Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-19
THE ENlR .FAD
How the Collectors Rob Hotels and Restau-
rants Of Property.
Spoons, Stems, Decanters and Towels
Are All In Demand-One Boni.
faces Experience.

the proprietor of a well-known uptown re-
sort the other night to party of friends as
they sat around table enjoying a late
lunch. II say senseless habit and 1 don't
think I have misnamed 1t. 1 can under
stand why man would like to have a
piece of the metal from the Maine or a
fragment from the Washington monument
but why on earth does a person banker af-
ter knives, forks, glasses and ordinary beer
stems?
Those are the things lose, and as they
must be replaced the cost cuts a hole in
my profits during the year. Complain to
the police? Well, l should say not. 1 never
have and I've caught some of the so-called
collectors red handed. 1t would be bad pol
icy to make complaint and lots of trade
would be driven away from my place if
Gid. When / see a man pocketing STEM
knife or napkin walk over to him and
tokingly remind him of his absent minded
ness My walters all have instructions to
do the same and never have any trouble
Some time ago bought dozen very fine
cut glass Rhine wine glasses. The price
was pretty steep, but bought them. When
1 opened this morning 1 had just four of
those glasses left. They went one by one
Breakage had nothing to do with it; my
customers who have the souvenir craze are
the responsible ones. If q man asks me
for glass which may have taken his
fancy the chances are that he will get it.
but they don't want to get them that way
1t seems to be part of this fad / am tell
Ing you about to get the souvenirs on the
quiet, Or to be less polite. steal them.
Il saw a well-to-do young fellow put a
spoon III his pocket a few nights ago and
laughingly give 1t up when l mentioned it
to him. Now, If l had accused that young
fellow of stealing he would have vigorously
resented it. l must confess, however, that
| can't see the difference He could have
bought a spoon exactly like mine for fifty
hn dol ,tr1,r
my property, and 1 am sure he never suf-
fered twinge of conscience
There's man out northwest who has
a whole cabinet full of glasses, which are
ms especial pride. They range from the
tall old-fashioned champagne glass to the
tiny pony for brandy. and he never paid a
cent for the lot. OF this fact he is especial
ly proud and he always tells his friends so
when he shows his treasures. Another man
I know has a collection of bar spoons,
which he gathered together in the same
way and still another makes a speciality
Of collecting individual, butter plates.
Strange. is 1t? Well, l used to think SO,
too, but I have seen the fad grow steadily
for the past two years and it is still on the
increase. 1t keeps me on the watch all the
time.
THE efforts some of the beginners make
to conceal the articles they pick up are
sometimes amusing. Last week my head
waiter saw customer who had been drink
ing beer at tie small table over there open
shove an empty stein in his bosom. He got
up and stalked in the most dignifed man
ner toward the side door, with his front
bullying out like a pouter pigeon. The waiter
enjoyed it SO much he let the fellow get
outside before he caught up with him. Then
he politely offered to relieve the amateur
collector of the stein. 1t was handed over
without a word.
1.-The marking of all articles or the etch-
ing of initials or pictures on glasses, instead
of making them less desirable, adds to their
value in the eyes of the collector. These
beer glasses with the portrait etched on
the side have been in the house for a couple
of weeks, and they are going like hot cakes.
l think some of the collectors must be get
ting them for friends. l shall substitute
plain ones for them when they are all gone,
and see if the demand for beer glasses will
resume it's normal proportions.
My business Is not the only one that suf-
fers from these faddists. Next in order, I
suppose, come the hotels. In them the par
ticular article desired is the towel with the
name of the house woven in the center in
colors. A travelling man told me some time
ago that he had the finest collection of no.
tel towels in the country, and seemed to be
surprised when l didn't enthuse over the
subject. He told me he had two large
trunks at home full of them. and that no.
tels from Maine to Florida and from New
YORK to California were represented in the
collection. When 1 asked If he put them
10 any use he said: Oh no-just keep 'em
ana look EN- over every once in a while
LII Jou iiid Stue nylQing more SenS6leSS!
me hotels are not as lenient as l am
with these collectors. If one Is caught they
make 1t pretty hot for him. and he doesn't
stop at that house again. Not long ago at
one OF the big hotels here a female guest
was asked to cut short her stay. She was
coiiector, and her particular fancy was
Tor these little individual decanters in which
9rlnRs are sent to rooms. That woman or
oefeu drink after drink Of whisky sent I'D
and during the course of a day a dozen Of
tne decanters found their way to her apart
ments. Each time the drink was left. and
VINE Mneh the oeii boy was sent for the decan-
parheeper made a howl at the office and
me .sr analr was quietly investigated.
ne result was that my lady burst into
Tears after a five-minute Conversation with
the manager of the house and produced
rom .,ia, tue depths of her trunk the missing
arllcies. Iheir contents had found a place
In a cusoidor in the corner.
sae confessed that she had been collect
ING oecahters for year and had close on
70 hundred at her home. At the time
mere We're a number Of them sandwiched
a away between her dresses in the trunk.
u unese, s me said. had been secured from
was sent up and a few minutes after she
a.eparted for one of the deDots to con-
S uhue ner journey In search of decanters.
sne mad paid three times the cost Of the
threw away. '-o
:. AS to remedy. I don't believe there
~ oits AT any rate am not going to be
.ne nrst to begin to search for one I'll
let the other fellows do.that, and If they
succeed ~ profit BY their discovery. One
OF my pest customers Is afflicted with the
i i..c and one night he pocketed a dainty
niue mustard pot IN the boldest sort Of
manner would have given it to him
freely II he had asked for it. There was a
case some time ago that will serve to show
you you now careful we have to be. In GER
tain place not far from here a man was
caught one night putting bar spoons in
ms pocket The proprietor, who is man
OF hasty temper sent out for an officer
ana mad the man arrested. The case got
INTO the papers, and while the proprietor
had every right to have the fellow arrested
MS business was hurt by the publicity
Wnicn was given to the matter He sees
this now in the reduced receipts of the
place, but he didn't know it then.
so l guess I'll stick to my policy Of
Joi!ying the collectors when catch them
ana standing the loss like good fellow
when they get away with what belongs to
me-"
Easily Answered.
From the indianapolis Journal.