The morning call., 1891-05-03
REFUSED THEIR ROOM.
A Suspicious Hotel Clerk Takes Them for Conf
denCe Men.

The late Robert G. Hewett, the President
of the old league baseball club, was one Of
the easiest men to adapt himSel to cilcum-
stances | ever met. Nothing could displease
him, and | have seen him put up with things
that would have put many man in fight
ing humOr In the summer of SO the Wash
ington Club was playing In Philadelphia
One morning Bob. as his familiarS called
him, concluded to run over to the Quaker
City and see how the boys were getting
along, and invited me to accompany him.
Upon our arrival we went Immediately
from the depot to the ball grounds, leaving
our grips in saloon near by After the
game we joined the men and went to the
hotel with them. The men were stopping
at the Bingham House, corner of Tenth
and Market, and as the hotel was pretty
well crowded we had to accept double
room.
After supper we passed a pleasant even
ing around town, aud showed up at the
hotel about II o'clock. All the players had
gone to bed except Billy O'Brien. the big.
clever first baseman, and John Gaffney, now
uinpiring in the Western league, but at that
time manager Of the team. We talked until
after midnight. when OBrien aud "Gaf"
started for bed. 1t was beautiful night,
and neither Hewett nor L felt sleepy.
1t was nearing o'clock when we con-
cluded that it was about time to woo the
drOwsy god. and | walked up to the desk
and asked for the key.
"What key?" demanded the clerk.
''Why. the key to our room, No. :"
ooh, now, come off. You can't play any,
thing like that on me. replied the gentle
man behind the counter. There's man
and his wife from Pittsburg in No. :, and
they've been there for hours"
Here was pretty kettle of fish. Our
grips were in that room and the clerk
thought we were couple of confidence
men or perhaps worse. Hewett took a hand
and explained who we were. but the clerk
smiled superciliously, nay, even incredu-
lousy.
Then we asked for the register When
had we arrived? Shortly before Z. Oh,
yes, he'd let us work him, wouldn't he
We had the game down fine, of course, and
knew the day register was in the safe. Our
names were neither in the rack nor ON the
aceount-book. Could we get another room?
No, we couldn't. and the best thing we
could do was to get out
never heard such roasting in my
life. That fellow was an adept, and the
way he scariied us was a caution. | was
mad clear through. 1t was bad enough to
be locked out of our room, let alone being
talked to as if we wanted to carry off the
hotel. But Hewett was imperturbable. He
took all the abuse. and finally, after arguing
with that chuckle-heade fool for an hour,
managed to induce him 10 send to No. -
and see if there were two grips there
answering the description we gave. don't
know whether that PittsbuTg man was
pleased to have the sanctity Of room we
had paid for. but which he was enjoying
invaded, but the porter got those grips.
Hewett pulled out q bunch of keys that
would have made craftsman green with
envy. More suspicious glances from the
clerk. Nevertheless we opened our bag
gage. proved our property. asked TO be
directed TO another hotel, and left. The
old man fairly Rugged himself. 1t was the
richest joke he had ever encountered. The
more he laughed the madden got. To my
mind there was nothing funny in getting
fired" out of a hotel at that early hour.
However, we got room at Domer's.
As we subsequently learned, the clerk the
next morning told the proprietor the story.
Then there was a circus. The proprietor
was at Our hotel in five minutes and in
sisted on waking us both up. He apollo
gized fifty times and insisted on taking us
back to the house. During the remainder of
our stay we were treated royalty.
How did it happenp Well, the day regis
ter was locked up and the clerk could not
get at it. The card on which our names
were written had either slipped down be-
hind the others or been taken out by some
practical joker. Seeing the room was un-
occupied, as the clerk supposed, he put an-
other party into it.