The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-09-30
HOTEL Dead BEATS. .
The Recent Arrest at the Ooci-
dental Causes a Discus
sion.
Various Methods Employed in This
City in Approaching Tricky
Guests.

The recent arrest at the instigation of
the Occidental Hotel of guest who owed
a bill Of more than 500 has aroused the
interest OF all hotel proprietors in the city.
1t has developed the fact also that there
are known to the hotel profession a con-
siderab bic mum Der of persons called dead
beats, who make a practice of living
from hotel to hotel and from town to town
without paying.
AS Colonel Young, the proprietor of the
Russ, yesterday explained, this man
chose the best rooms in the house, regis
tered, and withdrew, presumably to get
his baggage. He returned later, explain
ing that his baggage lad one astray to
San Rafael. So he was given ano Their
days grace. The third day, no baggage
having arrived and the bill having been
unnotlced. Colonel Young gave orders
that no more meals should be taken 10
the rooms.
The manager of tie hotel became ten
der hearted and sent in meals during the
next TWO days. He was told by his supe
rior TO charge them to him self. He did
so and went in search OF the man.
lie returned with two lawbooks given
him by the guest IN settlement of the
clam. Upon investigation he found that
the lawbooks belonged to another man in
the Mills building. He again demanded
a settlement and was sent So so, dollar in
excess of his claim, with request for the
return of the books. That was all the ho-
tel got.
Discussing this subject of dead BEATS"
the hotel men OF this city made some in
teresting assertions
Colonel Young. proprietor of the Russ
House: There is lot of people going
around the country, from town 10 town,
from hotel TO hotel, known as dead BEATS
Soms of them carry very respecta-
ble-looking valises. Many of them are
res notwithstanding persons. 1t is very
difficult 20 tell them at first. frequently
they come here in com pany with local
business man, using him, as we
afterward learn, simply as an in
nocent guarantee of their respecta-
bility. Generally l say nothing until
the week is up, and then present
bill. Often we have held what looked like
good baggage and have found valises
filled with tanbarh, with bricks wrapped
in cloth, and trunks weighted with old
papers and other trash.
More than l per cent OF all the persons
that register are!dead-beats. The punish
ment for dead beats ought to be more
severe. Care should be taken, however,
not TO do an honest but unfortunate per-
son an injustice. That is why | object to
the blacklist kept by many hotels. Ii
through carelessness IN investigating the
case an innocent man gets on the national
blacklist does him great injury.
Major Hooper, lie see OF the Occidental
Hotel: Il believe that the man we had
arrested is a regular blk. From informa-
ton | have since obtained it seems that
he defra uded people in Bakersfield and
a SO beat his bill at the Russ House.
professional dead beat should be appre-
henHpd nd arnnsad toe
ciety. l am not compelled to furnish any,
thing without pay. 1t costs 10 keep up
large esta bIishment."
John c. Kirk patrick, manager of the
Palace Hotel" Generally speaking, a man
who detrauds a hotel or any other con-
Germ should be arrested. We have so
few beats here, however, that we are
usually content to let them go and say
nothing. There are bound to be some
losses in every business. The rule is to
keep a careful LOOKOUT on the baggage,
and il the guest does not settle when his
bill is sent up tnen 20 lock the room the
first time he leaves it and hold his e.
fect5 for the mount OF his BILL"
K. b. Soule, manager of the Lick House
mo business can be conducted without
a certain amount of credit. There are al
ways some bad debts. The otel-keeper
has to take his chances He must keep
his bad debts down as small as possible
l have never yet caused man
to be arrested for not pay
ing his bill. There are occasionally
circumstances in which it would be unjust
to arrest guest Ior non payment. But
/ believe that any man who deliberately
beats his hotel bill deserves arrest, and l
think the statutes make it a crime. Ii
man does not want to pay for what he
gets we co not want to do business with
him. We soon find him out, and the law
hold
settlement"
H. w. Lake. manager OF the Baldwin
Hotel Com pany-"F Fortunately we have
had but few beats. We keep a strict
surveillance on baggage, rely good deal
upon judgment in presenting early bills,
and lock up the room with the baggage if
payment is not made promptly. City
hotels suffer more from beats than do
country resorts. While l was at the Hotel
Rafael l do not think we had one beat.
Most of the guests were OF course, San
Francisco people known to u.s."
John III. Downing, chief clerk of the
California Hotel-"In my fifteen years
experience in the hotel business in this
city no guest accepted by me has beaten
his bill, nor have l been caught on cash
ing a worthless check for guest. |
follow the same principle that bank
does. From a person unknown to me
and without baggage l politely ask for
pay In ADVANCE. II ne mas baggage enough
to equal days board l let uim go day,
or week, as the case may be. Then i
present bill. The porters keep careful
watch on baggage in rooms and eport to
me-. If immediate payment or satisfac-
tory explanation is not made the room is
locked as soon as the man steps out
of it.
Michael +. Bray, cashier and Obadiah
Rich, clerk, Grand Hotel: "a hotel of
this kind, on the European plan, does not
have so many beats. They go TO
house where they can get board
and all. The rules of the house,
if strictly enforced, would prevent any
loss, as it requires payment for room in
advance. Ii we are suspicious of a man,
and be does not settle promptly, we lock
him out at the first opportunity and hold
his baggage, and that generally brings
about settlement"