Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-03-12
MART FOR BRAINY MEN.
NEW YORK A MECCA OF HOPE FOR
THE UNFORTUNATE.


Human nature is franser and
honesteI in low-price hotel in New
York than any place else in the me-
tropolis. Even the pretences and sub
terfuges illuminate temperamental dii-
ferences.
The well-conducted cheap hotel is
the refuge of those who have fallen,
not those who rise from the gutter.
Those who make their homes in lodg-
ing houses are oftener than not men
OF considerable education, who have
known better days. They are human
derelicts drifting about the Saragossa
sea of misfortune.
In one hotel in this city there are
about 1900 persons cared for every
night in the year. The rooms are
scrupulously clean, the beds comfort
able and the rates are no higher than
are charged in second-rate lodging
houses. But the guests are of de-
cidedly higher order. An air of re-
ment pervades the place. In that re-
spect the hotel is in every way the
equal of the more pretentious hostel
ries. 1t is those qualities that make it
the temporary home of men who have
not altogether given up hope or expec-
tation of better days. AS rule, they
are not communicative, but once in a
while one of them will become reminis-
cent after you have gained his con-
fidence.
If you speak of Africa, Asia, South
America or any other part of the earth
you are almost certain to find in the
group of listeners at least one who has
been exactly in the place mentioned,
and it's ten chances to one that if you
ask him how he came to be here you
will get the stereotyped answer that he
made failure where he was and CAME
to New York to retrieve his fallen for
tunes.
In group of five men in the reading
room one night last week one of them
commented on the Boer war and some
of his listeners applauded his criti-
cisns on the conduct of the Britieh
side of the contest. One man remained
silent. He carries scars made by three
Boer bullets at Spion Kop, and Iat-
urally concluded his views would not
Ytrike popular chord. The hardships
of war were discussed until a man had
opportunity to tell of his experiences
while acting as timekeeper while the
work on the Panama canal was Iii
progress.
Another man told of horrid torturcs
endured for 16 days in an open boat.
lfter the ship in which he had been a
passenger had been burned at sea.
A fourth had been in business in one
of the South American republics. The
usual revolution came according to the
standing schedule arranged for these
affairs down there. The American was
accused of sympathizing with the revo-
iltionists. hls property was conde-
Gated and he was cast into prison.
After delay of several months he
was released upon demands made by
the United States government. But he
never recovered any of his properly.
He returned to this country and is now
one of the vast army Of "has beens"
to whom New York is the Mecca Of
hope.
The fifth man was one of tho six
survivors Of an exploring expedition
whose late, If not it's achievements.
has become historical. 1t is still
mooted question whether the members
of the expedition were forced to resort
to cannibalsm. The narrator was
silent on that point, but his hearers
inferred that the charges that nave
been made were not altogether ground
less.
A short distance from this group sat
another man with history. but those
around him knew nothing about it He
OUNCES around the hotel day after
day and week after week. hardly ever
going out of doors. He is a large,
fine-looking man, always we'll groom1d
and always reserved. de talks with
zone of the other guests, and so makes
10 confidants.
1t is said by few Of those who pre-
ume to know what they are talking
about that he was, not many years ago,
,ne of the best-known and most dan
bsrous bank robbers in this country
tilt DldluS vi u ulOSJ HOIOTlOuS SdllS
whose members, excepting himself, are
dead or in prison. The story is mat his
inactivity is purchased by syndicate
of banks who prefer to pay him sub
,tantial yearly income Tor life to keep
him from collecting much larger one
himself.
1t is said he goes to certain bank
every Monday, receives his salary"
and returns to lne hotel. He is con-
tent to accept his annu4cy and rest i'll
peace, after most strenuous life.
Another of the guests of this hotel,
which Is no different from other hotels
of cheaper grade, except that it is very
large, is a man whose whole makeup
bears the unmistakable stamp Of edu
cation and refinement. He seems out Of
place, and he is He has been at the
hotel several years now, but he could
count up his acquaintances on the
fingers of one hand In appearance he
is tall straight and exceedingly digni-