The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-04-01
TIE HOTEL REGISTER.
About Men who Keep Hotcls-They Must
Read Faces and be up to Dod9es.

"Beg pardon. but you are mistaken
in the hotel! You don't want to stop at
this house,"
These words were uttered by The pro-
prietor of Detroit hotel to a stranger
who had picked up the pen and started
to register his name.
The man stepped back, looked first
astonished and then indignant, and after
the two had stared steadily at each
other for twenty seconds the stranger
laid down the pen and walked out of
the house without word.
Rather cool, I admit" explained
the hotel man, "but that fellow is q
best. Five years age come next month
he beat this house out of three days
board"
"And you remembered him?"
"In an instant. He has grown a full
set of whiskers since then, and is, of
course, five years older, but I remem-
bered his nose. I never forget face,
and can call 5000 travellers by name" !"
eff detective strikes three cases out
of five where he has to identify faces, he
is lucky" con tinued mine host, "but if
we did not do better than that we should
make no profits. take an inventory o
every face. Some are so peculiar as q
whole that they are never forgotten
Many faces have the same general ex-
preston. In such cases you must look
for squint in the eye, something pecu-
liar about the nose and mouth, n limp in
the gait, q popularity in the speech, and
even the teeth are not to be overlooked.
can mark my man while he is register
ing. I can tell the moment he begins to
write his name whether it is his own
cognomen or one borrowed for the occa-
sion. Hundreds of men travel under
assumed names. Some do twant to
be published in hotel reports; others
are on private business which they do
not wish to expose; Others are private
detectives, and others still are up to
trickery of some sort. 1t is by no means
sign that man means to beat the hotel
because he takes another name, and it is
seldom that we consider that point
against guest"
"As to my memory of faces" con-
tinued the landlord, Il had q test case
yesterday. Some four or five years ago
q stranger jumped the house on two
days bill, He returned the other day,
greatly changed, and to be remembered
only by little red scar on the side of
his nose. When he called for his one
days bill added the old account. He
looked the figures over, hesitate d, looked
at me, and paid the whole without q
word. I was prepared to give the num-
ber of the room he occupied, the hour
he came, and give the color of the coat
he had on"
"In the reading and smoking rooms
and the office" said the host as he looked
around, care fifty strangers. More are
coming and going all the time. Now
you would think it very easy to slip up
stairs or come down and 60 out and not
be seen by any Of the employ ees, but
many have tried it to their cost. There
are three of us here in the office most of
the time, and porters and bell-boys hava
their eyes about them. Mendo com.
and 90 and never dream that their
movements are noticed. They are hon
est men and glance at them is enough.
Let person who is not registered here
come in and 60 up stairs, and in two
minutes we will know his business.
He has either called upon friend, or he
is up to mischief. 1t won't take thirty
seconds for word to come down here as
to what room he has entered"
"No, we hardly ever ask person to
pay in advance" he replied to the ques-
ton. cit would be no insult on an
honest man, but yet It is not the rule, I
believe. do not get mistaken in my
man more than once in 5000 times.
You or any other man stopping here
with money to pay your bill have q
freedom of mind and body which can
not be assumed. You come and 60,
take everything easy, and call for your
bill when ready to leave. The penni-
less man who tries to assume that easy
demeanor always over-does it. 1t is q
part which few actors could play with
success. A man coming here without
baggage will generally tender his money
in advance if he has it. If he is penni-
less, hn will most always state the fact,
and give his excuses and promises.
The regular hotel beat is not the
penniless man. 1t takes more nerve
than most men have got to walk into q
hote.. with empty pockets and register
as q guest. That is, men who cannot
give good references or reasonable ex-
cuses for being dead broke We have
guests here every day who have been
robbed OF lost their money or been
swindlcd or something Of the sort, but
they can send home for funds or give Sc
curity. No, the out-and-out hotel beat
has money, but tries TO beat us on gen.
Un roac on fhp theory