The Washington times., 1917-01-15
CROOKS KICKED OUT.
OF WALDORF HOTEL
international Sharpsters, Male
and Female, Evicted From
Peacock Alley.

NEW YORK, Jan. 15.-Some noble
men, unknown, alas, to Debrett, to
Burke or to the Almanach de Gotha
have been propelled Zone hesitates in
the case of these elegant ones to en-
ploy the crude term kicked q the al
most equally crude word booted) from
the warm and comfortable corridors
of the waldorf-evicted from one
OF the worlds most hopeful hunt
ing grounds, Peacock Alley.
With them departed certain ladies
of melting manners and impossible
pasts-laties that have flashed their
inviting glances and swished their
Turing silks in better times in every
gay capital OF Europe. The Riviera
knew them once and quite. unfAvor-
ably. There are interesting biog-
raphies Of them on file in the prefec-
ture of police in Paris. Petrograd has
memories of them, Scotland Yard
cherishes their portraits. They are
aware of the most rapid methods of
departure from Vienna.
The cruel war, bringing about as
Il did a most annoying state of mind
-on the part of the European police,
drove them TO the only part Of the
United States they know or care
about, New York, and OF course to the
American hotel which is probably
most famous internationally, the Wal.
dorf.
Scotland Yard Memories.
Not that they lived there. because
most of them, despite the smartness
Of their raiment and the suavity of
their manners, choose for reasons of
discretion and economy to abide more
retiringly and modestly; but the Wal
dorf has been their hunting ground
on occasion; the set stage for their
shrewd acts of attempted crime. They
might perhaps have prospered had 1t
not been for the fact that the Wal
dorf possessed as superintendent OF
service and chief of it's own detective
bureau one Joseph z. Smith, late Of
Scotland Yard, who has a prodigious
memory for shady persons of attrac-
tive manners.
For months past the one time Scotland
Yard sleuth has been observing and
asserting the array Of pseudo Russian
princes and German barons and Eng
lish Daronets and Italian princelets and
the bevies of women. some very stun
ming, who used to haunt the great hotels
Of London and Paris and Berlin; the
denationalized card sharpers and gamb-
lers and bunco steerers who set snares
In Monte Carlo and Nice ard Dieppe
and in all the Fairgrounds Of Europe
for Americans with more money than
discretion.
Finishes His Game.
Just before frst cocktail time in the
Waldorf fecently Chief Joe went to
George C. Boldt, jr., son and successor
Of the man who made the Waldorf one
Of the worlds great hotels. and asked
for permission to flush the game.
"Go to it!' said young Mr.. Boldt
whereupon Chief Joe set his staff
in motion. Ten women detectives
that have been retained in the work
of the hotel secret service moved up
and down the corridors and through
the tea rooms, spotting the undesir-
abIes. They worked smoothly and
without the slightest fuss. Whenever
they saw q woman that the Waldorf
had decided to get along without
they went to her with extreme polite
ness and suggested that in this busy
season the management required
every detail OF accommodation for
their regular patrons. Eyes blazed.
Delicate manicured fingers curved
like claws, itching for the eyes OF
these inaolent skirted detectives.
Savage things were whispered under
breath. But they went and by night
fall the Waldorf was clean of the
sort that build warm friendships upon
q casual glance and then borrow as
heavily as the victim will stand