St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-25
LIVING ON THE CHEAP.
An Alleged Newspaper Mans Ex-
perience at the Clifton Hotel.

perience at the Clifton Hotel.
A slick young fellow named B. Frank
Gilklson languished last evening in cell
/ of the central lookup, charged with
having obtained board and lodging at
the Clifton hotel to the tune of 500 on
false pretenses. Gilkison represents
himself as newspaper reporter from
Cedar Rapids, To-, and says he writes
for the Chicago Worlds Fair Advo-
cate. From inquiries made at the
Clifton hotel last evening 1t was learned
that Gilkison made his appearance at
the hotel early in August, and repre-
scented that he was newspaper man.
engaged in writing up. business houses
of this city for the Chicago paper. He
introduced two men to the hoUei named
Pratt and Walker, who he said were
working for him, and that he would be
responsible for their board bills. The
party carried on business by writing up
descriptions of business houses, send
ing the matter to Chicago to be
inserted in the paper, copies OF which
were then sold in quantities to the bust
ness houses at five cents a copy. For
two weeks the party met their bills at
the botel, but soon after money became
scarce. Gilkison explained that he had
HOC Utcll dUlS W COllcCt UuC ouO
him, but that it would be all right. The
chief clerk at the Clifton was impressed
by the appearance of Gilkissn. and not
only allowed the bills to stand over, but
also paid laundry bills and loaned Gil
| kiSon money to pay for the papers
which came from Chicago per express
| c. o. ID. The proprietors OF the hotel
| eventually became anxious. and re-
| quest for payment was made. GilkiSon
| said he had no money, but placed the
| contracts he had made with business
| houses in Minneapolis in the hands of
the hotel people as security, but these
were found to be worthless, the money
| having been collected. He increased
his debt by sending for a young lady
from Cedar Rapids, who was met on
arrival in the city by Gilkison. who
| took her in hack before minister
and married her, leaving the hotel peO-
] pie to pay for the hack. The couple
were given the best room in the house
| and treated with every kindness, despite
| the accommodating debt. After two
weeks GilkiSOn sent his wife home, and
| then commenced to act in a manner
which soon opened the eyes of the pro-
| prietor of the hotel. He and his friends
spent most of their time in the billiard
| room and taking refreshments at the
| Uol, NhiShNfOtO Sh-ti ,NNt SP'
application for payment was made, but
was met with the answer that ''the law
could not force him to pay, and they
could not put him out" He openly
boosted that .'be had done The Clifton
up for his BILL" He was seen to have
money, and took his watch out of pawn,
bought new clothes, but never cent
did he put in the till OF the hotel. Ter
days ago he left the hotel, when
he found his room locked up
He, however, frequented the bar, and
was seen to display roll of greenbacks
according to the bartender. Pratt and
Walker left the hotel a few days after
and went to Duluth, leaving their bag
gage. yesterday morning Gilkison went
into the hotel bar and said he had had {
telegram from Duluth saying thai
Walker had broken his leg. and he was
to come up. This reached the ears Of
the proprietor of the hotel, who, smart
ing under the bad treatment he had re
ceived. and suspecting that st. Paul was
about to lose his quondam guest, swore
out warrant for his arrest. Gilkisor
was very unconcerned when seen last
evening in his cell, and said he would
come out all right. An offer by the
| GLOBE reporter that. If GilkiSon was 9