The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-03-12
WATCHING FOR
BAGGAGE THIEVES
STAMPING CHECKS LIKE TICKETS
AND EXTRA DUPLICATES FOR
IRAINMEh ARE sue.
oEsTEp.

g4I j z =
PITTsBURG. March H. While bas
gage thieying has been apparently
checked on eastern railroads so far as
important luggage Is concerned, ON.
GERS are ytgtfant and more arrests
than those already Jmnde are expected.
The most important arrests were Of a
man at Richmond, Va, and his four
pals" two men and two women. In
New York, for having taken baggage
from his New York, New Haven ana
Hartford road. The quick recheckins
game was worked. as has been the
case IN almost all instances OF THEFT
A man will happen along while the
baggage truck Is out waiting for an on.
coming train and will tear Off the prop.
er check and replace It with one for
which he holds the duplicate. This
duplicate is sent m 10 some destina.
ton Where ne has friend to look
after the stolen baggage. There wer,
seven trunks in the Richmond steal
the property stolen being valued Al
$4,000.
Rigid instructions have been. issue,
by general baggage agents of the rail-,
roads in regard to lue,nods. Agents,
are ordered to keep the baggage
checks as closely guarded in their
Offices as are tickets, and are also or.
dered TO allow no unprotected baggage
to remain on the PLATFORM or where a
stranger might happen along and re.
check !. Of his own accord. Baggage.
masters on trains have been INSTRUCTED,
to guard the baggage cars. allowing
no strangers In them without business
there. In this manner the heads of
baggage departments hope to prote e
the public.
There will be considerable thought
on the subject Of baggage methods be
tween now and June IL, when the an.
nual convention of the American AS.
sociatIon of General Baggage Agents
will be held at Portland. Me, At that
time tho subject will be taken up. and
IT is probable that a uniyersay bag.
gage method will be adopted, includ.
ing more common form of checking
aud protecting baggage in transit.
Stamping the original duplicate
checks. Just like tickets are stamped
when they are issued, was suggested
to local passenger officers yesterday.
Assistant General Pas'ng Agents
Kelley and Taggart, of the Wabash
and Baltimore and Ohio, respectively.
spoke heartily in favor of the sugges.
ton, as did also Division Passenger
Agent Pascanlt Of The Buffalo, Roches.
ter and Pittsburg. Mr.. Pascault also.
suggested the plan of having a first
and second duplicate check. the orig.
inaf being on the baggage, the first du.
plicate given to the owner and the sec.
ond handed by the agent TO the train
baggagemaster. In this manner any
rechecking that had peen done after
the baggage left the agents hands
would be detected. The Pennsylva.
mia lines and some other roads have
this form of protection through their
agents handing to The train baggage.
masters a list of che pieces Of bag.
gage put on the train. Several
thought Of duplicate cheeks idea O,
Mr.. Paseault would pc simpler than
the listing form used. General Pas.
senger Agent Moody of the Pennsyl.
vania lines west said he thought stamp.
ing the checks would afford little ad.
ditional protection and that the extra
duplicate checking would add more
trouble 10 the baggagemasJr. He
said the cimpler the baggage checking
can be made the better for all con.
cerned.
No TRhNE VET ar 1Nxx