New-York tribune., 1902-05-14
CABMAN TO RETURN FARE
MAYORS MARSHAL LENIENT WITH
DRIVER ACCUSED OF IMPOSING
ON IRISH GIRL.

Frederick Molt. who is accused by Miss Mag
gle Gallagher. an Irish immigrant. of charging
her 81 for ride of one block from the Anchor
Line steamship pier the Twenty-third-st.
ferry on Monday, before George Brown the
Mayors marshal in the basement OF the City
Hall yesterday. Miss Gallagher identified him
as the man who had swindled her. and the testi-
mony of a number of other witnesses was heard
Marshal Brown. after a long talk with MoIr
finally decided to recommend to the Mayor that
another chance he given TO MOlt. on condition
that the cabman return the 81 to Miss Gal
lagher This Molt readily agreed to do. Mr..
Brown said there a discrepancy in the
Identification of MOlt. none of the witnesses be-
ing able to corrobOrate Miss GaIlagher's testf-
mony. Other mitigating circumstances were
that MOlt has mother. young brother and sis
ter depending on him for support. and has never
before been charged with any violation of the
cab ordinance Mr.. Brown says that the Mayor
may take different view of the testimony
it is presented in affidavit FORM and decide to
revoke Molts license
Miss Gallagher was positive in her identihca-
tion of the cabman- She believes that he
drove her about the streets instead of taking
her direct TO the Pennsylvania Railroad ferry
She was in his cab for ten minutes and paid
Molt with an English sovereign. receiving 81 in
change. Upon alighting from the cab she told
her story to William Swayne. the policeman de-
tailed at the ferry Miss Gallagher. who is from
the County Tyrone. is uncommonly pretty and
well educated. She greatly distressed and
agitated. and her story impressed Swayne as
being truthful She pointed out Molt, and
Swayne arrested him and took him before Mag
istrate Hogan. who directed the policeman to
take him before the Mayors marshal John b
Waddell, a colOred porter at the ferry, testified
TO assisting Miss Gallagher out of the cab. and
remembered Mott the cabman- WaddeH.
however. said the time $40 in the morning
but corrected this statement in a second affi-
davit. in which he made the time 9:45. Philip
FitzsimmOns. another policeman. was present
when MOlt was arrested. He did not see the
cabman drive with the girl. but noticed him
drive away as if he had discharged a passenger.
MOlt denied emphatically that he had any fare
on Monday morning. and undertook to prove
that he did not leave his stable until o'clock.
He attempted to establish an alibi on the first
statement of the porter that the incident oc-
CURED at $40 In the morning. and presented as
witnesses Charles Harris. fish dealer. and
George F. Gleason. a hackman, both Of whom
saw him leave his stable at o'clock
Marshal Brown said afterward that II was
hard case to decide. as ii was possible that Molt
telling the truth.
Miss Gallagher was greatly agitated." he
said. and may have been mistaken IN her
Identification / want to be absolutely fair and
impartial, and to take away Molt's license would
be a serious thing for him. Besides il is the
first time he has ever had a complaint against
him. and although would make an example OF
him if / felt that there was no doubt of his
guilt, l am rather inclined TO be lenient. There
is nothing to prove that he changed the sover-
eign he is accused of having accepted from Miss
Gallagher Although he had 500 in his pockets
when he was taken to the station house. the
sovereign was not found on his person. When
examined him alone. his demeanor impressed me
favOrably, and I think I will recommend that
another chance be given him. II he Is
brought here again shall recommend a revoca-
tGn Of his ticepss, The ,Mayorz hoNsysT -
he is guilty, and revoke his license at once"