The Washington critic., 1888-04-25
A HOTEL DETECTIVES LIFE.
He Looks Out for Sharks and Tells
Guests of CITY Sights.

He LOOKS Out Tor sharks ana Iclis
Guests of City Sights.
A tall well-built and handsome man
stood at the Broadway entrance to the
Fifth Avenue Hotel one day last week,
says the New York Sun. He wore
pretty red flower in the buttonhole of his
coat, and his new spring suit fitted well.
He seemed rather absent minded, until
red-faced, loudly-dressed man passed rap
idly through the swinging doors of the
hotel.
Then he turned on his heels and fol-
lowed with long stride. In moment
he had overtaken him of the red face, and
familiarly placed his hand on his shoul-
der. The man started, saw who had APP
preached him, and puckered his lips INTO
whistle.
-"Whither away, Charley2" asked the
first
"Ive Just come in to get some tickets
for the Casino" was the reply. II knew
this would be good place to get them.
Pm only in town for few days"
iAll right, my boy; but be sure to get
out of here as soon as you have bought
your tickets"
Then Detective Pryor sat down on
settee next the window and waited for
"Chicago Charley" the noted hotel thief,
to get his tickets and leave the hotel. A
moment later Charley came back with
the tickets and went out.
II am not rs busy as used TO be-say
five years ago" said Mr., Pryor to friend
who came up and sat beside him. "There
was a time when hotel guests came to me
to learn about the sights of the city. They
wanted to see the elephant to get into
gambling houses, to visit the dives, and
all that. The average countryman wants
to see life, by which he means the wicked
sights, when he gets to New York. This
is especially so when he is with friends
and the wives are at home. When they
started out at night on tour of the city
they paid detective from so to S25 to
pilot them around. That isn't done now
any, more"
"Why not2'
because there is nothing to see. The
town has become moral IN comparison
to what 1t used to be- There Is not one
dime museum now to five that existed
seven or eight years ago, and the same Is
true of gambling houses, dives and other
places where the elephant is supposed to
swing his trunk. During the time that
there was deadlock in the Police Board
about the vacant inspectorships there was
q great deal going on in the city. Police
discipline had been somewhat relaxed
and that gave the dive keepers and faro
| New York they visited these places. After
the deadlock was over, and there was an
inspector in each district, a severe en-
forcement of the1aws made amends for
the previous relaxation.
"When strangers went around to see
| the places they had read about in news
papers, they found nothing to see. The
dives renamed open, but they were al
most as correct as Sunday schools. The
| only gambling houses that passed un-
scathed by the police were the club
houses; that is, only the regular fire.
| quenters could get in, and they had pri-
vate keys The concert halls had be.
come desolate through the law that for
bade the combination of music and beer,
and the women of the town were driven
| to refuge elsewhere. Seeing the elephant
went out of vogue, and it has never come
| back
pryor, come and identify me-" inter
rupted gray-haired man at this moment.
The detective excused himself. In q
| few minutes he returned.
"There's one of the things am called
upon to do" he said that man is mil.
| lionaire, but he wasn't known at the
bank, and / had to identify him before he
| could get check for -, 1000 cashed."
A slender, pale-faced man passed up
| Broadway swinging cane.
"That's Kid Miller" said Pryor; che is
| going to the dogs. He's an opium fiend
There are lots of thieves and confidence
men that come around here. Fellows
who give tips on Wall street and on the
races are among the worst swindles
They pretend to have inside information
and worm thousands of dollars out Of
theii victims. Sometimes, of course, theiI
tips prove good, but that is by mere
chance, and the man who believes in
them is sure to lose in the end. They
come into the hotel, single out prosper.
ous-looking man, whom they deem a
II rednires finesse on nv part to get them
out, for sometimes the victim believes in
them, and objects to their being sum.
| marily DISPOSED Off