The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-09-30
Hotel Detectives Various Duties

to approach. Moreover, they were to
act so unostentatiously that the men
they were guarding would remain I'M
aware of the dangers they encounter.
ed and the precautions we were tail.
ing"
The hotel detective is often a valu-
able adjunct to the police. It was the
arrest and subsequent Identification by
Smith of a thief in the Waldorf that.
shortly afterward, induced the New
York police force to adopt the finger
print system now universally In vogue.
Henry Johnson-the thief's name
was seen prowling about the hotel. He
was an Englishman. He aroused
Smiths suspicious. He gave orders
that the mar be followed.
The next day Smith was inform,r!
hat johnson was wandering about tn
corridors on the upper flors. The a.
rest followed quickly. In johnson
room in Hudson street pawn tick;
were found representing 3ewelry h.
longing to Lady Gilbert Parker ard
other women stopping in the hotel.
Mrs. Guesselli Jack, a beautiful Rou-
mantan woman. and a singer who had
been heard with delight in Europe,
came to this country to carve out a
SoACSt 1lOIlL llc AdOlGO I1OuIldIu OI
opportunities in the new world. Her
lot was h common lot.
She could not find work in her line.
She was too proud to beg. She was too
finely strung to seek q mental position.
Her little pile dwindled until she had
but 50 left between herself and star
walton. These So she paid to a lower
west side landlady for two weeks oc-
cupancy of a mean hall room up un-
der the eaves
At last the pangs of hunger became
too keen. She grew desperate. Array
ing herself in the last Of the trunkful
of pretty gowns that she had brought
to this country-the others had gone
for meals long before-ehe marched
into the Waldorf one night and order
ed an expensive meal. Then she an
nounced calmly that she had no mon.
ey.
They called me in." vas the way
Smith told the story. II asked her II
she had money at home. To save a
scene, as I afterwards learned, she
her to that poor, poverty stricken hall
room.
She Hadn't . Cent.
Arrived there, she sat down on the
bed and, crying her eyes out, told me-
the truth. She hadn't a cent. She was
starving. She hadn't a bite in three
days. Could I blame her for what she
had done?
Honestly, now. I couldn't. And 40
she poured out her whole pitiful story
to me I felt that l would like to 60
down in my own pocket and help her
out. But that is against the rules Of
the hotel. o know.
There was nothing for me to do but
drag her to court. There the magis-
trate fined her IS. OF course she didn't
have it. It hurt me more than I can
tell YOU to see that charming, refined
women hustled off to spend five days
among the scum on the island"
More than once the detective sees
himself close to death. Take for in
stance, the time when Mrs. Maignen,
home in Philadelphia and put up at
the Waldorf.
Her first afternoon was spent shop
ping in Fifth avenue. The surprise of
the clerk at the Waldorf desk can
hardly be described when messengers
from W of the city's biggest jewelry
houses came up with bundles Of Jewell
ry for Mrs. Maignen and politely stat
ed that the young woman had promis-
ed to leave 100000 in all at the desk
to pay for them.
AN S"SA4S vas SSllI OdCh " LII
stores. Smith was sent to Mrs. Maig-
nen's room. She let him in quietly
enough, locked the door. then swung
upon him suddenly with a pistol in
either hand.
You wretch she cried at him,
how dare o invade my room?" No
apology will be accepted. I shall deal
with YOU myself. and with these
brandishing the little guns.
II bade this world goodby in that
f1eetfng moment when I saw those two
r%evolvers trained on my Chest Smith
said. II could see hat she was stark
thing.
She told me she would fire when
she had counted three. Frankly, I was
never more scared in my life. She
counted. One, two. and then the catch
on n of the window shades providen-
TALLY came loose and the shade went
up with a great clatter. For an instant
it distracted her attention from me. In
that instant I had leaped upon her
-mc-Tm
"Phew! but that was a close call. 1t
sends the cold beads out on my fore
head every time I think Of It. In an
hour she was in the insane pavilion at
Bellevue. But for the rest of that day
I was weak as a limp rag"
The shrewd business man from out
of town who believes hat he is world
~ wise enough to foil any ICON man.
who might decide to choose him as a
victim is one of the detectives cases.
THE shrewder they are at home the
easier they fall down here" is an
axiom.
Methodist Gather Here.
"A-- f--I .