The sun., 1896-09-24
PARK AVENUE HOTEL BEAT
VoHLFBB sWINDbED MANY
OTHER LARGF HOTELS.


Ne DID Not stay Long Easueh IN On
" Place to Make Ht Worth While TO Pvop
seuteI Besides His Dupes Did No
Want Go Own Up TO neinE Bvvindise
Il 10 not very often that a hotel beat ca,
travel 40 far among the big hotels In this oity a
did Oscar Wohlfeld. q dapper little man, wear
ing Rod-rimmed eyeglasses, who was caught a
his game of hotel beating in the Park Avonu,
on Tuesday afternoon. Wohlfeld was arraiRnet
IN the Jefferson Market Police Court YESTERDAY
morning. and Hotel Detective Fitzpatrick np.
peared against him. There were several OF his
other victims in court prepared to make com
plant RRainst him lsst tho Park Avenue case
should not hold. but he was committed In $500
bail for trial on this charge and tho othors de-
parted satisfied.
ing at the big hotels. remaining only about a
week in each. so that his bill would not aUcumu-
late to such an amount that the managers of
the hotels would think IL worth the trouble of
having him arrested. or of even notifying tho
hotel mons association. which takes summary
action in the cases OF hotel beats and spreads
the alarm through the hotels that professional
10 around.
Tho sole reason that those hotel keepers who
were "done" by Wohlfeld remained quiet about
II was apparently because they were willing to
for rather than 20 TO the trouble Of prosecuting
him, and their sensitivones, as TO acknowledg-
ing that they had beon swindled served as an
additional preventive to making the matter
public. wohlfeld took advantage of this and
continued TO live on the fat of tho land at the
expense OF the hotel keepers. He thus dev eloped
from former small clothing manufacturer
into q professional hotel beat. He began, as far
as could be ascertained yesterday, at tho Beive.
-l-l a. II.
avenue. In the latter part of June. He dressed
we'll and carried himself with the air of man
accustomed to living WE'LL and. although he had
everything charged to his room. he was not sus-
pectcd OF being other tnan prosperous busf-
moss man until too late. He had formerly
stopped at the hotel. and at that time paid his
III He ssead suoceeeacd in assuring the managers of the
Bslvedere by leaving come trunks behind.
When the dappsr little. fellow hustled into the
yaise and overcost 10 bell boy, and. register. @
inE In . bold hand. remark ed that he had Just
not hesitate a moment in assigning him to a
room. He walked into the Majestic at night
a. dsys
lived at the hotel, enjoytng its comforts and &C.
he was penness. I He @ was immedia;oiy reauess
hs Wns to tran o snS to
folk did not think It worth while botherlng
about
there week before HIS game was discovered.
A Fifth avenue tailor who made a business suit |
Bro Bro.aSay S.bepdasher M who sunpied NH LIN "R w,h
shirts and things began to make anxious in |
hotel people to Investigate with tie result that
he 10 e1rs tho Plaza short
Psn %fed to tSe cigar
and picksd out a dozen flne cigars. having them
charged TO his room. He did not go far from |
the Plaza. Just walk ing across the street to the |
Savoy, where he marched ip in his now -nccus-
toned style, and had no difficulty ia making a
days before it was learned TINT he was not ac-
cnsromed to pay for anything, and when bill |
It is said that there were several ether hotels
At which he played the same trick: inRlly, on
He registered and. after a discussion with tho
clerk as to the most desirable rooms in the
have continued living at the hotel for week or
for a remark that the hotel barber dropped to
H9tsl Detective, Fitzpatrick. AS Wohlfeid
noon. after having engaged in all the luxurles Of
shampooinE. hair cutting, and a shave. the
"fs seems "'S to me III" that t that fellow mus. se
pretty hard up when he he can't pay for his shaw
I'll LOOK him up."
H. did g, and ID rsportsd te Manager Reed that
manager promptly sent bill to the little man
With q request that II be settled. The dapper
little man hurried down from his room and
riding up to the desk, asked why he was in.
,nlted by having a bill thrust at him in this
Our guests are in the habit of paying US
We present u BILL" said the manager,
We'll, I'll have You TO understand that my
credit is first ciuss. Here s proof OF It." said he,
pulling out batch Of hotel bills aud exhibiting
them to Manager Reed.
This was a fatal mist axe for Wohlfed.
why, none of these bllle are receipted," said
The manager. as he passed them over.
II understand that" said Wohlfeid; but
ready cash."
Manager Reed communicated with the other
hotel men, and learned that Wohlfeld had been
doing so much sw!ndllng that ho ought 10 be
Jefferson Market Police Court. yesterday morn
nR, the little man was cool and collected as
II he had been innocent Of any wrungdoIng, and
when asked whut he had to say to tho charge
ocked up In the prison to await trial.
man who knew Wohlfeld said yesterday
hat he believed that he was demented. Wohi-
'eld kept q small clothing store in Sixth avenue,
near Thirty-second street. u2til about year
lgo. He did n fairly good business for n while
md lived up to his income. He failed. however,
Ind had not been the same man since. WOhl-
eld acquaintance added:
Tho fact that he gave his right name whom
ie went to the hotels and the manner in which
le talk ed about his credit l think Is q strong
Indication that his mind Is unbalanced. He has
\ brother In business in Harlem. and his father
ives In Eeat Houston street.
" He was able to secure credit outside because
,een worth from $4,000 to S5,0OO."
TO COMPEL An AUDIT.