The St. Johns herald., 1892-11-03
PROFESSIONAL RouNcERs.
One of Them Lays Down the Rules of the
 Bouncing Business.

One of Them Lays Down the Rules of the
 Bouncing Business.
 The life of professional bouncer in a big hotel is one of ups and downs. He is more euphoniously called detective His salary is small, but his muscles are large. The one who gave New York Mail and Express man the details of a sad incident in his career, as well as a few points of general information re- garding his profession, had small re- gard for elegant English. His narrative ran as follows:
 "Y ou see, not only have to bounce unruly people, but I've got to watch for suspicious characters. When a robbery occurs, if I don't track the thieves am liable to be bounced by the proprietor. Faint life of ease by any means. Now and then get a job of stunning and make few extra dollars. Many men, especially from the west, want to see all the sights of the city at night. That means a visit to the Bowery and a number of dives. A party of four or five usually give me twenty-five dollars for the night. I don't have parties often. The secret of success in my pro- fession? I think it's bluff. Pledge you my word I've often been puzzled over some petty robbery in the hotel and had no idea of clew. But just went about saying had my suspicious, and the thief would soon be nabbed. Luck always helped me out.
 ''In all cases where guest is robbed in his room suspicion naturally falls first on the employees in the hotel. It is seldom that sneak thief has the au- dacity to register and be assigned to room. Only big bank burglar can play the high-toned, respectable gent in frst-class hotel. Hall boys now and then develop into petty thieves, but they are so amateurish l catch them every time"
 "Do you bluff when you go to put big man out who is raising disturb ance in the corridor?"
 ''An those kinds of bluffs are called. I mean that it is no dead bluff to go up to big drunken fellow, catch him by his coat collar and try to push him out. He may give fight, and then it is the best man to win. Of course I can call the porters to assist me, and that is what the man being bounced out knows. One night I got badly fooled. A rather small, boyish-looling fellow came in and raised disturbance. He just yelled, as if he wanted to give his lungs a chance. I rushed up to him and said: See here, my boy, get out or hush up.' He was well dressed, and didn't want to be hard on him. That fellow, sir, yelled again, right in my face, almost, as if he was anxious to be bounced. Out you gor I cried, reaching out my hand to grab his collar. I felt some thing on my face, and the next thing ! knew I was getting up. The boy stood there smiling.
 '''No funny business, you tough!' I shouted, springipg toward him. He sprang aside and hit me clip on the tenn pie that sent me sprawling again. Before I could get up, one of the porters who thought he could box rushed at the boy and by well-directed blow was sent to the floor. The boy started to the door, not running, but walking. came up with him again and he turned graceful ly and gave me lick on the nose that hurt so I thought it was broken. I staggered aside and the porter came up again and got a blow and went back holding his hand to his mouth. That boy? He slowly walked out and got his money. It was put-up job on me. That boy was professional light weight prize fighter and had made bet with some friends that he could come in the hotel and yell and could walk out leisurely without being bounced"