Evening star., 1901-02-09
EVER ON THE WATCH
A New York Hotel Detective Has
Plenty to Do.
SPOTS ALL BEATS And CROOKS
A Few of the Grafters With Whom
He Has to Deal.
PROTECTING THE GUESTS
PROTECTING THE GUESTS
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
NEW YORK, February Z, 1901.
The chief detective of famous hos ,elry
| leaned against the main office desk the other
afternoon, smoking a tipped Turkish
cigarette and looking sadly bored. man of
forty, handsome. athletic, slightly gray
haired, thoroughly well dressed-this was
| the outward semblance Of the hosiery 8
chief detective. The story, however, has to
do with what was going on within him dur
ing the space Of three or four hours.
AS he leaned against the ornate desk.
| IL oking bored, a pompous. elderly man
with white side-whiskers, and most elao-
| orately clad, from shining beaver to the
| most correct Of CATERS, staggered up to the
desk, deposited splendid alligator satche.
| thereon, and beamed blandiy upon the
clerk. The clerk was about to twist The
register around for the pompous elderly
| mans signature, when the detective, coolly
alert, coughed slightly. and thus caugh.
the clerks eye. The clerk strolled over to
| the end Of the desk and the detective NUT
tered a few words in the clerks ear.
Nothing doing for that one," was what
, the detective said to the clerk. Beat
Toppy-looking, 1 know, but beat at that,
and class A one. Trimmed em down
below at the Blank House for $7OO only a
few months ago. Bum promoter, he is who
travels altogether on his front. You can
spare him."
The clerk strolled back to where the
pompous elderly man stood waiting.
What sort Of room did you desire. sir?'
the clerk inquired, courteously.
"One with-eh-a bawth," replied the
swagger elderly man, complaisantly patting
the waist of his fur-trimmed overcoat.
Sunny room; acknowledgements
Sorry" said the clerk, but there's not
single room with bath left in the house.
Fact Is, the house is crowded Let me See,
studying the rack with eyes screwed up,
I'VE have purple suite on the sixth floor,
three rooms and bath; $50 day. No?
Very sorry, indeed. but that is the best
we can
But the pompous elderly man, after hav-
ing directed many dark, ugly looks of .ns-
picion at the clerk, had picked up his
satchel and staggered away
After UnweIcome Visitors.
The detective, casting away the butt of
his gold-tipped cigarette, stroiled into the
hostelry's magnificent writing room. He
gaZed laZly around at the well-dressed men
busily writing at the small tables and desks.
An elaborately clad chappie, who somehow,
however, wore certain counterfeit ar, got
up from his seat before one of the desks,
at the same time stuffing a considerable
quantity of the costly hotel paper and en-
velopes into the side pockets Of his Rag
Ian with both hands. The detective waited
until the bogus chappie was passing him at
the door.
You don't need all that stationery, son"
said the detective then in a low tone; lit d
keep you busy writing letters for week. "
What do you mean?' inquired the sta
tionery thief. reddening.
What l said,' replied the detective, still
in a low, lazy tone. Anyhow, you got
enough of our paper and envelopes yester-
day to cause whole lot OF your out-of-
town friends to imagine that you're a guest
here. Let that hold you. You don't have
to hand the bunch You just lifted back to
me. Just put it back on he desk at which
you were writing. I'd hate to have to take
1t away from YOU"
The chappie, with a face as red as his
cravat, swallowed a gulp, walked back to
the desk from which he had removed the
stationery, and looking furtively around to
| took the paper and envelopes out Of his
pocket and placed them back on the desk. 1t
had all been done so quietly, In fact, that
no one in the room had observed the trans
action.
'"There'll be no answer" said the de-
tective to the chappie as the latter, looking
hang-dog, passed him again on his way out.
That is OF say, you needn't come back'
The chappie passed on without making
any reply, while the detective grinned
"Slews of those fellows around here ne
explained Have to keep an eye on 'em
constantly Want to make their out-otown
friends think they are living here. Cheap
lot.'
In the Ladies' waiting Room.
The detective decided upon a long walk
and so he strolled lesurely to the entrance
to the sumptuous main waiting room for
ladies. He looked in. Many modish Wo-
men, some alone, others in pairs and trlos
sat about the vast room Those together
chartered In low tones. A young woman
with two friends standing behind her,
at the piano, playing a nocturne with the
soft pedal on. At the extreme end OF the
room, in deep blue silk chair, sat very
splendid creature with yellow hair and
many diamonds. She was thoughtfully inn
mersed in the music Of the young woman at
the piano when the detective stole up be-
hind her, and, fronting her. made most
elaborate bow. The bow, however, was d
mere blind, executed for the purpose of
throwing dust into the eyes of the other
women in the room.
you remember what 1 told you?'' SAID
the detective to the splendid creature, in a
very low tone, and standing before her
most respectfully-still keeping up the
blind.
But tell you that I know these parties
knew 'em in the west; they'll be glad to
see me-" said the splendid creature, with
flashing eyes and vindictive glare at the
detective.
You remember what I told you?" re-
whatever Please remain away. You
wouldn't have a scene? But you must re-
main away. Hate to make you feel bad,
but-Well, you understand all right Now,
warnings are foolish-but l want to say this
time that l think it would be foolish for
you ever to come back.
The splendid creature rose from the deep
blue silk chair and surveyed the detective
with the best article of haughtiness she
had at her command The detective bowed
low before her, and she swept out with
mighty rustling of her black silk demi-
train of exaggerated length.
One Side of His Career.
The detective was on his way to the Bill
lard room when a pated-looking lad
a wealthy patron of the house-met him in
one of the Railways.
Dropped twelve hundred at the wheel in
that place last night" drily remarked the
dissipated- Looking youth to the detective
"That SOP" said the detective. Told you
you oughtn't to go before I took you there
You sure had been dining heap, and you
weren't in shape for play
Don't believe that plant is on the level
anyhow" said the fashionable youth with
the bloodshot eyes.
Don't let that idea run away with YOU"
said the detective quietly. 'Squarest bank
in New York, that is. You were out O.
luck, and not in condition to get your
moneys WORTH that's ALL
"Wen, l want you to steer me to some
other bank tonight, all the same" said the
Cnin tn b,tpl