Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-12-02
THEFTS IN HOTELS
Traps to Catch Guests That Have
the Souvenir Fad.
DETECTIVES AND DIPLOMACY

The Two Combine In a Very Effective
Way to Foil the Efforts Of Those Who
Feel It Duty to Help Themselves
to Fine Linen and silverware
The concerted action Of the Ii,nse d,
tectives Of all the large hotels in .ine
lea has carefully extracted the point
from two erstwhile excellent stories
the first, ascribed to Adele Ritchie.
who. when asked once if she had ever
beeu in Kansas City, replied, Il can't
just remember, but will look among
my towels and see," and the second
the more pathetic narrative of the
young man who was obliged to break
cf his engagement because as he left
The dining room of large hotel with
his tiancee number Of forks and
spoons fell from the sleeves of her
gown, for the house detectives have
devised system whereby the mau
or woman who wants to take souve
mir from big hotel finds her path be-
set with almost insurmountable diff
culties.
The matter is carried on with the
greatest artfulness There are no
hurt feelings" no bones broken. no
arrests made.
The house detectives simply extract
the unrightfully attached articles as
painlessly as they extract the points
from old stories, and in the great ma
jorlty Of cases the frustrated borrow
err never knows at all what happened
to him.
First the detective is provided with
II complete list of everything which is
owned by the hotel--every particle Of
linen, silver. soap. etc. Then he dele
gates the responsibility for the care OF
them to various head walters. walters.
housekeepers and chambermaids.
Then he gets list each day Of new
arrivals and Of those who having re-
manned few days are preparing to
leave. From these lists Of occupied
rooms the detective calculates the
areas where trouble might possibly
brew 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 Of those sheets. towels.
etc. which have come out of each
room. II there is a precise balance the
matter ends there. but woe to the wo-
man 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 simply carried to the
basement floor as II by chance. and
there the house detective. with the aid
Of a skeleton key. goes through them
In search Of lost hotel linen.
It is very gently removed and check
ed up ON the housemaid's list, and the
trunk is carefully repacked and re-
locked. Nothing is left to give warn
ing that the search has been made.
and nothing is ever by any renotest
chance said to the departing guest.
She is sent cheerily on her way re-
joicing and Ii usually perplexed out of
all reason to account for the fact that
the towels and pillow cases that she
knows well she put into her trunk
have mysterlously disappeared.
DO you suppose for moment that
this is an extreme case nor even q
rare one? II happens on an average
once day In every large hotel in
New York and with almost as astound-
ing frequency in Roston. Philadelphia
and Chicago,
And in the case Of silverware the
matter IL almost MS simple. though
remedying these therts requires taking
into your confidence at least the man
who pays the hill. for every waiter has
had his eye trained to count mp the sill.
verware while he is placing the finger
bowls, and II so much as one small
spoon Is not where II should be II is
unostentatiously placed upon the bill.
The hotel graciously leaves II to the
discretion Of the escort as to whether
or not the culprit shall be told. But at
least II does not permit him TO be en-
lightened only by the helated method
OF leaky sleeve
Again. the head waiter will assure
you that this happens, not once or
twice. but ceaseIessly
MANY woman that thinks she''
rot away with II would he surprised to
know that It is down IN black and
white on her escorts check and that
both he and the hotel know just how
many spoons and forks she is taking
home with her" said Que genial head
waiter who Viewed the business with
considerable Indulgence. = New York
] Times
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