The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-11
RAILROAD At TER
TICKET BROKERS
Southern Pacific Attempting to
Put Scalpers Out of
Business.
ACTION IS BROUGHT IN
THE FEDERAL COURT
Permanent Injunction Asked
by the Plaintiff Against
Defendants.

vigorous move against so.called
ticket brokers or "scalpcrs' was
launched by the Southern Pacific com.
pany yesterday, when az action was
flied in the federal court against Henry
Clark. J, y, Funk, Milton Fox. Albert
Powers. w. II Branch and Ralph Short
all of this city, The railroad company
charges these men with having de
frauded it out OF vast sums by engag-
ing in the business OF buying and sell
ing unused portions of railroad tickets
either through the connivance of pur-
chasers, or false representations. The
complaint asks that the defendants be
subpoenaed before the United States
district court and that an order be is.
sued restraining them from further vio~
lation of the federal laws against
scalping,
1t is set forth in the complaint that
many others. whose names have not
been secured, also have been carrying
on systematic scalping' business to
defraud the company, and the court is
asked TO add these names, as they may
be learned and the persons located. as
co,defendants in tho action. The com.
pany points out that in order to reach
all those who are violating the inter
state commerce law by selling or buy.
ing non-transferable tickets at reduced
rates, thousands of separate suits would
have to be brought in various states,
and that by bringing all snch persons
within the reach of one suit, lengthy
and costly litigation might be avoided
and the demands of law and Justice
more properly satisfied.
Doing Rushing Business.
According to the complaint, the al
legged scalpers' have for some time
been doing p most profitable business
by virtue of the increased amount of
passenger traffic through Utah and Ne
vada from eastern and western points.
'homescekers, - colonists' and ex-
cursion tickets in unusually large
numbers have recently been issued by
the company or its affiliated roads, as
special inducement TO help in the de-
velopment of the west and assist
various communities in their desire to
hold such traffic. AS result it is al
legged, the "scalpers' have taken ad
vantage Of the large issue to carry on
their unlawful business in the most
fagrant of forms.
IL 10 dNCiitu luhb lH.IuHCliHt iSiiei
under like causes for action has been
given in many other cities and states.
in accordance with the provisions of
the Interstate commerce law, which
makes it punishable offense to engage
in the scalping" or ticket brokerage
business. Officials of the company de,
clare that in spite of this law ''scalp
ing' has been going on in various
forms unmolested, even among bellboys
and clerks at hotels in various parts of
the country, to the great damage of
the railroad companies.
To Stop Operations.
The present suit, it is understood, is
calculated TO arrest the operations of
ticket brokers, and is the beginning of
strenuous campaign to oust from
existence what is known as the
" "scalper.''
Special attention is called to the
heavy traffic that has begun between
Utah and outside points, bringing large
parties of tourists and excursionists
who frequent Utah at this season for
health and pleasure purposes alike, and
the court is asked to take such steps
as will protect the company from
further loss by the scalping' process.
1t is alleged that the defendants have
damaged the company to the extent of
of dollars. and that either
they or their affiliations will continue
the fraudulent practice unless enjoined
by an order of the court.