The Washington times., 1918-06-02
11 7 And HOw Her Distressing
! Experience Brings Before
the Courts a Question Never Before
Raised, Namely, FG Respectable
Guest Is ImpuLsiUeLy Kissed
and FOndIed byG BibuLOus Stranger
Must the Hotel Pay for NegLecting
A nn. ARTHUR E CLIFFORD VII. of TO Protect Its GueStS2

n ERS. ARTHUR E. CLIFFORD, wife Of
M New York man with Fifth ave
ANA nue. business, has brought a law.
suit entirely unprecedented in legal form
and of profound social and personal inter
est.
She claims $4,000 damages from the
great Hotel Biltmore for permitting an
unknown man to kiss her in one of its
elevators. The Biltmore is, as most per-
sons know, one of the newest, largest and
gayest of New York's fashionable hotels.
Persons of highly diversified character
and temperament throng such places. To
decide how far the owners are responsible
for the moral conduct Of their guests pre-
sents very delicate and interesting prob
lem. There is undoubtedly certain obli-
cation to maintain order and protect
guests, but this cannot cover every i'm
modest act or gesture.
It may be argued that the hotel cannot
be held responsible If an impulsive man
implants one sudden, unexpected kiss upon
a fair visitor, but should II permit him to
bestow two or more? Should It not main
tain vigilant lookout for men who show
a tendency toward, promiscuous and un-
welcome OSCILLATION and other indecorous
conduct?
The fashionable hotel provides a tempt
ing variety Of places Of recreation and
expenditure within its walls. There are
roof gardens, palm gardens, chicken runs"
"dovecotes," skating rinks, tea parlors,
dancing halls and happy corners" in these
modern palaces of luxury. A certain pro
prietary chaperonage must be considered
desirable for such gathering places.
Mrs. Clifford recently told the story Of
the unwelcome kiss to a visitor. In ap-
pearance she is attractive and re-
fined. She has been prostrated for long
time with an illness which developed dur
ing the Winter, and which she thinks may
be partly due to her distressing experience.
81 took a room at the hotel with my
friend, Mrs. Carvan, of Boston, last Fall"
said Mrs Clifford. Our apartment in town
was not ready for us Just then and my
husband had been away. He had an &C
count at the hotel. l took my friend
there because thought it the most enjoyS
able place for a short stay. She had been
spending the Summer in Lenox and came
to New York to see the Fall fashions and
have a little holiday.
"On Labor Day, September 8, l had given
up my room About o'clock in the after
noon we went up to the nineteenth floor
intending to have lunch at the Cascades.
AS we walked out on the floor we noticed
a young girl running away and showing
signs of confusion. We also saw two we'll
dressed but very much intoxicated men, the
ones who afterward insulted us so out
rageously. The hotel boys and male en-
ployes were laughing merrily at these men
and making ludicrous gestures. In the
light of our later experiences, ] feel sure
that the two men had been annoying one
of the hotel girls.
I'VE we're informed by a waiter that the
Cascades dining room was closed and we
decided to go downstairs for lunch. We
stopped. however for about ten minutes
on the roof feeding the pigeons. rms Is
one Of the innocent pastimes provided for
the hotel guests.
Then we returned toward the elevator
As we passed the group one Of the drunken
men called out:
A Diagrammatic Picture Showing
Exactly What Happened to Mrs.
Arthur Clifford, According to
Her Own Statement, on Her
Way from the Nineteenth to
! the Ground Floor of the
\ Hotel BiItmore-How She
Was Rugged and Kissed by
One Well Dressed Stranger
While His
Comp anion
q n Annoyed Her
%CI| Friend and
{ < @ the Elevator
- ~ BoyLoOked on
.A-1 With Cheerful
Indifference.