Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-13
POLICE SEIZED B. R. T. LINES.
Threatened Riot Over Exaction Of Ten
Cent Fares to Coney Island.

All day yesterday and far into last night
the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company and
the public were clashing over the decision
of Supreme Court Justice William ]. Gay
nor that under the law the railway cor
poration is not entitled to collect more
than a Scent fare for single trip on
any of its lines.
1t was day and night of incipient
riot and mob disturbance, of corporate
defiance and contempt of popular rights.
In the end these disorders produced con-
ditions so menacing to public safety that
the operation of all the Brooklyn Rapid
Transts Coney Island routes were prac-
tically seized by the police department
and conducted regardless of whether the
corporation got a 5-cent or 1O-cent fare
from passengers. -.
The responsibility for this extraordi-
nary police action was assumed last even
ing about 1870 o'clock by Second Deputy
Police Commissioner Arthur J.. O'Keeffe.
In view of the threatening situation he
came none too soon to the conclusion that
the city was face to face with a grave
situation. Had he hesitated there is no
the thousands of persons at Coney Island
had faced homeward for the night and
found the ways closed against them.
Until OKeeffe took charge the main
were blocked by the company's tactics Of
collecting it's 10-cent fares. = The hordes
at Coney had not been put in a tolerant
mood by the abuse they had undergone
during the morning and afternoon. and
O'Keeffe foresaw a crisis should their
wrath be let loose.
IF you don't keep your cars and trains
moving we'll move. them for you,' was
about the language in which the commits
sioner announced his determination to the
officials of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit.
He was not to be turned aside by any ar
that grave public emergency exists and
I take my authority from that" was. his
answer to all the corporations protests.
Dow F. Smith, general manager of the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, cha1-
lenged the right of OKeeffe to act in be-
half Of public order. He went to the
scene of the worst of the days disorders.
at Gravesend avenue and Neck road, New
York. at 10 o'clock last night and directed
a continuance of the collection of 10-cent
fares.
stop every car until you get a 1O-cent
fare from every passenger, and keep the
cars blocked until the end of time If
necessary" Smith instructed the special
policeman who had been ordered by the
regular police two hours before to keep
hands Off
he promptly placed him under arrest.
Then Grant ordered the motorman of the
first car in long blockaded line to go on
to Coney Island as fast as the law allow
Smith, refused to do as Grant told him.
and the police inspector had him snatched
from his platform and arrested.
Here Chief Inspector Ezra Davis of the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit, who had been
arrested during the afternoon for dis
orderly conduct and assaulting a passen-
Ger, appeared He reiterated the instruc-
lions which his superior, Smith, had is
sued to the railway employees few min
Grant did not wait to call patrol
wagon for his three prisoners, but had
them bundled into Smiths automobile
and driven to the Gravesend police sta
ton, where they were locked up.