Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1912-02-16
A CONDUCTORS
STORY
By BISSELL T. RAND
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.


in the line of my duty not to stop for
a talk, but to push on to another part
of the train. In this way I avoid an
unpleasant discussion, probably hav-
ing to listen to catalogue of the rail-
road arrangements sins against the
public and being tortured into break
ing the rules by using severe words.
The most disagreeabe duty Of con-
ductor is putting persons of the train
who either cannot or will not pay their
fare. We must be careful to keep with
In the law. and we can't always be
certain about 1t. The company don't
wish to be sued for damages in such
cases. and where they are 1t prefers
that the law be on their side.
was going through my train one
day when seedy looking man banded
me ticket on another road. re-
fused to take 1t, Of course. Whereupon
he said that it had been sold to him
for ticket on my road and had got
to take it. insisted that If he didn't
pay his fare | would put him off,
whereupon he paid to station called
Arlington. saying that was all would
get for the whole distance. l replied
that he could ride to Arlington, and If
he didn't pay further he would be put
Off at Harkerville two miles beyond
Arlington.
The man was evidently playing some
| Camo I iicIit-oH ipforfop;po with h ~,
for fear he was intending to get put
Off that he might serve some purpose
by doing so. The fellow looked too
respectable for his clothes. However.
the rules were imperative. and when
he refused to pay at Arlington l de-
termined to put him off at Harker-
vile. When the train stopped l put
my arms under his and lifting him
out of his seat hustled him to the
door Of the car. | got him through
but when endeavored to dislodge him
from the platform he put up an eff
fective resistance. Getting his grip
on the guard rail. he hung on till a
crowd. attracted by the noise. collect
ed, and my man, though struggling,
found breath to curse the railroad, it's
management and all it's employees.
Finally pushed him of and signaled
the engineer to pull ahead. | left the
man shaking his fist at me and VOW
ing vengeance Looking back from a
distance. l saw him haranguing those
who had witnessed his ejectment.
The matter troubled me. | expected
that he had some right to ride that
knew not of-that he would sue the
company and | would be DISCHARGED
for not having passed him. Ordin-
arily, this would not have troubled
mc, but IL this case the man. though
shabbily dressed. did not look like a
tramp or man accustomed to force
himself as deadhead.
There had been an attempt to wreck
one of the trains on the road which
had nearly succeeded. The train re-
ferred to carried a large sum OF money
for an express company. and it was
supposed that it was to rob this car
that the attempt had been made
Running local train myself did not
take much interest in the matter, for
my train was not liable to be wrecked
for purposes of robbery.
One morning l was told that the
gang who had attempted to wreck /
the train had been tracked by datec-
tives employed by the company, and /.
an arrest had been made But where /
they had been captured l did not hear.
| was just starting out on my daily !
trip and had no time to indulge my
curiosity by making inquiries about
the matter
When l reached Arlington was
handed telegram from the superin- |
tendent to stop my train just across a
bridge about mile before | reached |
Harkerville and take on a party that |
would be waiting there for me. made |
the stop as ordered and found several |
plain clothes police officers. armed
with rifles as well as revolvers, guard
ing number of handcutfed prisoners
The officers put their captives aboard
the train, and after starting | went
INTO the car where they were 70 collect
their fares. one of the officers. clap I
ping hand on my shoulder, said:
See here, conductor. u few weeks
ago you put me off this train for not
paying my fare. | was obliged to sub
nit but now | propose TO carry this
whole gang through without tickets or
money We're quite prepared for any
thing that may happen"
The man spoke banteringly. | looked
at his face and it seemed familiar
Then it dawned upon me that he was
the seedy passenger with whom | had
had the scuttle.
Don't you remember meT he asked,
smiling.
II think do" !
You should. You helped me get in =
with these gentlemen with bracelets
On their wrists. They are the men
who tried to wreck the express some
line ago. They were tracked to Har- I
ierville. and the company sent me- /
here to gain their confidence. 1 saw b
10 better way for an Introduction than a
o get put of the train. | stayed awhile K
II Harkerville. cursing you and the
Dad, until one of these men was en-
'oldened to propose to me another at. -"