The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-01
WORKING GRAFT
 ON STREET CARS Ex-Conductor Tells How Nick
 els Are Stolen TRICKS BEAT REGISTERS Experiences in Many cities-Refer- ences Easy to Manufacture-Pay- You Enter Cars Are
 Graftproof-spotters.
From the Washington Post.

From the Washington Post
 You can believe me or not" said the retired street car conductor. Crooked money is not worth cents on the dollar, and l am just beginning to realize 1t.
 At that" he added dryly q might still be rakng in the niclSels if they hadn't invented the pay-as-you-enter car. That was knockout punch for us get ters. I'll bet you anything you like that the Madison avenue and Third avenue lines and any others right hese in New York that have installed the pay-as-you- enter cars are taking in more real money than at any ether time in their history.
 What I'm going to tell you is abso- lutely on the level There isn't an ounce of the bunk to 10 pounds of 1t. You don't know my right name, and I'm out of the game anyway. I've turned square guy for good. The graft was easy all right, but when I got married I began to fear that some day they would fit me to suit of zebras and ship me up the river.
 ''In the first place all street car con ductors are not thieves, but I must say that knocking around over the country I've bumped Into lot of lads that could beat Hermann hiding a nickel. Ono of the first things conductor learns is how to graft. It he's three parts crook to one part square he'll keep right on improv- ing his knowledge and inventing neat sys- tems of his own.
 Is Hard To Catch.
 At the present time the man who gets the big money is the fellow who makes speciality of grating, but the little thief, the who pinches out, say s2 a day, is much harder to catch. The big grafter will steal s1O day. but he will be nailed in few months sure. The $2 a day man can string it out for several years if he isn't all fool instead of part.
 T was what's called a travelling grafter, one of the birds that work one town as long as they can, then skips to another to get fresh jobs as con ductors. Lots of street car men, more than you'd think, have the wanderlust Just the same as hoboes, but they make it pay better.
 "In the last 20 years I have worked for 20 different street car companies. l have seen cable cars take the place of horse cars and electric cars root out the cables. I have seen system after system installed to catch the grafter, but the only safeguard that was ever worth the money the company spent on 1t was y-asyou-enter. A crooked conductor can't pass one of them without swearing under his breath.
 "The street car companies try their hardest to catch the travelling grafter. In all big cities like Brooklyn, St Louis, Newark and Buffalo every man must get photographed as soon as he is hired. The companies adopt the police system and arrange the photos hs the oops do rogue's gallery.
 "Of course when company in one city suspects that an old hand is trying to oar in on them they flash a photo on him. Usually, too, the companies require ref erences, the names of five business men who are willing to recommend the man that has applied for job. But say, it's 8 shame how easy a wise grafter can beat the game.
 Suppose I wanted to go to work again for the Metropolitan right here in New York. I would give references from Mount Vernon. If I gave New York city references the investigator would soon expose the fraud. He will always make personal calls in the city but he writes to places outside.
 The Reference Trick.
 Well I used to go to Mount Vernon, hire a furnished room, say at 2OOO Main street, and tell the landady my name
 
 letterheads printed: The Mount Vernon Bonding company, 2O00 Main street; John West, manager I would go to a public typewriter, dictate a nice six-year reference for Harry Jones. who wanted q job as car conductor in New York, and send the letter to the Metropolitans office.
 After that would do lot of mingling in Mount Vernon. would let the bar Der known I was John Smith. The res- taurant keeper would believe my name was Peter Brown, the saloon keeper would be told that Henry Black was the name. I would ask them all if could receive mail there. and, of course, they would let me. A few smiles and jokes and little change goes long way.
 Of course, these would be addresses of my fake references. I would get replies from. the company, one at each place, and l would write some pretty glowing testimonials. You had to be careful about handwriting. Usually slipped a dime to some brother in hard luck to get him to help me mix up handwriting styles. Diff ferent companies have different tricks of catching a crook, but a little chinchin with a working conductor always put me hep.
 "A grafter does not stay long in one place. There is the percentage kind that stays for years. but they get only a small commission. The spotter Is the reason the grafter keeps on the move. No matter if crooked conductor does know 99 out of the 100 spotters the Tooth one will catch him nickeling or keeping fares for him. self
 "A new conductor often is reported by his motorman, who may receive an extra salary just to watch and pump his con- ductors An oid-timer, when out for graft. won't eve ntalk to his own mother about it. but a new man will surely get confi- dental on short acquaintance.
 Help From Motorman.
 'An expert motorman can help graft ing conductor by dragging the road and increasing the headway. Of course, a car that Is several minutes behind time will pick up more passengers than if 1t was squarely on schedule. crooked motor man can hold back for a while or drag the road to give the conductor crowded car to work. A good many accidents and