Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1912-03-06
A CONDUCTORS
STORY
By BlssE1L I. RAND
Copyright By American Press Asse-
citation. 1911.

We railroad conductors have to stand
q great deal Of abuse. to which we are
expected to give q courteous reply.
make Il a rule when q passenger takes
me to task for something that occurs
in the line Of my duty not to stop Tor
a talk. but to push on 10 another part
Of the train. In this way | avoid an
unpleasant discussion. probably hav-
ing to listen to a catalogue OF the rail-
road mauagement's sins against the
public and being tortured into break
Ing = rules by using severe words.
7 .lost disagreeable 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 seed looking man handed
me a ticket on another road. | re-
fused to take it. of course. Whereupon
he said that 1t had been sold to him
for a ticket on my road and had got
to take 1t. insisted that II be didn't
pay his fare ! would put him OF.
whereupon he paid to station called
Arlington. saying that was all would
get for the whole distance. replied
that be could ride to Arlington, and II
he didn't pay further be would be put
or at Harkerville two miles beyond
Arlington.
The man was evidently playing some
game. tiisiiked interfering with him
for fear he was intending TO get put
on that he might serve some purpose
By doing So The fellow looked too
respectable for his clothes However.
the rules were imperative.s and when
he refused to pay at Arlington ] de-
termined to put him on at Harker-
VILE. When the train stopped 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 ef-
on the guard rail. he hung on TIL a
crowd. attracted by the noise. collect
ed. and my man. though struggling.
found breath TO curse the railroad. Its
management and all It's employees
Finally pushed him of and signaled
man shaking his fist at me and VOW
ing vengeance. Looking back from q
distance. 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
me, but In this case the man. though
shabbily dressed, did not look like
tramp or man accustomed to force
himself as a 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 large sum Of money
for an express company, and 1t was
supposed that 1t was TO rob this car
that the attempt had been made.
Running q 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 / was tpld that the
gang who had attempted to wreck
the train had been tracked BY detec-
lives employed by the company. and
an arrest had been made. But where
they had been captured 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 q telegram from the superin-
tendent to stop my train just across q
bridge about a mile before I reached
Harkerville and take on q party that
would be waiting there for me. made
the stop n ordered and found several
plain clothes police officers. armed
with rifles n well as revoivers. guard
ing q number Of handcufYed prisoners.
The officers put their captives aboard
the train, and after starting l went
into the car where they were to collect
their fares. One Of the officers. clap
ping hand on my shoulder. said:
''6ee here, conductor. q few weeks
ago you put me on this train for not
paying my fare. ] was obliged to sub
init, but nov propose to carry this
whole gang through without tickets or
money. We're quite prepared for any
thing that may happen"
The man spoke banteringiy. ! locked
Ut bis face and 1t seemed familiar.
Then 1t dawned upon me that - was
the seedy passenger with whom had
had the scufile.