The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-21
TO DETECT FoRGERIEs.
Rock Island Sends Out Rules to Its
Passenger ConductOrs.


Passenger Conductors.
So numerous have been the prac-
tices Of fraud Of late in altering rail-
road tickets that circular has been
issued from the Office Of L. NJ. Allen,
general passenger agent Of the Rock
Island. calling attention Of the con-
ductors on that line TO them The cir
cular states that tickets are being
changed by irresponsible parties over
the entire line of the Rock Island
Many schemes are resorted to by tick
ct manipulators. who use acids to re-
move stamp of dates and plug punched
out holes to fool the conductors. SOnle
Of them are so expert in their work
that it requires the very closest scru-
tiny TO detect the alterations The cir
cular explains very clearly the means
used in defrauding the railroad The
following are extracts from it.
Serious manipulation of tickets by
irresponsible parties exists over all
portions of our line. Investigations
have developed the sale of tickets both
Of our own and OF foreign lines issue
reading from important commercial
eenters TO local points on branch lines
and just beyond division terminals
where conductors change. These ara
resOld to passengers destined to termi-
nails and commercial centerS on rebate
plan. and the unused ends are returned
to the party who sold them They are
then plugged. related. changed to 9TH
er destinations and used over AGAIN.
For our protection conductors ma IN
line trains viii hereafter keep an in
dependent record of tickets presented
on their trains reading to such points
and furnish the auditor passenger trait
fc statement covering each trip this
statement TO include all such tickets.
whether they show any evidence Of ir-
regularity or not
In connection with manipulated
tickets, we wish to call conductors
special attention TO the fact that whea
tickets are altered. In almost every
instance the impression of the ribbon
dster on the back of the ticket IS
changed. This is done in most cases
by e-asing the date and stamping it
in again without changing the impress
sion of the stamp In doing this US
ually the impression of the date ap-
pears very much palmer and cut deep
er into the paper that the impression
OF the die and when a ticket is pre-
scented to you on which the impression
OF the ribbon cater appears in this
way, examine the ticket very closely
for evidences of alteration. such as
plugging of cancellation punches eras-
ures and changes, either effected by
mechanical means or BY use Of acids.
Such eraSureS. plugs and changes viii
in many cases be found under impress
sion of rubber stamp. such as Eek
change. special" etc. the manipu-
latOrs usually stamping an impression
of this character over the altered part
Of the ticket for the purpose Of cover
ing I'D the work
These latter remarks are sugges-
lions TO conductors as TO methods Of
detecting manipulated transportation
and II conductors detect such trans
portation in the hands Of passengers
they viii endeavor to obtain from the
holder his name and address the name
and address Of the person from whor-
the transportation was purchased. a=
well as the date and time OF purchase:
also, II possible, ascertain where the
party IS going. and wneTe he can be
communicated vita