The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-24
POCKETS FOR STEAKS.
A WAY FOR WATERS TO "MAKE
MONEY ON THE SIDE"

tem-HOw Guests Are often Victim
ixed by EmpIoyes-NO Plan Yet In
vented to Absolutely Abolish Dis
honesty.
From the SNew York Commercial Ad-
vertiser.
1t is customary to regard the stage
burglars stock joke of the theft of a
red-hot stove as the hight of absurdfty,
and to laugh heartily at the idea of any
thief, however, desperate, running away
with one of those useful domestic ap-
paratuses clasped in his arms, flames
bursting from the fireplace and smoke
pouring from the flue. And yet that
in comparison with some of the daring
deeds perpetrated by the latter-day
mild-mannered, obsequious, apparently
unSophisticated and gentle hotel wait
er, sinks into insignificance, so far as
audacity and impudence are concerned.
The average patron of a first-elass no.
tel or restaurant, if told that the delici-
ous-looking, smoking hot broiled chick
en-, or the juicy, well-buttered steak
placed temptingly before him on
scrupulously clean dish had just come
from the inside pocket of the smiling,
alert, anXious-to-pl please man in evening
dress at his elbow, would probably re-
fuse to believe it, and look on his infor-
lnant as a candidate for admission to
an asylum for the insane.
Notwithstanding his incredulity, how
ever, the odds are not 10 to l, to use the
vernacular of the race track, against
his being the victim of the walters
cupidity, especially if he is guest at
one of the larger hotels at a seaside re-
sort. Such tricks are by no means I'M
common, although, thanks to the elabo-
rate systems of checking which have
been introduced recently the POSSIBLE
ity of the preparation of them is much
less than it was in years gone by That
they are practiced still, however was
demonstrated a few evenings ago in a
well-known hotel at beach near New
York city.
Some guests being served by a par
ticularly competent waiter were con-
graduating themselves on having OBJ
tanned the services of such gem
when, suddenly, to their establishment,
the manager of the hotel walked UP to
the man, punched him in the ribs, as
the policeman in a circus punches the
clown, and promptly drew forth fine
hot broiled porterhouse steak. The
mans clothes, it was found, contained
rubber pockets contrived especially for
the transportation of food. He had
stolen the steak in the kitchen with the
intention of serving it and collecting
the money.
Immediately after he had been de-
tected all the walters in the hotel were
searched thoroughly and those ad-
dicted to the rubber-pocket habit were
promptly discharged. A cry of rub
ber!" at that hotel now would create
panic.
That, however, is merely one of the
tricks that walters practice TO cheat
their employees.
Although, as said before, the de-
velopment of the checking system has
made theft more difficult, there is rot
system in the world which cannot be
beaten" Indeed, the patenteas of
them do not pretend TO prevent fraud
and theft. They say merely that if the
system is installed and receives proper
attention. dishonesty Is made extreme
ly difficult.
The first system introduced into this
country came with the German restau-
rant-keeper. Ii was the old brass check
system in use in many places to-day
Under that the waiter is supplied at
the beginning of the days business
with IS worth of checks. For what
ever dish he takes from the kitchen
he deposits brass checks representing
the equivalent of it in value. That
system has the merit of simplicity, and
as employed in the German restaurant,
where a member of the family in
variably sits at the receipt of customs,
it was efficient When, however,
strangers are employed as checkers
and cashiers, it is the most easily
beaten of any system in vogue. 1t
merely requires the checker to be dis
honest and work" with the waiter
against 1.-The house. The latter takes
an order for, say, "A 81 dish, and de-
posits brass check calling for Is
cents. If that cannot be done, spurious
checks are used.
A well-known hotel at a beach near
New York city employed the BRASS
check system last year It was cal
culated it was swindled out of about
$4,000 At the beginning of the sea-
son the proprietors had brass checks
made representing $4,000. At the close
of the two months season they found
the checks on hand represented 5000.
Many of the walters employed there
made sufficient money to start restau-
rants for thepselves, while others
lived in idleness all the winter on their
ill-gotten gains.
The old brass check system was inn
proved by two hotel men in Boston,
but was still inefficient, and in course
of time came the card check, with a
sheet checker, rubber stamps. etc, in
use to-day and probably the nearest to
perfection ii is possible to obtain. AL
though, however, it affords the hotel
proprietor greater protection, it is not
known that il has lessened the wait
ers' profits. II the obliging servitcr can
not, to use his language, get IL out OF
the house" he gets it out of the GUS
toner" His method for that Is simple.
The average man who eats in a restlu-
rant seldom compares the prices On the
check whit those on the bill OF fare.
and Notwithstanding all the warning
notices printed on the bill handed to
him, he merely glances at the total
and pays up. with p aid of forged
checks and pocket pencil dies II IS COM
paratively easy for the waiter TO ove--
charge and pocket the difference be-
tween the total on the bill rendered to
the customer and that on the stub at
tached 10 the legitimate check, which
has 10 be returned TO the cashier.
Another method Is 10 watch a man
too we'll" have the charge for wine or
cd on his check, and, after collecting
~, 70 draw the attention Of the other
person 20 an omission from his b!ll and
collect that ALSO