The Savannah morning news., 1902-11-28
WOULDN'T PAY FARE.
Soldiers Caused Trouble on Thun-
derbOIt Trolley Line.

soldiers Caused Trouble on Thun-
derbOIt Trolley Line.
On account of the refusal of several
members of the Guards to pay the fare
demanded of them by the conductor, or
to get off the car. passengers on the
Thunderbolt division of the Savannah
Electric Company were seriously dis
commoded, and the schedule of the
cars was thrown out half an hour
yesterday afternoon. 1t looked for
/ some time as if the affair would take
on serious aspect. and an extra car
had to be pressed into service.
The Guards, eighty strong, went to
the Avondale Range in the morning on
two chartered cars. AS the attendance
at the shoot was not quite as large
as expected, the officers, when asked
at what time they wished the cars to
be ready for the return trip, stated
that but one car would be necessary,
and asked that it be in readiness at
las O'Clock.
When the soldiers boarded their
special car. another car was being held
at distance of about $50 feet in the
rear. This was a regular car. After
the special car had left, five or six
members of the Guards, who had fail
ed to get on the special, boarded the
regular car. When asked for their fares
they declined to pay anything, saying
that their company had chartered a
car, and that they were not supposed
to pay any fare.
The conductor told them that they
must pay or get off. In answer to this
ultimatum the soldiers invited the con-
ductor to attempt to force them from
the car. Then the matter took on a
serious aspect. The conductor was
firm in his position, and the young
men showed no signs of receding from
theirs. In the course of the argument
which ensued, bad language was used
and threats were generally made. In
the meantime the regular passengers
were making known their rights to the
crew of the car. They had paid their
fare and they wanted to go on to
their destination.
The car at the time of the argument
was near the shed at OFT and Gwinnett
streets. The motorman moved his
car Forward and the passengers
thought that the matter had ended. At
the company's sheds, the car was
brought to standstill and the matter
was reported to Superintendent Duffy.
He ordered another car placed in SER
vice. This car was run out ahead of
the regular car. and the passengers
were asked to transfer.
This they reluctantly did, but the
young men made break for the new
car, and before the passengers had eff
fected the transfer, were in possession
OF the front portion of it. After an
other argument and more delay, the
soldier boys gave in and consented to
pay their fares. Five of them gave
their fares to the conductor. The sixth
rendered ten-dollar bill. The conduc-
tor was not able to change it, and the
young man rode free.
the car did not move until the five
fares had been received. While these
were being collected, the superintend-
ent rmained near the car to forestall
any more disorder. As the car finally
started on its journey to the city the
sextette fired parting shot at the SUI
perintendent, for the last thing that he
heard of them were the fragments of
a SWEET refrain, sung to the air of Mr.
Dooley," in which the name of the
diplomatic son of old ireland was sup.
placed by that of Supt Duffy.