The Cairo bulletin., 1910-01-11
Methods Of "t4ot.l Beats. .


which displays especial ingenuity that
a hotel beat can hope to prosper
these days" remarked a New York
hotel clerk recently, and even then
his chances of escape are small. The
strength OF many Of the schemes re-
sorted to by this class OF swindlers
lies in their being so devised that a
hotel man will give them the benefit
of the doubt for fear Of offending
regular patron. Take for exam
pie, the game OF the torn note Ii il
played somewhat as follows.
"A gentleman, dressed in the height
of fashion, accompanied By lady ar
rives shortly after luncheon on Satur-
day afternoon and the manager, sum-
moned by one Of the officials, liz in
formed by his guests that they only
wish to stay until Monday, but would
he. in the meantime, reserve the best
suite of rooms for them This is, OF
course, done. and on the Monday
morning the gentleman presents him
self at the bureau with letter, In
which is enclosed half of one hun
dred dollar bill. Only half, the man
ager was told, had been posted
merely for safetys sake but, as he
would see In the letter, the other half
would arrive in the afternoon, but
he found he had to leave by au early
train to keep an important appoint
ment.
The bill amounts, say, to $40 for
the two days. but the manager courre-
ously agrees to accept the half note
and give full change for the value OF
the whole note on condition that he
he permitted to open the letter which
Is to arrive in the afternoon; and,
OF course, permission is at once grant.
cd, 1t Is scarcely necessary to say
that the other half note never makes
its appearance, and the swindIer move,
on to some other hotel to repeat his
ingenious trick once more The al.
venturer Is able, If his plans work
out well, as they seemingly frequent.
ly do. to obtain good board, the while
increasing his capital
Another plan is for three confed.
crates to take up their abode at tina
same hotel, and each engage room
In close proximity 10 hia fellow tray.
elers. They ALL however, contrive to
make display of luggage, and are
invariably well dressed, for prosper
GUS exterior Is half the battle to tns
hotel adventurer.
Once comfortably installed ons
member Of the party regularly takes
his meals with his fellow travellers
with the result that at the end of
weeks stay his bill merely amounts
to the cost Of his bedroom, while hts
companions accounts are naturally
considerably larger, as between then
they include the cost of living ton
the trio. The day before the hote,
accounts are due to be sent in the
three conspirators hold a conference,
which Invariably ends In the same
W2"-the man with the smallest blG
agree ia leave at once, always, how,
ever beforehand taking the simple
precaution of pack lg his fellow swim,
dlers' belongings in his own trunks.
Now as he invariably settles his
account, no suspicion Is aroused, for
the special STAFF of detectives who
patrol large hotels day and night
sending in at frequent intervals re
ports Of the luggage brought in BIZ
visitors, still see that the willy 'renr
tree swindlers companions have their
luggage in their rooms. The luggage
that is to say, the boxes and trunks
lis there, and weighs considerable
amount; but all valuables have been
carefully extracted beforehand, to be
replaced by all sorts Of heavy anc
worthless objects, such as bricks.
stones, or Jumps of lead. fastened Il
the sides of the boxes, to prevent any
fear of them being displaced by shak
ing.
THE two other swlndlers shortly
tfterward stroll out of the hotel, os
tensibly for a short walk, but In real.
ity never to return And the weeks
expenses Of the willy trio. which are
Invariably considerable, merely
amount to the cost of one bedroom
for week and two secondhand and
inexpensive boxes, which can b.
bought for a mere song"