New-York tribune., 1919-11-20
Battle RACES Along FIatbush
Line as Patrons Refuse
Extra Nickel and Crews
Try to Throw Them Off
Police Reserves Called
''Lynch 'Em!" Mob YelIs as
Girl Is Elected and Sailor
Whips Four Inspectors

Passengers on Flatbush Avenue
trolley car, who had evening papers an
nouncing that the Public Service Com
mission had decided that the company
had no right to charge second fare
on the line, refused to give up scc-
ond nickel yesterday when the car
reached the transfer point at Foster
Avenue.
The conductor called an Inspector and
the first inspector called another. The
argument waxed hot, cars began to pile
up behind that in which the dispute
started and the trolley men decided
1T was time to eject passengers who
would not pay.
In moment the car was filed with
struggling, punching mass of human
lty. Conductors, motormen and in
spectors from the stalled cars rushed
to the fray and men from the crowd
which had collected in the street ran
to head them off. Several patrolmen
we're standing nearby, but made no ef-
fort to interfere
Striving conductors and inspectors,
who bore an aged man among them,
thrust way from the interior of the
car to the rear platform and showed
him Off. Men in the crowd which had
surged close all around the car ex-
tended their arms and pushed the
struggling passenger back on to the
congested platform. The trolley mon
flung him off again. -Four times the
old man was an involuntary shuttle
cock between the contending parties.
Then he managed to clude his over
Jealous friends on the street and dis
appeared.
Harry Britton, sailor. sailed in
with fists flying when he saw the troll
ley man seize a young woman and at
tempt to throw her Off Four in
spectors leapcd at Britton, who re
ceived them eagerly. It took all four
OF them to get HIM Off the car His
cap was gone, his jacket buttons miss
ing and his face was bruised, but one
of the inspectors departed in search of
q ysician, one of his hands clapped
to his eye. Another inspector was
stunned by a man who hit him with a
stick.
BY this time twenty-five cars we're
stalled and the street was jammed
from curb to curb with the crowd that
surged around the first one in the line
The police decided it was time to inter
fere. Several began to push their way
through the crowd, which grew sulky
and illtempered in consequence.
Lynch the inspector!" shouted some
one, and the cry was taken UP on all
sides
A call for the reserves was sent to
the Snyder Avenue police station and
they came on the run under the com
mand of Captain Michael r. Kelly
They dispersed the crowd without fur
ther violence. but made no arrests
Most of the passengers. refusing to
pay second fare, got off and walked
About 100, however. iammcd them
selves into one car and announced
there they would stay and not another
cent would they give the Brooklyn City
Railroad Company. Unable even to
get into the car. the companys in
spectors at last ordered it shuntod on
to switch so that the others could
proceed
Hundreds Of persons many of whom
had seen or engaged in the fight at
Foster Avenue. attended a meeting last
night at Public School 1852, Glenwood
Road and East Twenty y-third Street
Brooklyn, which had been called to
stimulate the opposition to the double
fare on the Flatbush Avenue line. All
the boards of trade of the Ridgewood
section of Brooklyn are to meet next
week to plan an application to the
Public Service Commission for the
abolition of the second fare now col
lected at Myrtle and Wyckoff Avenues