Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1902-01-25
THEY MADE A KILLING.
Representatives of the Validating once
Tanture a Score of SpaInera' Tfcketa

Representatives of the Validating once
Capture Score of Scalpers' Tickets.
The biggest capture % scalpers' tick
cts since the exposition opened was
made yesterday afternoon at the At
lantic Coast Line depot, when nearly
a score OF rich" tickets were contis-
Gated by representatives Of the Joint
Validating Agency. 1t was a regular
killing" for the validating office and
the way In which the trick was turned
staggered and demoralized the scalp
ers, who were at the depot trying to
get their goods accepted. The capture
was important from railroad stand
point, and it demonstrated the fact
that the joint agency has the scalping
situation well in hand.
A week ago number OF experts
were sent to Charleston to assist idr.
w. NJ. Bennett, the joint agent, and
their presence was not discovered byl
the cut-rate dealers until yesterday aft
ernoon, when the bunch Of tickets was
captured. The agency has kept close
watch on all transportation sold into
Charleston, and it was found yester-
day that many New York tickets had
drifted into the offices of the dealers
here.
Just how the validating force got on
to the game was not made public, al
though the developments were unique.
Mr.. Bennett ard Mr.. Browne went to
the depot an hour before the train for
New York was scheduled to leave here
and in a few minutes all gates lead-|
ing to the trains were closed. Mr.. Benz
nett was acting gateman when the first
"scalping' passenger appeared. When
he presented his transportation it was
Immediately held up, and not much OF
kick was registered. The passenger
realized that he had been caught.
When the others appeared at the gate
they were treated in the same manner.
and in a few moments Mr.. Bennett
had conhscated five New York, twoI
Washington, one New Orleans, two
Atlanta and a handful OF tickets to
other points. Several Of the losers
were inclined to kick. The sealper
from whom the tickets had been pur-I
chased was in the depot, surrounded
by small crowd Of people. who wersl
said TO have been supplied with hisl
goods. The killing" a. the gate, howl
ever. frightened them, and they did
not at.emp. 70 run the blockade. The
travellers who had been relieved Of
their cut-rats transportation did not
lose tine in buying legitimate tickets.
although several Of them could not get
out Of rown because Of financial EN-.
barrassment.
While a number Of the exposition
tickets validated yesterday were not
presented there is no way in which
they can be used hereafter, as they
all bore the stamp December A." In
addition to this date, there was a
stamp showing the number of the
train on which they were good. This
makes the entire outfit void.
Passenger officials said last night
that the good work of the validating
force was the best protection the rail-
roads could possibly secure. "The
scalpers have been driven to the last
ditch" said passenger man, "and
the travelling people are beginning to
learn now that it is not safe to at \
tempt 10 use other than legitimate
ticA5is There is no way in which tho
alrsrs can beat The railroads with
5at ben. 2 caught. aud dealers in their
cut-rasa 80 fs mes to suffer
in the emo. News and coui.aa.
Charleston. S. c., Lec. l5. 1907.