Evening star., 1935-11-03
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

The Star OF OCTOBER 28, 1888, tnOS
discussed the subject of styles in homi-
cides: 1T is seldom now
Muroerers adays that the old-fash-
for Hire, ioned style of murder for
money is attempted.
Homicide for pay is out Of date, at least
at retail; the professional soldier still
survives as a wholesale homicide at
large. but it is quite uncommon at the
present day to engage ruff1an for a fixed
sum of money to take life. Hence the
recent attempt of a Baltimore family
to get rid of an obnoxious woman by this
means naturally creates sensation.
In the good old times a lord or gen.
tleman who wanted disagreeable person
knocked on the head and quietly dis
posed of could generally find villain
who would execute such commission
for a small purse of gold. Shakespeare
writes of the first murderer and the
second murderer in his plays. as if
homicide in the epochs described was
a recognized and rather crowded and
fourishing vocation. In those days, the
really first-class murderer, who could
turn of a neat job. was no doubt a
person of some distinction and the ad-
miration of all the small boys who were
practicing their skill on flies or, at the
furthest, on cats.
But times have changed. The age
of chivalry, with all its humbug, ignor-
ance, vice and brutality is. happily. past
with its other characteristics the profess
sional paid assassin is no more. Hence
it was very risky to open negotiations
even with the vilest and most desperate
scoundrels of big city looking to murder
for pay. The consequence in this case
was that the scoundrels first took the
fee for shedding blood and then told
the police all about the plot, greatly to
the inconvenience of their wealthy
patrons"
The question of proper charges for
public cab service was of much concern
Cab Mileage though there were few
Coupons. cabs and those. of course,
were of the rse-drawn
variety, the first motor car having yet
to make its appearance. The Star OF
October 80, 1885, thus notes public need:
I'm Chicago the proprietors of the
issuing mileage books containing s5
worth of coupons, which they sell for
S475. The use of these coupons will
protect the user from overcharge, as the
company will refund the money. in cases
of overcharging. 1t is only necessary for
the holder of coupon book to satisfy
himself that he is in one of the COM
pany's cabs, which are distinguished by
their trademark-to be certain that he
will not be taken advantage of by un-
scrupulous drivers.
"It would be well if the same method
Of protection could be introduced in
Washington. Both the owners of the
cheap cabs and the public would be
benefited by it. While the drivers OF the
most of these vehicles are content with
the regular rates of fare fixed, others
again and generally those who drive on
their own account, do not hesitate to
exact an eXorbitant rate whenever an
opportunity offers, and usually from
ladies, who are not familiar with dis
tances or do not stoutly maintain their
rights, if known. If the four principal
owners of cabs in the city would issue
such books and each receive the coupons
Of the others, as the street car lines do,
the public would be, still further con-
venienced and their own business would
at the same time no doubt be largely
increased"