Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-01-16

great metropolitan community like ours
there are thousands OF men and women
who live on the best the land can afford,
and occupy the choicest apartments IN no.
tells and boardin houses, without paying
for the fare or the accommodations placed
AZ their service"
This statement was made by a promi-
nent down town real-estate agent yester-
day, when requested by reporter to throw
some light on a remarkable case that was
made public this week through proceed
ings instituted ia the courts. Ia that case
a woman who conducts boarding house
on West Twelfth street rented apartIn ents
70 two lady tenants, who took the rooms at
stated monthly rental and agreed TO pay
board by the week. They failed 10 meet
payments as stipulated, aud when the
landlady undertook TO eject them she dis
covered that, owing TO the peculiarity OF
the contract under which they entered her
house, the relation OF landlord and tenant
and not OF host and guest existed between
the parties When she instituted criminal
proceedings she was told that the police
courts had no jurisdiction Ovar such cases,
aud on appealing TO the civ.i courts she
was nonsuited on the ground that she
should bring a regular action - eject
ment This is slow proceeding and dur
ing its pendency her guests" were per-
mitted TO occupy her rooms, for which she
was unable 10 collect rent.
YES" said the real estate man, "there
are any number of such cases, and they
are generally manipulated by women A
sharp woman in stylish dress can easily
drive a bargain on her own terms, and il
she understands the law and has no con-
science she can readily impose on eonfid-
ing landladies."
Mr. William ID. Garrison, who is pro-
prietor of the Grand Union Hotel and Sec
retary of the Hotel Association, gave some
interesting facts in relation to the pro-
fessionals who thrive at the expe nse of the
hotel-keepers.
There are innumerabe modes of swim
ding u.s." he said, 'but since the forma
tion of our association we have been able
to protect one another to a very consider
able extent. The most respectable style of
imposing on us is known as the family
mode. A gentleman with his wife and
daughters will engage board and select
the most expensive rooms we have. His
tastes will be the most fastidious, and the
daughters will require attendance danced
on them constantly. The bills will be paid
the first week, the second, and perhaps the
third. Next week payment will not be
made on the regular pay day, but few
days afterward, and after that they Will
shut down altogether and inform you that
a remittance which is expected from some
distant point has not arrived, and that
husband, wife and daughters do not un-
derstand what could have happened, and
that they are panied beyond measure at
the suspense. Meantime they are unre-
mitting in their demands for extra atten-
tions, and never appear to imagine that
q hotel manager has feelings that might
possibly be panied also, and bills that must
be met"
''How do you deal with such people"
"We would seize the baggage as secu-
rity for board, but professionals who come
to your house for the purpose OF swindling
you do not bring valuable baggage, and
you have really no remedy against them.
They scent trouble ahead, and when they
find il coming tn ~ adopt tactics suited TO
the occasion. They lodge complaint at
the Office charging that valuable Jewelry
has been stolen from their rooms, aud thus
assume the aggressive. We are compelled
TO invest gate lie charges, and while do
ing so our worthy guests obtain another
lease of life at our expense. Occasionally
they will condescend to compromise by
paying something on account, which we
are usually glad to receive"
"Who conducts the diplomatic work on
behalf OF family guests?"
Ilvr
delicate affairs in the hands OF the ladies',
who manage them systematically and
scientifically. The lady will tell you that
her husband ia full of business and has no
tirue % attend to the details Of household
affairs. She will generally try to make
arrangements by the month, and If you
drop hint about security she will grow
indignant and take from her trunk a big
bundle OF mining stocks, which she will
exhibit before your eyes. Ii you happen
TO smile on beholding these securities she
is liable to 20 of in fit
Another class ot swindlers with whom
it is hard TO deal" continued Mr.. Garri-
son, ARE members OF the learned profes-
sions. usually broksn-down lawyers. Tho
Hub of the law will register and give you
his business card. He Will pay his first
BIZ promptly, aud then the trouble com
mences. When You present The second biU
h viii offer you n worthless note OF ar
iudorsed check drawn by a party whose
existence Is simply mythical. lie win not
a1mit that the person il n myth. and
when the paper Is discovered to be Of no
value he sill rave and swear. aud insist
that he himself is the victim OF a SWIM
die
Does the lawyer come out ahead in the
transaction"
"In al such case. ~ hold the baggage.
but we are losers ell The same. These men
never pay their bills because they never
intended 10 DO 80. They vii often reI lew
the baggage. and ~ usually find SO most
economical - grin and bear the loss. "a IL
does not pay to retain counsel IN All thfss
eases. We ara not allowed - open tAe
ff