The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-01
MAKINGHOTELGUESTSPAY
A CLASS OF GREATS" THAT EvADE
SETTLEMENT H POSSIBLE.
Hotel Keepers' Protective Association
Has Proved to BE n Successful
Enterprise.
New York Tribune.

New York Tribune M
II IS not fifteen years since the hotels of
New York were at one another's threats.
and great was the joy OF a proprietor who
scored on a rival Cooperation as a protec-
ton against fraud unheard Of 1t was
every Boniface for himself and may the
devil get the fellow across the street"
Here is an incident, actual happening
OF this period, which seems beyond oeneI'
but which is vouched for by several hotel
men.
A guest of one Of the big hotels was called
into the managers office.
1--WE must insist on a settlement OF this
BILL" said the manager. 1T has been run
ming for three weeks now, and a further
extension is impossible"
II have no funds" said the guest not
greatly disturbed by this, the inevitable
How am I going to pay ft?'
The manager glared at him and the guest
smiled in return.
IN tell you what I'll do" cried the man
ager suddenly. IF you will go across the
street and engage expensive suite III
give you a receipted bill for this There
he was brazenly setting the blk" who
had robbed him upon his rival across the
street.
The guest took the receipted bill, remark
ing. "This should establish a fine line OF
credit" and went his way, ordering his
baggage to follow.
They do it differently now. No longer Is
the New York hotel man playing cut
throat game. He is cooperating for his
own protection along most modern and ef-
fective lines. Not only the hotel men OF
New York, but Of every town In the coun-
frv almost have combined against the de-
linQuent guest. -,
In an office in Forty-second street, the
home OF the National Hotel Keepers FRO
tective Associa alton. there Is great record
book in which are written down in Drlef,
business-like style reports OF thousands OF
successful attempts TO beat hotels.
Every sort of scheme that has yet been
Invented will be found there. The records
come from hotel keepers in all parts of the
country and are i'm charge OF Edgar A.
Walz, president OF the Protective AsSocla,
ton, which has within ten years recovered
$40 600 from delinquent hotel debtors. Mr.
WALL perhaps knows more about the ways
and schemes of the hotel beats than any
other man in the country.
ALL KINDS OF FRAUDS.
'It would be very difficult to put your
finger on any one class of people and say
that the hotels lose most by that class"
said Mr. Walz the other day to Tribune
reporter. "All sorts of men and women are
engaged in beating the hotels and the most
expensive class depends on the location OF
the hotels and on its nature.
Here In New York the bulk of hotel loss
es come from three classes. There is the
promoter who comes on to New York from
the West or South looking for capital he
has coal mine, gold prospect, million
acres of timber land TO dispose OF. he mas
money when he first lands and for week
or two pays his bills promptly. The game
becomes harder and harder. He cannot nnd
a buyer, there Is no market for his prop
erty; still he holds on, hoping against nope,
until he finally slips away t h tps oTt d of
debtor is honest at heart, simply unfor-
tunate .,.1 .,,,., ,,,o-
tension He has good clothes, fine address
and knows some excellent people. He has
a winning way and often talks a hotel pro-
prietor into extending his credit beyond the
hotel mans better Judgment.
Il remember one such who got consld-
erable extension on account or MS nne
wardrobe. AT last the limit or credit was
reached and the man sent away. When the
hotel people looked after his clothes they
found one worn out evening suit instead OF
s en1 Ca came afterward. He had, with
out attracting the slightest notice, sent the
suits out one by one upon the arm or a
tailor's messenger. The tailor pressed his
suits and gave him storage room for moth
ing He changed garments In the snop and
was as well of before when the hotel
eon1scated his empty trunks.
The big family or apartment hotelS now
to be found in every part of the city have
been heavy losers. Some have lost seVerai
thousand dollars in the first few months.
Many of them have joined the national
society, and we are getting up an extern
sive list for their benefit.
FAMILIES OF ADVENTURES.
There are many families in New York.
according to President Walz. who make
practice OF defrauding apartment hotels
out of one. two and sometimes even three
months rent They come into newly
opened house. select fine apartment, pay
ing something in advance. The head OF
the family seems TO be prosperous man
of business the wife a woman of society
and clubs and the children most desirable
young folks Trey know how to live well
and luxuriouslv, and for the first month
or two they do live in regal style. There
are carriages without end Mowers, candy
fancy fruits, extra wines and fine cigars,
all ordered from the hotel and all written
down upon the hotel bill This bill grows
longer and longer, and when, after many
proprietor suddenly finds he has been
''bilked." The family, still smiling, still
comfortable. bluff their baggage out OF
the hotel and are OF to newer apart
ment where the game may be repeated.
The most persistent and successful OF
this class of hotel workers in New York
daughters. They were carried by one
hotel for six months. the proprietor being
manipulated caTeIully Dy one OF the
tiers.
One OF the cleverest woman beats" OF
which there is record lived on the fat Of
the land at the finest hotels In the country
for five years. She said she was relative
OF President Lincoln and that she was
gathering material for a memoir of his life.
She was handsome, we'll gowned and bore
every mark of responsibility. Besides, she
fortified with letter OF introduction
from a weli-known senator. At the end of
the week would come telegram from the
senator which gave the hotel people ex-
tended confidence. Generally she was good
for three weeks at hotel, and more often
than she succeeded in getting several
checks cashed which were as bogus as the
senator's kilograms.
She tripped up after time by going
TO a hotel for a second time. True. a num-
Der OF years had elapsed. but hotel clerks
have wonderful memories. especially when
IL comes to those who have "bilked" them.
The proprietor remembered the face, but
could not place the woman until the tele-
gram from the senator came along. Then
like flash IL came over him. He accused
her OF her game. At first she denied, then
confessed that she intended to beat the
hotel. AS she found friend who settled
her bill. nothing was done 10 bring her 70
justice.
VARIOUS SHREWD TRICKS.
The fake Colonial Dame woman with lat