Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-10-11

| William O'Rourke, Waterman at the
Berkeley Springs Hotel, Berkeley,
West Virginia, arrived in Baltimore
from the springsa couple of days age,
having, through force of circum-
stances, made part of the journey
on foot. O'Rourke did not find the
Springs towards the close of the sea-
son after his own heart, and has a
little tale of woe, which he related to
an american reporter.
For twelve years was employed
at Barnum's HOTEL" said O'Rourke,
land ten years at the Carrollton. Last
summer i thought would go to the
springs, and accepted place with H.
l.. Hall, manager of the Berkeley
Springs Hotel. Mr.. Hall came from
the far West, and was secured through
an advertisement by Mr.. Ruby, of
Washington, the proprietor. All
summer the hotel was crowded with
society people. Postmaster Wanna
maker spent some time at the springs.
He was fond of shooting, and he could
shoot we'll, for he killed several birds
while there. Once / went out shoot
ing with him. l carried the lunch
and a gun, which belonged to Mr..
Thomas Deford, of Baltimore. We
had find day, and brought home lots
of game. On Sunday, the last day of
August, Mr.. Hall sent for me to come
to his room and help him pack his
trunks, as he said he was going to
| Washington for few days. When |
went up in his room there were sheets
hung all around the walls, and these
were stuffed out with what he said
were clothes. His trunks were all
packed and tied up with old rope.
The ropes looked 50 bad that l took
them off and put new straps, which
belonged to me, in their place. That
evening the trunks were put on the
stage, and he, with his wife, child and
nurse, left for Washington. He said
he would be back on Wednesday.
The next morning Monday Mr..
Harrison and Mr.. johnson, and all
the storekeepers in the town, got
wind that Mr.. Hall had gone. They
made a rush for the hotel, and tried
TO seize everything in the house for
bills he owed. There were about fif-
ty guests in the house at the time, and
their board bills were garnisheed.
Il #,
came up from Washington and tried
to fix things up. They said they
would not be responsible for any bills
contracted by Hall, and that the wait
ers and myself would not get our
pay. When this became known there
was general rush to get hold of any
loose article in the hotel. Hall'sroom
was broken into. The sheets were
taken down from the walls, and in
stead of clothes there was nothing in
them but old blankets and bed covers.
One of the colored walters seized the
hall clock, which had been in the hotel
for eight years. Another got the
clerks silk umbrella, and another car
ried off the drop-a-nickle-in.the-slo
and see-the-horses-race machine.
There was general confusion, and
everything that could be gotten hold
of was carried off, But Mr.. Ruby
recovered nearly everything the wait.
ers carried off. The guests, one by
one, packed up and left. until last the
hotel was deserted. Mrs. Raleigh
Thomas gave me three dollars to buy
my ticket to Baltimore. Mr.. Bond,
the lawyer, gave each one ofthe wait
ers and myself a ticket home, but
when we had gone some little distance
on the road the conductor put US off,
as he said the tickets were no good. 1
had my three dollars, and secured a
ticket to Baltimore. The walters had
no money, and so they started out to
walk. Very few of them have yet
reached Baltimore, and I expect the
road all the way to Berkeley is full
of them, still on their weary tramp.
At the time of the departure of the
manager the following Baltimoreans
were among the guests in the hotel
Mrs. Raleigh Thomas, Mrs. Column
bus O'Donneil, Mrs. Otis Hinkley,
Chief Justice Harlan, Mrs. George,
Miss Ann George, Miss Mollie George,
Miss Beckie Gather, and Others
american,