Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-30
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

There was an amusing scene yester-
day afternoon" says The Star of August
90. 1881, 'at the intersection of New
York avenue ana fifteenth street.
When the Washington
A Stlekler & GEORGETOWN Railroad
for the Law. transfers stationinS an
agent on the street corner 70 dispense
transfer tickets instead Of having the
conductors on the cars distribute them,
there wasa - general Rrowl all along the
line. The spirit Of rebellion against the
ccmpany's new rule, which then APP
peared, again manifested ttseh yester-
day A hrrly, good -hurnored looking
man jumped on Fotrteenth street car
and striding over to an Avenue car.
without getting q tfHnsfer, settled him
self complaeently I'd ni1ish his journes.
The further proceedings, as related by
eyew1tRefsses, were about as follows:
The conductor notified the passenger
that he would have to get q transfer or
nay his fare again. The passenger
mildly protested that he could not hunt
up the agent and get q transfer; that
IL was the agents business TO see that
he was provided with q, transfer, and
that the law .compeAedrthe company 70
carry him over both lines for flve cents.
was a stickler for the law. The con-
ductor then communicated to the pas
senger that he would have TO eject him.
During ell this time the car was waiting
at,.the Junction The passenger blandly
replied that he hoped he would. In
fact that was just what he wanted. The
happy prospect Of suit for damages
delighted him. The transfer agent.
having by this time awakened to q sense
rze 10
and thrust transfer ticket into the
mans hand. The bell strap was pulled
and the Car was about to start. when
the transfer agent made some remark
about what he would like TO do to such
q troublesome passenger The passenger
jumped on the car and earnestly eN-
horted the transfer agent; 70 hurt him.
That was just what he was longing for.
He was dying to have one Of the rail-
road men punch him on the head The
transfer agent prudently RETAINED from
gratifying the gentleman's wishes. When
the next car came along the passenger
climbed aboard, still clutching his
transfer. Again the transfer agent made
some remark which the passenger did
not like, and, the latter, accomnlo-
datingly disembarked and again begged
the agent to do something to him. The
agent still refrained from doing any
personal injury to the passenger. When
the next car came the stubborn stickler
for the law re-embarked and proceeded
on his journey, q large crowd who had
assembled TO witness the proceedings
waving him kindly adieus."
During the night c August 1926. 1881,
President Garfields condition. which
for some days had been such as to
hat =
1.I1 recover from his wounds
PRESIDENT received on the I'D of July
S;rk;ro changed decidedly for the
worse Several extra edi-
tions Of The Star were issued the follow
ing day. The Star said editoffally:
Painful as the acknowledgment is,
it must ut last be admitted that there
no longer exists q substantial ground
for hope OF the Presidents recovery.
The symptoms of his case which became
so alarming several days ago have been
growing more serious ever since, and
the complications now surrounding 1t
are so numerous and so formidable that
when the nlustrious patient must sue
cumb TO one or the other Of the several
agencies at work seems TO be only
question of q very short time What
ever may have been said or not said by
the physicians In attendance, it Is APP
parent that the case is now one OF
blood poisoning. and that from the fatal
effects Of this danger there Is little pros
pect Of escape. with the system 80 re-
duced as Is that Of Mr.. GARFIELD. It IS
true that he may develop q recuperative
power which can yet carry him through,
but there Is little probability Of that
result, and It now looks as though the
one chance 50 calamity taken nearly
eight weeks ago Is shout gone"
The Stars melancholy forecast was
verified, although the President fingered
for several weeks longer.