The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-05
CITY NEWS
BUTTS IN" FOR GIRL
AND LOSES AN EYE
Phillips Wants Street Railway
to Compensate Him for
Conductors Punch.

Should a "buttinski" be rewarded for
his efforts when they are in behalf of
the fair sex? This is question the
district court will have to determine in
the suit for damages brought against
the street railway company by Albert
Lincoln Phillips.
Mr.. Phillips 'butted in While on
street car, and was pounded by the
conductor for his trouble, at least this
is the story told by Mr.. Phillips in his
complaint filed in court yesterday.
According to this story, along early
last March, the plaintiff was coming
down town on Rondo car. On the
same car was a young woman, and out
along Rondo street somewhere, she
pushed the button for the car to stop.
Paying no heed to the buzzer, the mo-
tOrman did not even slacken the speed
of the car at the next street, where
the young woman, described in the
complaint as unknown" desired to
alight
Mr.. Phillips noticed the agitated look
upon the young WOman's face and he
had longing desire to say something
TO the conductor, but he held his peace.
In the meantime, the young woman
was pushing the button with a ven
geance, but, if anything, when the car
reached the next street, it rushed by
even faster than at the preceding one.
MIR. Phillips Worries.
Mr.. Phillips became agitated him
self, but still he held his counsel.
Once more the car failed to stop,
and the young woman commenced to
show her anger. So did Mr.. Phillips.
Right there he "butted in" He told
the conductor of the car few things
about the manner in which the car
was being run. He also demanded
that the car be stopped and the young
woman permitted to alight. She was
already three blocks past her destina-
ton.
The car was stopped, and the young
woman, bowling in gratitude to the
gallant Mr.. Phillips, cast a burning
glance at the conductor, and gathering
up her skirts, left the car. Mr.. Phil
lips felt rather proud of himself; he
settled down in his seat and COM
menced thinking how self-satisfying it
was to do something gallant especial
~ for a WOman-a woman unknown to
him.
But his dreams had not carried him
very far when he was disturbed by
the conductor What happened later
is told by Mr.. Phillips in his suit
brought against the company. He says
the conductor assaulted him. He mis-
took his face for a transfer and
punched it with the transfer punch.
When the conductor had finished with
him, Mr.. Phillips was a sorry looking
sight He was pounded up, and he
was bloody. He had been handled in
very rough manner, and as the result
of a punch in the eyes, the sight of
that particular organ became nil, and
has, up to the present time, remained
nil.
Mr.. Phillips Figures.
Mr.. Phillips believes a gallant act
should have its reward, and to en-
courage protection to the weaker SEX
he expects to take something like $780,
200 away from the street car company,
holding, as he does, that the company
Is liable for the acts of it's employees
and agents. He says he is thirty eight
years old, capable Of earning at the
time of the assault $4,000 per year,
and as his expectation Of life, figured
from a legal standpoint, is 1882 years,
he does not waste much paper in figur-
ing that he is out more than $4,000,
for the loss of his eye will prevent him
earning as much as he did before.
Therefore Mr.. Phillips, whose gall
lantry was manifested before the Car
negie hero fund became effective.
brings suit against the St Paul City
Railway company for $4,000, and his
friends are searching for the unknown
young woman" who is counted upon
to show her gratitude by testifying in
Mr.. Phillips behalf when the case is
brought to trial