Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-10-30
Hotels Employ Detectives to Re-
cover Stolen Goods. -
Mania Of Collecting Mementos Not
Practtced by Actors Any More
Than by Others-Proves
an ExpensIvS Fad.

New York.-The concerted action of
the house detectives of all the large
hotels in America has removed the
points from two formerly excellent
stories. the first ascribed to an &C
tress. who, when asked once II she
had ever been in Kansas City, replied,
can't just remember. but I will
look among my towels and see;" and
the second. the narrative of the young
man who was obliged to break OF his
engagement because as he left the
dining room of large hotel with his
fiancee number Of forks and spoons
fell from the sleeves OF her gown.
The house detectives have devised a
plan whereby the man or woman who
wants to take souvenir from q big
hotel finds his path blocked with
many obstacles. H.
First, the detective Is provided with
complete list of everything which
is owned by the hotel. Then he dele
gates the responsibility for the care
of them to various head walters, wait
ers, housekeepers and chamberma1ds.
Then he gets list each day OF new
arrivals and of those who are pre-
pairing to leave. From these lists Of
occupied rooms the detective picks
out the places where trouble might
arise and into these he goes with his
subdivided lists and checking-up
book.
The chambermaid is required to
give an exact accounting OF every piece
of linen she has supplied to the man
or woman who is about to leave. This
Is in turn taken to the laundries,
where balance is made. If there Is
q precise balance the matter ends
there, but woe to the woman who
believes that the towels she placed
carefully in her locked trunk will not
be missed"
Her trunks and bags. on their way
downstairs; are carried to the base
ment floor and there the house detec-
tive, with the aid CT a skeleton key,
goes through them In search of lost
hotel linen.
It is very gently removed and
checked up on the housemaid's list.
and the trunk Is carefully repacked
and relocked Nothing is left to give
warning that tho search has been
made. And nothing, is said to the de-
parting guest
She goes on her way. and is usually
perplexed to account for the fact that
the towels and pillow cases that she
knows well she put into her trunk
have disappeared.
And in the case Of silverware the
matter is almost as simple. though
remedying these thefts requires TAX
ing into your confidence ut least the
man who pays the bill. Every waiter
has his eye trained to count up the
silverware while he is placing the
finger bowls, and II SO much as one
small spoon is not where 1t should be,
It is placed upon the bill.
It used to be a fad tn have collec-
ton OF spoons from the hotels and
cafes. The women seemed bent on
carrying off something to prove that
they had been Thereon perhaps to
remind themselves OF party they
didn't want to forget
One of the house detectives OF q
big Broadway hotel took occasion to
vindicate theatrical people from their
time-honored reputation OF taking
anything out of hotel that wasn't
nailed down.
"You know that old story OF the
roller towels in all the theatrical
hotels and boarding houses, SO that
actors couldn't steal Them" he said.
well, that does for the comic sup
Element. but it's not fair. The trunks
we have to rife to rescue the house