The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-04-26

blackjack If you happen to turn in
your sleep? Such were the resources
Of the male hotel rats who were scat
tered or rounded up with Countess
Manola and Baron Frandin at Nice in
1908. Previously they had made a
trip to Algfers. where a well-known
American millionaire went to bed,
locked and bolted his door, heard
nothing in the night, and awoke be-
reaYed Of rings, studs, buttons and
chains worth 100000 and $4,000 cash.
In any case. one night at Nice In
spectors Henic, Benoit and their men
smashed in two bedroom doors. fash
ed lights and discovered Monsieur
Bawer in black tights, rubber band
over his mouth, stiletto and eelskin
at his belt, filling a black silk sack
with jewels and money. The man they
| belonged to snored on peacefully. His
face looked queerly pink and white.
Quickly Benolt pulled the face off
1t was a chloroform mask, most reck-
/ less and brutal death risk. In a near
by bedroom Frandin put up a terrific
/ fight, laid out a plain-clothes man with
his eelskin (sand bag). jlu-iitsued
Henic to a broken arm and almost got
| away by stabbing, when a hotel por-
ter knocked him down. In his room
were found the gangs utensils.
Today the brutal males are still in
jail or frightened out of the business.
The king of the Hotel Rats" operat-
ing at this moment in Paris seems not
to have done a single job in the 1s
fashionable hotels of the American
| quarter where he made such rich
hauls. But as his sublime sneaking
utilizes certain mechanical effects OF
the true jirmouichs, it is important to
be posted. Besides. the stalwarts will
get back to work one of these days.
The male rat laughs at bolts. He
tries to get room next to his vic
TINS. European hotels are built with
communicating doors, that any num-
Der of rooms may be thrown into
suite. These doors are kept locked
and bolted on both sides. OF course
of course.
The rats first work is to gimlet tiny
peep holes into a door or partition. If
decided to go on the job from what he
sees, he unlocks the communicating
door when the victim is out, jimmies
the inside bolt, injuring it as little as
possible, enters, removes the screws
replaces short screw tops, putties
paints the dummy bolt as shut" and
slips out the room door on the corri-
dor, where confederate is on guard
to keep the coast clear.
In the old days, If the rat could not
get an adjoining room he picked the
corridor lock in the daytime, when
the victim was out and fixed" the
corridor bolt in the. same way, warned
by confederates. An accordion was
the outside signal Striking up a Ger.
tain air meant that the victim was re-
turning. Finally, if interrupted there
was the stiletto-and the iirmouich
knew where TO strike.
Would you not prefer the modern
work of ladies'? The old gouine and
her choir of virgins in black wells
seem almost sympathetic, scattering
perfume. Yet as you slept the door
swung open as the nail heads quit
their holes. In slipped the stalwart,
garbed in black tights. sandbag and
stiletto at his belt.
To rise in bed meant death.
To lie still meant the brutal chloro-
! form mask held tight as you woke
struggling to the sound of deep bells
ringing in your ears; and then forget
fulness-perhaps forever
Bolt your room door today, the ho-
tel mouse will pass you by. The
mouse is all for gentleness and conf
dence. A bolted door already means
suspicion.