Sunday Washington globe., 1902-02-02

The National Hotei manager recently
made discovery which phased him. And it
Is not an easy undertaking to phase Col
Shut Inside the entrance to the hotel and
on the right as you enter is a neatly fitted
up ticket scapers Office conducted by
gentleman named Habell. In the same
building and next door to the main entrance
to the hotel corridor is another ticket
scalper's office conducted by Mr. Spleidt.
This gentleman is German and Mr., Habell
is a Hebrew They are rivals, Of course, in
business and are not admirers of each others
methods Of conducting ticket brokers
offices. In fact, either gentleman would be
pleased to hear of the others change of To-
cation or business.
Mr. Spleidt's office has been brilliantly
Int up OF evenings, and made an attractive
showing with its numbers of incandescent
lights. Dark days or evenings when the
incandescent lights in the hotel we're not
turned on Mr.. Spleidts Office seemed to get
along with a subdued illumination, but
when the hotel switch was turned on Mr..
Spleidts Office blazed forth in all the blind
ing brilliancv of numerous electric lights.
Mr.. Habell is an observaut gentleman, and
he noticed this phenomena. Being pos
sessed of a fine analytical mind-the neces-
sary equipment of a ticket scalper-he for
some time compelled his mental faculties
to do overtime in An effort to solve the
problem of Mr. Spleidt's varying illumiua-
tions.
By a remarkable coincidence he dlscov-
cred that should there be any delay in
turning on the hotel lights there was CORE
spending hesitation on the part Of Mr.
Spleidt to light up. He watched and waited
and when the hotel manager sauntered past
his Office near the hotel entrance he called
his attention to the problem which had been
bothering him. The manager took prompt
action When It came time to turn on the
lights in the hotel he stationed himself
where he could see all that passed in Mr..
Spleidt's Office There we're few city in
candescent lights burning in the Office Of
Mr.. Spleidt when the hotel switch was
opened.
Presently young lady employed by Mr..
Spleidt arose from her chair, and noticing
that the hotel lights we're turned on, she
Immediately turned of the city switch and
turned on another one, with the result that
Mr.. Spleidts Office blazed forth in all the
glory and dazzling brightness OF numerous
incandescent lights. The manager of the
hotel had arranged with the engineer in
the basement to turn off the switch at in
tervals Of a minute asa test Sure enough
the lights in the hotel went out. So did
Mr. Spleidt Again the current was
turned on aud simultaneously the lights in
Mr. Spleidt's Office and the hotel incan-
descents blazed forth. This move or test
was repeated several times with the same
result. Thoroughly convinced that Mr..
Spleidt had run in a switch or wire on the
hotel plant Manager Shut visited Mr.
Spleidt and in frank, open way charged him
with the fact. Mr.. Spleidt was astOundedl in.
dignantl incredulousl He denied the allie
CATION and de6ed the alligator He would
win suits of clothes enough to start Mr..
Habel in a clothing store on Seventh street
that Manager Shut was mistaken, but the
portly manager of the National gently led
Mr.. Spleidt into the presence of his lady
clerk and propounded the following in.
quiries,
Miss -- did you not turn of this
switch and turn on this one9" Indicating
the different switches
Eyes, sir "
Have you not done so every evening
when the hotel lights were turned on2"
'I have turned the switches every even
ing-yes, sir. "
Now Spleidt you see you are caught
and to emphasize the matter here is the
wire fresh cut which has tapped the hote
lights. But this won't save you, sir
propose to bill you for the lights you have
/ been using from our plant for the past hvs
or six years"
Manager Shut retired, followed by the
protesting Mr. Spleidt, but his protestation.
| did not prevent the bill being rendered By
Mr.. Shut for $500. The bill will be PLACED
in the hands of the hotel attorneys for col
lection as soon as Manager. Shut can briul
the matter to the attention of Colone
Staples, proprietor of the National and tn,
Riggs House.
such were the facts developed by tn,
| GLOBE man in gimleting Habell aud Man
aQer Shut. The former protested he knew
nothing about the matter and was verl
anxious his name should not be mentioned
as he had nothing to do with the detection
of the "phoney" wire and the "phoney'
b & O. ticket. about which there is anothe
good story, showing the sagacity, shrewd
ness and detective ability Of Mr. Habell
Manager Shut, however, stated to tn,
GLOBE that Mr. Habell 6rst directed hi
attention to the phenomena of Mr. Spleidp
incandescent lights and the daily, or rathe
evening, task of the young lady who manip
ulated the switches. of course, the younl
lady did as she was instructed by her EN-
ployer and did not even understand nor as
why she turned of the city switch an,
turned on the other when the lights in th
hotel indicated that the current was tnrne
on. She thought it was all right and innc
Gently enough let the cat out Of the ba