The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-10-29
SOME HOTEL haWksHhWS.
Tho Men Who Have Become indisp~ns-
able to Our Bonifsccs-


tective! What do hotels want with de-
teciives, anyhow
This remark. made in n pctulant tone.
WIS uttered in the corridor # the Hofi-
man louse the other afternoon by a
western man who was on visit 60 the
metropolis and had been looking az the
art treasures Of the cafe He eyed in a
contemp,uous way the well dressed little
nan. with SLOUGH hat. vino was lean
ing against a pile of trunks near the Gle
vator \ friend showing the western
man the city sights had happened Incl
dentally to point out Detective Jacobs as
one Of the features Of big metropolitan
hotel.
Ten minutes later the westerner saw
the little detective step up to n well
dressed man in a group Of three who
had Just sau,ered into the art gallery.
III Lave lJs.sl you TO move on, sir,
the detective sail.
WHO are you:" growled the man,
angrily, "w..at 90 you mean 10y talking
to me that wayi"
Just what say. and mean it, the
little man replied, urdaunted. land
here's who am. and | know YOU per-
fectly we'll"
The little detective threw open his
coat and showed his glistening detective
shield The well dressed man cut short
lis buster instantly, and walked quickly
out into the street.
He was a local burkO man, who h.d
casually dropped into the hotel cafe with
two cat Of town crooks. The CONVERSE
ton with the little detective was ANNA
ted. lut not so loud that anybody in the
art gallery could understand It, The
Gothamitc who was showing the west
erncr around knew what was up. though,
aud turning TO his friend said playfuliy:
That some good q hotel detective Is.
That WAS q confidence man that he
talked to. Maybe he'd have caught on
10 You if it hadn't been for the detec-
tive
Il was IN apt illustration Of one Of the
duties Of the hotel detective In the
marvellous perfcci,1n Of the equipment
of metropolitan hotel i'm the last few
years the private detective has come TO
he an indispensable detail, and today
there is not % hotel in town that enjoys
any select patronage at all that does rot
employ q guardian. who Is empowered
T. make arrest, II necessity arises. some
Cf the detectives are men specially as
signed from the police force, and whose
salary is guaranteed by the hotel IN con-
siddation of the policcman's exclusive
service. Often, However, the special
guardians ere regular private detectives.
Thcv are mon we'll trained in detective
methods. and enjoy the advantage of q
wide and varied acquaintance with the
faces Of metropolitan rascals and tie
confidence operators Of tho country.
Kecpirg tie hotel clear of this class Of
crooks however. Is only a small part Of the
hotel detectives work. Upon them de-
wolves In most eases the supervision Cl
the p0rtcrs and hall BOYS, and all the
army Of lclp that big Gotham inn has
&C. employ. Ii a guest loses anything in
the LO;el, or outside Of it either, ne is
sent 20 once 90 tie hotel detective 70 con-
suit about is recovery aud If CHAMBER
maids on portess find articles that have
been ni,laid or lost. they arc expected to
bring them direct q the hotel detective,
aal he, in turn. hands them over 90 the
hotel proprietor. on Li1 representative, to
be- delivered Co the owner.
III, also tho detective duty 20 pro-
tlcJ his employers from the numerous
and PERSISTENT army Of pests known as
tie hotel toat. and il D. due % the pres
encc of detectives. in every well regulated
city hotel. chat New York las ceased TO
he spc. where this peculiar gentry can
thrive. The petty thleyery of guests
valuab!a8 las also como 20 lie a rarity,
and nOvaday the man 1t means. stop
ping atauy well regulated New York h0-
tel. can feel a. secure as ii he were tray-
cling with private tation house cf his
own in tow. More than all, however,
the old time harvest Of victims that Hun
CRY Joe and bis pals used 10 gather from
hotel corridors is all cut Off
Al this the detective has TO Go for the
regular salary, but hc has legitimate per-
quisitcs. These axe the moro or less hb-
eral fees that good natured out-ot-
towners. who want TO see what the life
Of biz city really is after dark, pay for
straight tips on the places where to Gle
plant cuts 'up his most tlemboyant and
startling .hiudigs.r 1t is worth . hand
some sum 10 The hotel detective who
pilots party Of strangers through the
inultitudinous and more or less pctur-
esoue maze Of after dark spectacles
known u the experienced man about
town as "the sights. And there are
few more experienced men about town
than your quick witted hotel detective. -
New York Sun.