Citizen Turns

Famed capacity of French boxcars in World War I was 40 men and eight horses. Capacity of New York City subway cars averages 61 (sitting) plus 91 (standing), equals 152, plus as many more human herrings as subway guards can slam inside as the doors slide shut.

Famed also is the capacity of New Yorkers to endure the twice-daily pants-and-collar bum's rush from the guards--so much so that most of last week's New York City subway news roused no more impassioned attention than an advertising car card.

1) Seven people were injured when an I. R. T.* local hit an open switch, plowed into an idle train on a Bronx siding. 2) E. J. Rigney, onetime Independent employe, went on trial, charged with scooping and pocketing from turnstile boxes 500,000 nickels ($25,000) in four years. Mr. Rigney was one of 36 subway employes accused of niching 30,000,000 nickels ($1,500,000). 3) City budgetmen tried to find out why the Transportation Board had awarded an $888,000 signal-system contract to the higher of two bidders.

Fourth item was somewhat less usual. Magistrate Michael A. Ford took up the case of a trio of respectable citizens accused of biting & scratching each other in a subway fight, ruled: biting & scratching is legal in subways, does not constitute disorderly conduct, because "herding of people like cattle" is enough to make anyone mad.

Fifth item made real news. Mr. Brooks, 38, a banker, ordinarily as meek as a citizen, had been commuting from Greens Farms, Conn, for four years. Twice a day he had been shoved around in Grand Central Station, trampled like a grape in a vintage year; then, as he neared the train, given the old heave-o into the car by bawling subway guards. One muggy morning last week, Subway Guard Matthew Walsh spied Commuter Brooks on the crowd fringe, got behind him, shoved him mightily between the closing doors of a subway car. It was all suddenly too much for Commuter Brooks. Wheeling, he smacked Guard Walsh a lusty bust smack on the nose. Arrested, given a suspended sentence, he said: ". . . I'd do it again. . . . But even so small a crime . . . does not pay," hurried off to catch a downtown subway train.

*New York City has three subway systems: I. R. T. (Interborough Rapid Transit), B. M. T. (Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit) and Independent (city-owned).

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