The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-16
NUlSANCES AT The HOTELS.
ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE TRY TO
GET MONEY FROM GUESTS.
Diamonds and tl0ihcs and stock and
Automobiles TO Sell Others Want Sub
scriptions A Few Seek to Marry
Rich Women Hotel Detectives Task.

ulDs OF DoosVefs ara graiteTs, talu lHo
head detective Of one Of the big hotels.
Tho mugged ones with records only show
up on the outside gambling chance OF not
being recognized and with the vague idea
that they might back into something that's
doing. When they're spotted they accept
the quick waft-out without domur.
The boosters and Rrafters. however,
are generally able to make nuisances Of
themselves for come time before annoyed
guests put US wise TO their games or we
drop to their dodge ourselves; and, as
often as not. when we nerd them up and
invite them to go out to see how the even
ing's holding its own they don the Terrible
Turk vest and try to scare US to the roof.
Ono Of 'em. a little blondined, square,
head phony Count, or something like that,
demanded that ! fight a duel with him
with broadswords because / whispered in
his ear that it was him for the mountain
tops right quick or a pinch as a vag. /
told him that barrel-stave slapsticks was
my only main clutch in the duelling game,
and then pulled him by the toupee into the
chill night atmosphere.
'The CRAFTS that they try to put over
now around the big taverns are almost
too numerous TO mention. Last week
alone / told three memorandum lewelry
pedlers that their services were no longer
required. We have plenty Of exercise hot
footing these persistent ducks 20 the exit.
Like all the rest Of the hotel grafters
they dixie themselves out in raiment that's
up to the minute, and most Of them wear
blue-white carbons that make you wish for
auto goggles. They've got a shrewd and
sweeping vision for guests who like jewelry
and lots Of it, and these they nail by various
methods.
Not a few Of these memorandum gem
| sellers have the nerve to send their cards
up TO women whom they've spotted In the
eating rooms and corridors as lovers Of
the shiny gauds, and some of them actually
get away with this kind OF thing, at that,
and make big sales TO women who can't
resist tho sight Of spGrklers no matter under
what circumstances they view them. But
just as many go against the wrong selection
in sending their cards to the women guests
and then it S the brassy gig-lamp CRATER
to be edged out TO the curb.
For n couple Of years past these halls
have been cluttercd up with fellows vino
call themselves promoters, and who hang
around fer the purpose Of unloading cata-
mount stocks, not worth the fancy engrav-
hb WIN vi N''iAi " Gb't'o WI lObk
ike quick returns. These people, too, are
pretty hard "a deal with.
They're glossy and vell-educated graft
ers. and they don't 60 after the money with
gnarled clubs. They take n good long
look first before endeavoring TO try the quiet
little hypnosis on the nan they pick cut,
and about the only way Of corralling them
is when one OF the mOneyed good things
from Painted Post who has been famed
into buying a few million cne-cent shares
in a zinc mine or an oil spouter hands In
his little complaint at the desk that he has
been basted.
Then we 20 after the promoter II he
hasn't already taken 10 the irrigated alfalfa
with his winnings and tell him that we can
spare the radiance Of his cheerful map
as long as the hotel stands up. Lots IL
them. however. when they make one good
killing Of this sort, don't come hack any
more. and for this reason they're a dan
rcrous class Of grafters around the big
New York hotels.
Hardly a day passes that some swift
talker doesn't batter his way in here for
the purpose Of soliciting subscriptions
from beHevolent-looking guests for chari-
ties that would be all right if they existed.
Both men and women take this end Of II
TO win out a good living, It's about as
mean a graft as ! know Of, but il is made
10 stick by plenty of them.
We can't hand all Of these phony-charity
g~rafters over to the police for the reason
AAAeA " ~ aANAAh ~ aHh WV EIA'A AAuk
they're just organizing the charity for
which they solicit contributions, and when
they pass out this one it's up TO us 70 prove
that they're not telling the truth, and this
is not always possible.
ITS only when they come along with
forged credentials from prominent clergy
men. philanthropists and the like. or when
they carry subscription lists stuffed with
forged names of eminent Now Workers,
that we are enabled to pinch them and
appear against them.
|The sellers Of bogus tickets belong 10
about the same tribe. Guests stopping at
New York hotels are great at buying tickets
for balls and picnics that look as if they're
going to turn out funny, and they fall TO
these counterfeit ticket g~rdfters
The male guests fairly cat up fake French
ball tickets sold by these cheerful workers
at any old price, and the women guests
almost fall over each other in giving up
for bogus tickets for readings, concerts,
and such. It's hard 10 nail these fictitious
~pasteboard sellers for the reason that they
work all up and down tho line with will-o'-
the-wisp s~uddcnness, and their Clean-ups
around the big hotels are so profitable
tina they don't have TO undertake their
jobs often enough to cause their faces TO
become known.
The boosters who infest the lobbies OF
the big hotels are every sort and descrip-
ton, and they are about equal in persis-
tcnce One of the new kind Is the booster
for some sort of a whiz-wagon and tries 70
D|uttOnhOle guests INTO taxing rides.
"Some of the foxy guests who know two
or three things permit these boosters 10
ride 'em a few hundred miles around New
York and its Cnvirous, and then %grinningly
say TO the pluggor that they'll sec, or in
vite him to come again some time when
he isn't real busy. Other guests, however,
nave 10 DO everything but fight 10 get away
from the opportunities Of these auto
boosters.
boosters for florists and dealers in ex-
pensive fruits do their touting around
the big hotels until they're desired TO hike
for the altitudinous Cacti. and pluggcrs
for livery stables essay TO whecze the adj
vantages Of their EMPLOYERS turnouts into
the ears of guests. Female agents for
fashionable dressmakers make a regular
business OF drumming up trade for their
principals around the big hotels, ard the
women guests frequently complain Of their
~unsnubbable persistence
@Soft-spoken runners for gambling es-
Establishments are not 50 numerous around
the blk hotels as they used to he, but still
there are n few Of them. They get the
lope out at tho hands Of the hotel detectives
quicker than almost any other class of
boosters.
Hotel quests vho've got tho bunch 10