The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-12
JDDGE MILO
D|DN' BULGE
He Was Travelling on AnOther's
Railroad Pass.
CONDUCTOR WAS CUTE
Methods Used by Railroads TO
Detect Fraud.
CONDUCTOR WAS CUTE

The greatest mistake one can make
when travelling on transportation belong
ing to another is to bow his back and
get indignant when the conductor mani
tests symptoms of Incredibly and shows
a disposition to make inquiries. Very
likely, unknown to the holder of the pass
or mileage book, the personal description
punched in the margin does not agree
with his appearance. The conductor has
made swift scrutiny of the description,
and seeing it describes a stout" man Of
middle age" with brown eyes and
Iron grayhair, he wonders to ind IL in
possession of a slim" man of twenty
five or thirty, with blue eyes and "au-
burn hair When the conductor calls
this kind of a bluff the passenger viii
display great good sense by laying
down gracefully, paying his fare. and re-
marking casually, as though he was not
at all disturbed, that he will take the
matter up with the management" This
will make you believe that you have
impressed the conductor with a convic-
ton that you are on terms of intimacy
with the president and general manager.
and that you viii make it uncomfortable,
and the fact that the conductor will smile
to himself and write you out receipt for
your fare. satisfied that you are bluffing.
will heighten your own satisfaction with
out in the least disturbing his urbane
equaninity. There are times, however,
when conductors. prompted by a sense
os their own superiority, and buoyed by
a hope of reward, will transgress upOr
the rights of passengers. I was a quiet
witness to one such incident. The train
was enroute to Chicago, and was passing
through Illinois The conductor, a pomp-
Gus man. with a great wealth of bay
window entered the smoking car. 1t
was about midnight, and the lights were
turned low. A man who, from choice or
necessity, it matters not which, had given
the porter a quarter for pillow, was
curled up in two seats turned together.
After some shaking, he half awoke and
drowsily fishing from his pocket a pass,
handed it to the man of brass buttons.
He scanned it critically by the light of
his lantern, and without 0etaching the
going from the return portion, left
the car. The passenger had dropped off
into a doze, and did not notice the neglect
to give back the return portion. After
a while the conductor came into the car,
and passing along the aisle until he came
to where the passenger was snoring.
awoke him.
"All right. sir. All right he exclaimed
scrambling TO a sitting posture, and rub
hing his eyes. Where are we?"
Where did you get this pass?" was the
question fired at him.
at is a pass issued by your general
manager DONE it show for itself?"
Yes; that's all right, sir But how
did you get it,
Why" remarked the passenger. get
ing himself up In the seat and looking
hard at the ticl1et-puncher. Il wrote to
him and he sent it TO me. Anything
wrong about that?"
DO you know the general Manager
asked the con
Very well. sir
Whats his name?''
Look here, partner" exclaimed the
now thoroughly aroused pilgrim. that's
none of your id business business
Now let me tell you something, since you
have got so gay. There is just one test
you can subject me 10 then, If you are
not satisfied. you can take up that pass
and require me to pay fare. You haven't
asked me to submit 10 that test; Produce
your slip and pencil. and If the name
write does not correspond with the sig
nature on the pass. you take it up. If
it does, then go about your business.
and I'll go to sleep"
The conductor didn't press the matter
any further and passed on. Happening
to know the general manager and meet
ing him at the hotel next day. I narrated
the incident and asked him what the con
ductor meant. why" he replied, laugh
irg. me was trying TO increase his sal
airy. We have a standing rule awarding
to every conductor who lifts pass found
In possession Of any other than the own
er 10 per cent OF the face value of the
transportation. Hank Che com. thought
perhaps he could trap the man. But
guess the pass was in the hands Of the
man TO whom it was issued. At least /
nc knew his rights and knew the kind OF
q test that should be made Il at ALL
[Des Moines Register and Leader.