The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-04-27
.GRAFTERS BEAT
THE RAILROADS
Hoboes and Dead Beats Are
Taking Advantage of Cor
poration Generosity.
ARE SHAMELESS ABOUT 1T
ONE MAN TRIES TO HAVE HIS
MENAGERIE CARRIED FREE.

The generosity or the railroad COM
panies in carrying destitute residents
of San Francisco and other towns to
points in the east has led to consid
cradle imposition at the hands of graft
ers who have been carried without
cost and fed along the line. No sys-
tematic attention has been paid to
Identifying refugees and scores of men
and women-for women have been
caught beating their. way across the
continent as refugees-have had little
or no trouble securing transportation,
although they had no claims upon the
railroads Iiberality.
A car auditor in charge of the first
party Of refugees which arrived from
Ogden yesterday was walking through
the car when he spied familiar form
in one of the seats. The fellow had his
hat pulled down over his face. In the
brim a pink card showed to all ap-
pearances that he was one of the 200
poor fellows who had lost their all in
the quake and fire. Despite the pink
card the auditor believed he had seen
the fellow before. Thinking he might
be mistaken he walked up to the sleep
ing man and touched him lightly upon
the shoulder. Where are you going?"
he asked.
The little fellow overcame his sur
prise in a second and answered with
have a brother That was as far a
he got. for the auditor had pulled the
bell rope, and the train was already
slowing down.
Back to Ogden for Him.
what are you doing?'' asked the
man in the seat as his hand fingered
the pink ticket in his hat briIn.
I'm going to put you off so you can
hike back to Ogden" said the auditor,
who had recognized in the Chicago
bound refugee an Ogden hotel run
ner.
1.-The Merry Nat of this party is I'M
doubtedly that fellow up there leaning
against that box" said one of the Rio
Grstnde officials, as he pointed to fell
low. on the depot platform last even
ing. He has a bunch of animals in
that box. He has been conducting
some sort of vaudeville show in var
iolls towns of Utah. He managed to
get on the train at Ogden and with a
ticket in his hat rode to Salt Lake as a
refugee. He thinks we are heArtleSS
because we will not check his circus
through to Kansas City.
The man in question uttered a low
curse when a. bystander asked him if
he was a refugee
Yes; of course / am. I have been
playing in the Lyceun in San Fran
cisco with these animals. 1 reached
Salt Lake all right, but these main
sDueeZes here think they are wise and
tell me I can't take these animals any
further without paying expressage,
Didn't I lose everything but these
three dogs and monkeys in the fire?
Amt these what I make my living
with? How am going to keep an
engagement in Kansas City if I have
to pay? I amt got enough money to
flag a charity bread wagon on a dull
day Think am going to leave these
boys here when they have been doing
stunts for me for five years."
Work of DespseabIe Thief.
The stories OF the theft Of eighteen
Identification cards perpetrated by
some sneak thief has been told. The
scoundreI attempted to sell the tick
cts in Ogden, but was discovered.
He escaped before the authorities
could land him behind the bars. Three
young boys reached Salt Lake several
DAYS ago and walked into the Salt
Lake Route offices where they calmly
asked for tickets to Los Angeles. I'm
der question they confessed they had
boarded a train in Oakland and trav-
eIed to Salt Lake because it was so
easy"
be unable to speak the English Ian
guage. rode from Ogden to Salt Lake
before it was discovered that she was
a beggar and had saved few dollars
by pretending TO De a refugee. SIM
liar cases are frequent. The local off,
Gals confess their inability to stop the
imposition. In many cases the graft
ers are allowed to continue TO their
chosen destinations.
A blind fiddler who for years has
been a familiar object in Salt Lake,
was carried east and treated with ali
the kindness shown refugees. Tramps
are allowed to go east by the railroad
officials simply to get rid of them in
this territory.
The rush of destitute to eastern
points has become so great that meas
VI es are being taken by some cities to
permit only those with relatives and
friends stopping within the town gates.
Ell Paso and other cities have already
objected to the influx of dependent
people.
The Southern Pacific and other roads
from California are planning to ticket
parties of fifty or more refugees and
place these parties under the personal
care Of conductors. This will eliminate
to some extent the grating class.
rIInrIR Akln nErIUHH ~ ~