5 for a Ps Year We are enent only
because these are among me nrst cases brought ]
must stop
One of the recent reforms which has followed the
crusade against spitters in the is the
forcement of the law against smoking in and spit
ting the floors of the various ferryhouses These
places have for years been almost filthy to
their foors and the foul air couded with tobacco
smoke has to be thought of necessary
evil Recently new signs, several feet high. have
been in the ferryhouSes, calling attention
the violation of the law. Since then there has
been a marked Improvement. 1t is said that these
new signs secured through the efforts of the
Womans Health Protective Association of Brook
lyn-
Several conductors Brooklyn trolley lines
pretty bold in handing queer change. When
passenger protests that piece of silver looks like
counterfeit and that ii may be difficult to pass
elsewhere the only satisfaction he usually gets is
insolent and refusal to change the
money. Yesterday afternoon in a Seventh-ave.
car, bound downtown, clergyman received
picous looking dime from the conductor, and pro-
tested that it bad. The conductor firmly stood
his ground however and despite a heated discus
sion, refused to give the clergyman another dime.
A curious incident then occurred. AS the clergy
man. reconcng himself to the situation. resumed
his seat, fashonaby dressed sitting op-
posite beckoned to him. and explained that she had
had a similar experience day last week with
the same conductor, who had given her suspicious
quested do Armed with this information the
clergyman again tackled the conductor whose
nerve. however, did not desert him. and who re-
fused emphaticallY to give the clergyman another
hood Of the City Hall, to make a complaint at the
office of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, in
Montague-st-