Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-21
CAPITAL TRACTION
CONDUCTORS HELD
Two Arrested-First Men OF
Company to Be Taken
Into Custody.
TRIAL OF 13 TOMORROW

The first arrests ~ conductors on Cap
ital Traction Company lines. In ccnnec-
ton with the vigorous campaign being
carried on by both the police and trac-
ton companies were made last night
when two fell in tho hands of the po-
lice.
The men arrested were Louis B. Put
nam OF 1893 Prospect avenue, George
town. and Alonyo Offender of 722 9Th
street southeast. Their ages are eight
cen and seventeen, respectively.
Putnam. according to information OBJ
tanned by Assistant District Attorney
Ralph Given from F. NJ. Cornwell. a
detective. admitted that re had beer
pocketing fares without noting them
on the register. In explanation. he Is
said to have told Detective Cornwell
that his associations with older men in
the company were the cause of his &C.
ton.
Hearings in Police Court.
Trial of the thirteen men now arrested
on the charge of embezzling funds from
the companies will be held tomorrow
before Judge Mcmahon. in the United
States branch of the Police Court Eight
of the men were arrested Saturday
night, three Sunda night and two last
night.
Warrants have been issued against
two other conductors. but as yet the
police have not apprehended them.
Commission Gets Reports.
Announcement in The Star yester-
day that the Public Utilities Commits
sion intends to continue its thorough
going system of observation of car
men on the two street railway sys-
TENS of the city, and that scores of
patrons of the various lines of the
two companies had offered their serv-
ices as volunteer observers has
brought a food of reports to men,
bers of the commission.
Several of these reports are now
being investigated, and from state
ments made by Commissioner
ments may be expected within a few
Arrest last night of two con,
ductors employed by the Capital
Traction Company. 1t was stated. was
merely a beginning OF the work OF
cleaning up the lines of that COM
pany. 1t was stated today that evil
dence turned over to the Public Utli1-
ties Commission by its observers I'M
plicates almost as many Capital Trac-
ton Company men as 1t does employees
of the other company.
Expects Leakage to Diminish.
Elimination OF much Of the leakage
of fares, it was stated at the of11ces
of the Capital Traction Company TO-
day. IL expected to follow the cam
paign inaugurated by the Public Utili-
"In fact" said John II. Hanna. vice
president of the company. think
have shown considerable
In the last two weeks
The observation work. directed by the
is a good thing. and it
with consequent newspaper publicity
/ believe. will clear things UP all over
the city.
"The street railway companies are
not facing a new condition. 1t Is one
with which all companies are familiar
I am glad the Public Utilities Commits.
sion has taken this step, because il
can do things that the companies
could not do.
.aThe first Of the new fare boxes or
dered last November by this company
have arrived and will be installed or
some Of the cars by next Sunday
These boxes were ordered as soon as
we knew the six-for-a-Quarter tick.
cts were to be discontinued, but have
been delayed for reasons connected
with war work. It was not practica-
BILE to use fare boxes for paper tick
cts; therefore, we had to order the
new boxes. which are of the latest
improved type, practically proof
against any attempts to tamper with
them.
LAS soon as our cars are all equip
ped with these boxes the leakage OF
fares is bound to disappear. Mean
while, the work Of the Public Utilities
Commission has had a beneficial eff.
feet and will continue to do SO,
think"