The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-03-02
ORS
In GREAT
DANGER
NO MORE KNOCKING DOWN" ON
THE BIG ROADS.
Penalty of $4,000 VIII FrIghtcn the
Trainmcn Out Of Their Wis
Uncle Sar, Is Interested.

The attention of tralnmcn on both
the Hartman and Gould lines has
been directed 10 q new and important
feature OF the Hepburn act 1t is To
be used as basis for prosecuting Z
passenger train conductor who is al
legged 10 have accepted from pas
senger fare less than the tariff rate
and pocketing OF knocking down the
money. The act of accepting less than
the full tariff rate from any passen-
ger is an ofense against the Hepburn
act. irrespective OF who commits 1t,
and the person guilty of II, whatever
his position may be. renders himself
liable to all the penalties of the act.
The case referred TO. and at present
exciting the attcntloa OF all trainmen
in the west as well as in the east, was
on the New York, New Haven & Hart
ford road, where Charles r. Stocker.
conductor. has been charged with col
lecting from certain passengers known
10 him less than the tariff rates be-
tween Boston and New York.
1t appears that officials of the com
pany had suspected Conductor Stock
er for some time, ald they communi-
Gated with the Interstate Commerce
commission, which professed It's read
incss 10 take up the prosecution or
any such cases. A special agent of
the commissioner other words "A
spotter"-was sent to watch the sus-
pect. and 1t was not long until the
conductor was detected in short far
ing" friends and acquaintances over
his nun. He was placed under arrest
and taken before a United States COM
missioner who sent the case to the
federal grand jury and an indictment
resulted.
IT Is to be made test case. some
doubt having been raised concerning
the applicability of the law thereto.
Legal advisers OF the company
and Of the Interstate Commerce COM
mission claim. however. that such a
case comes clearly within section 10
of the Hepburn act, which reads az
follows;
That any common carrier. subject
TO the provisions Of this act, or, when
ever such common carrier is q cor
poration. any director or officer there
of. OF any receiver, trustee. lessee,
agent. OF person. acting for or employ
ed by such corporation, company, per
son or party, shall wilfully do or
cause to be done. any act. matter or
thing in this act prohibited or de-
clared to he unlawful, or who shall
aid or abet therein, or shall willfully
omit or fail to do any act, matter or
thing In this act required to be done,
or shall cause OF wilfully suffer. or
permit any act. matter or thing, so d.
rected or required by this act to be
done, or shall aid or abet any such
commission or failure. OF shall be
guilty of any such infraction OF this
act, or shall aid or abet therein. shall
be guilty OF a misdemeanor and shall,
upon conviction thereof, in any dis
trict court Of the United States, with
In the jurisdiction of which such Of
fense was committed. be subject to a
fine not to exceed $4,000 for each Of
fense.
Provided, that if the offense for
which any person shall be convicted
as aforesaid shall be unlawful dis
elimination in rates, fares or charges,
for the transportation of passengers
or property, such person shall, in ad-
diuon to the fine hereinbefore provid.
ed for. be liable to Imprisonment in
the penitentiary for a term not exceed
Ing two years or both such fine and
Imprisonment, in the discretion OF the
court"
And. there you are. boys, with a sug'
gestion as TO where to head in-when
confronted with proposition OF a
cut rate character. While all the con
ductors on the various roads centering
at Ogden are known TO be on the
square. in financial matters OF this Ma.
| ture, the case mentioned Is given pub
licity in order that those Interested
| may not overlook bet" in cases OF
| this character