Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-07-18
How Successful Hotel Keepers Lose Their
Money,

-
A New York correspondent oil the
Boston Journal writes to that paper as
follows:
ing OF elegant mansions on Fifth avenue,
the selling of Of plate and horses az
auction, the hurting men down from
first. class positions to subordinate posts,
ia an every day occurrence 10 New
York. In almost every case these re.
verses result from outside trading and
meddling with matters foreign to one
legitimate business. The city is full oil
sharp rogues and unprincipled specula-
tors, who lay awake nights to catch the
unwary. None are more easily ensnared
than hotel men The way II is done IS
this: A well dressed, good looking man
comes into a hotel, and brings his card
as the president Of some great stock
company. In a careless, indifferent
way, he asks to look at suit OF rooms
He has previously ascertained that tne
proprietor has from $4,000 to SloO,OVo
in the bank, waiting for something TO
turn up. The rooms shown are not good
enough. He wants rooms that will ae-
commodate certain distinguished gentle
men whom he names, who happen 10 be
well.knowI leading 6nanciers ofthe great
cities. A better suit is shown the
President The cost is high--one thou
sand dollars month But the rooms
suit; he must accommodate hls friends;
a few thousand dollars, one way or the
other, won't make much difference with
his company so he concludes TO take
The rooms The landlord hints at refer.
ence the President chnekles at the idea
that he should be called on for references
he never gives any, but if the landlord
wants a couple OF thousand dollars he
can have it. Let me see" the. Presi-
dent says very coolly, Il shall want
these rooms about six months, of and
ON. may be gone halt the time or more.
fits any accommodation to you, shall
give you my check for six thousand dol
lars, and pay the whole thing up" OF
course the landlord is all smiles and the
President takes possession. Before the
six months are out, from fifty thousand
to one hundred thousand dollars of the
landlords money goes into the hands OF
the Spectator, and a lot OF worthless
stock is locked up in the safe of the
hotel.
Another scheme is equally successful
The rooms are taken and the occupant
is the most liberal of guests. Champagne
and costly viands are ordered without
stint and promptly paid for. Coaches
with liveried drivers and footmen, hired
for the occasion, leave imposing cards at
the hotel. The obsequious landlord and |
well-fed steward pay special attention to |
the wants ofthe liberal guest. Walters |
fly at his command, and the choicest
titbits are placed before him. Picking |
his teeth after breakfast, while the land |
lord is chatting with him, some Satur- 4
day morning, while trains, he expresses
q wish, rather indifferently, that he had
10000. His banker won't be home til
Monday-don't care much about it--gei /
it easy enough down town-wouldn't 60 |
out in the rain for twice the sum-in-
about it, and yet evidently an
noyed. The Landlord goes into his office /
and examines his bank account and
finds that be can spare $4,000 without
making any Inconvenience till Monday.
Glad to accommodate bis distinguished
guest, who is going to bring all the mon
eyed men to his hotel be hands over
he money, which is refused two or three
times before 1t is taken. On Monday
morning the hotel man finds that his
distinguished tenant has put Sabbath
between himself and pursuit. Such
tricks are played constantly, and new
victims are found every day.