The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-02-08
NEW SW|NDLERS
 AND GRAF TIERS lnfest Big Hotels In the
 Metropolis SOME WORKERS WOMEN Jewel Robberies and Other knavery That Never Gets to the Police Court-Work of Refined
 Criminals.
SOME WORKERS WOMEN
A. J. Lafave in the Pittaburg Dispateh.

A. J. Lafaye in the Pittsburg Dispatch.
 New York.-The good times that bring the spenders, also bring the hotel graft CTS. Just as soon as the word went forth that the town was full of easy money the fashionable confidence man began to arrive, and take up his quarters at the hotels where much real money is seen.
 Despite all efforts to exclude the graft CT, he still basks in the corridors of big houses where, on the whole it may be said that he does not seem to be out of place, for he no longer wears big dia- monds or curls his mustache up at the ends. He possesses all sorts of letters and credentials, which he has obtained in various ways, wears a massive lodge em- blem, and is generally go well made up'' he can deceive nine persons out of ten. Only the other day a sleek gold mine swindler the police had been looking for for some time was nabbed at one of the big hotels just at the moment he was closing up a big deal. Every once in awhile hotels have things happen within their gilded. doorways which would en- rich criminal annals with much interest ing material if they were allowed to leak out, for just new sports and pastimes bring new accidents and diseases, so have New York's world-famous hotels begot- fen a new and fashionable type of crin- inals. Surely the old daredevil criminal is crude and simple beside these we'll dressed, fine appearing men, living sump- tuously. apparently idle, yet managing to rake off comfortable profit from vic tins that walk into their net and are aft erwards afraid to make an outcry. Ere quently there is not even a mention of these queer occurrences at the desk, so thoroughly scared are the victims of crooked card play or badger games of various sorts. and of extortlon practiced under circumstances cle7Srly contrived.
 "Confidence Women"
 There are women, too, plenty of them. in this new line of confidence work us- ually acting in collision with men, They are not of the fashy type, but rather de- mure and well-mannered women whose appearance and voices indicate good breeding They constitute the most ex- pert and highest class of criminals. A great many of them use methods so thor oughly protected that it is difficult to ob- tain evidence against them that would stand in court.
 Nearly all of them pretend they are from the south and even affect the ac- cent, although the west sends more of them than any other part of the country. Not few of them are English and pos sess the peculiar quietness of voice and Wanner which inpresses the casual ob- 0erver as indicating refinement.
 As for the men, the year of all profess Gons and vacations, but alleged mine e&ners and promoters, diamond mer- chants and real estate boomers figure largely in the list. There are also for tune tellers with pretense of psychic pow CTS. who gain acquaintances through wo- men: foreigners with pictures to sell and cigarette touts. sleek. oyer-groomed and well supplied with money; whatever their seeming business all are out for an entire different game than that suggested by their ostensible occupations. They huctu- ate between the halls. the bar and the cafe. rarely patronizing the dining rooms except when invited, but living apparent 1y at the hotels, where they spend most of their waking hours. Nearly in all the quiet card games in which out-of-town people are victimized, & woman plays the part of hostess Frequently she occupies apartments near the hotel, but there have been cases fin which she was installed in the best rooms the place afforded.
 Few of the dupes can afford to make q public fuss when they are robbed Many of them represent firms in important business matters and it would not do to publish the fact that they are spending their time In gambling or with too gay companions. So they pay up and say nothing.
 Many of the jewel robberies that oc- cur in hotels are engineered by these htgh-class thieves, who act in collision with confederates among the maids or bell boys Of late the police have had tr q orRauiZFd hand Qf