Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1912-02-01

| We railroad conductors have to stand
a great deal of abuse, to which we are
/ expected TO give a courteous reply
make 1t a rule when a passenger takes
me to task for something that occurs
in the line Of my duty not to stop for
talk, but to push on to another part
of the train In this way | avoid an
unpleasant discussion, probably hav-
ing to listen to a catalogue Of the rail
road arrangements sins against the
public and being tortured into break
ing the rules by using severe words.
The most disagreeable duty Of con-
ductor Is putting persons of the tram
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 it, The company don't
wish to be sued for damages In such
cases. and where they are it prefers
that the law be on their side.
was going through my train one
day when seedy looking man handed
me a ticket on another road. | re-
| fused to take it. Of course. Whereupon
he said that it had been sold to him
for ticket on my road and had got
TO take il. ! insisted that If he didn't
nay his fare | would put him off,
whereupOn he paid to station called
Arlington. saying that was all ! would
get for the whole distance. replied
that he could ride to Arlington, and If
he didn't pay further be would be put
off at Harkerville two miles beyond
Arlington
The man was evidently playing some
game. disliked interfering with him
for fear be 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 ! 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 / endeayored 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, its
! name cement and all its employees.
Finally | pushed him off and signaled
the engineer to pull ahead | left the
man shaking his fist at me and VOW
ing vengeance Looking back from a
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 a
tramp or man accustomed to force
himself as deadhead
I ere 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. ard it was
supposed that 1t was to rob this car
that the attempt had been made.
Running n 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 told that the
| gang who had attempted to wreck
the train had been tracked by detec-
! tives 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 | reached Arlington | was
handed a telegram from the superin-
tendent to stop my train just across a
bridge about a 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 a number OF handeufied prisoners
The officers put their captiyes 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:
See here, conductor, a few weeks
ago you put me OFF this train for not
paying my fare. | was obliged TO sub
init. 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.@l looked
at his face and it seemed familiar.
Then ii dawned upon me that he was
the seedy passenger with whom | had
| had the scutlle,
Don't you remember me?' he asked,
smiling.
Il think do"
you should You helped me get in
with these gentlemen with bracelets
on their wrists. They are the men
who triad to wreck the exnrpSS some