Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-01-13

LIABILITY FOR LOSS BY GUESTS
OF BOARDERS LIMITED, EX-
CEPT WHEN OCCASIONED BY
NEGLIGENCE OR DISHONESTY
ON THE PART OF PROPRIETORS
OR CLERKS-SEC. 80 OF CHAP.
AS AMENDED.
The following draft Of bill in the
interests Of the hotel keepers of the
State will be laid before the Legisla-
ture at the present session:
IAN ACT
ITO limit the liability Of hotel keep
ers in case of loss OF property belong
ing to either a guest or boarder, and
to otherwise regulate the business of
hotel keeping, and to amend and re-
enact Sections 8, 80 and SO of Chap.
las of the Code of West Virginia.
BE it enacted by the Legislature of
West Virginia.
Sec. mo hotel keeper shall be
held liable in a greater sum than $3.50
| for the loss OF any wearing apparel,
baggage or any other property not
hereinafter mentioned, belonging to
either a guest or boarder, when such
| loss takes place from the room or
rooms occupied by said guest or
boarder And in the event of any loss
of any jewelry, money, or any val
uables of like nature from the room or
| rooms occupied by guest or boarder
10 hotel keeper shall be held liable in
any sum, provided said hotel keeper
shall have posted in the room or rooms
| occupied by guests in a conspicuous
place, or in the hotel Office and public
reception rooms OF said hotel card
stating the fact that 'jewelry, money,
and other valuables of like description
must be deposited at the Office of the
| hotel
! Sec. 2-No hotel keeper shall be
! held liable for the loss OF any money,
! jewelry or other valuables when same
shall have been deposited at the office
| for safe-keeping, by either a guest or
| boarder, in a greater sum than $500,
provided that such loss does not occur
through the negligence or dishonesty
of the hotel keeper or his duly appoint
ed clerks, in which case the full value
of the articles deposited may be asked
| for and recovered.
Sec. 3-In case Of any loss of either
guest or boarder, no discrimination
| shall be made between a guest and q
| boarder.
Sec. 4-In case of either a guest or
boarder leaving a hotel without pay
| ing for the entertainment had, or max
| ing satisfactory arrangements with the
hotel keeper for paying for said en-
tertainment, he may be proceeded
against as provided in Chap. lis, Sec. 30
of the Code of West Virginia, and be
liable for the penalty therein provided
for.
Sec. Sec. 80 of Chap. las, Code of
West Virginia, shall be and is hereby
amended and re-enacted to read as fol-
| lows:
| Every person who shall at any
| hotel, inn or boarding house, receive
or cause to be furnished any food or
| accommodation, with intenf to de-
| fraud the owner, or proprietor of such
| hotel, inn or boarding house, out Of
| the value or price of said food or &C
| Commodation, and every person who
shall obtain credit at any hotel, inn
| or boarding house by the use of any
false pretense or device, or by depos-
| iting at such hotel, inn Or boarding
house any baggage or property of value
| less than the amount Of such credit,
| or the bill of such person incurred, with
such fraudulent intent, and any person
/ who, after obtaining credit or accom-
mediation at any hotel, inn or board
| ing house, shall abscond from such
MOTEL, inn or boarding house, and sur
| nj lu
property therefrom, shall upon convic-
ton be adjudged guilty of INSIDE
| meanor, and shall be punished by inn
| prisonment in the county Jail for a
| term not more than six months.
ut is further provided that any bag
gaze and personal property of any de-
scription which may be brought into
hotel by any person while a guest
or boarder, or left in the possession of
hotel keeper by either a guest or
| boarder, who shall have left the hotel
without informing the hotel keeper
OF such intention, or paying his bill,
| will be considered while in the pos
session of the hotel keeper as under
| lien to the hotel keeper for his bill
against said guest or boarder without
| further process of law, and may be dis
posed of by him at public or private
sale after the expiration of three
| months from the date of the departure
| of said guest or boarder. Provided.
| however, that no more of said property
shall be sold as aforesaid than will
satisfy the claim of the hotel keeper
! and the expenses of said sale.
Sec. 6-Secs. and SO of Chap. 145
of the Code of West Virginia, so far as
they relate to the manner of estimating
the State tax for keeping hotel, shall
| be and are hereby repealed.
Sec. Nothing in this act shall be
construed as relieving hotel keeper
| from exercising due care and diligence
in providing honest servants and TAX
ing every precaution to protect his
guests and boarders.
Sec. S-All acts, parts of acts, and
laws inconsistent herewith, are hereby
repealed"