Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-07-15
Daily ShOrf SlOx'y
Turn That Key
MAILER, turn that Key :"


years on this job, Old Tom had
heard those y words Men had
begged. berated, browbeatcn ana
tried 10 bride him-but he never
waVered
Listen" he would say my
Jobs 10 stand guard here. No
man gets by except over
IL was the pride OF ms life that
no man vet had Got either by or
over until-but that's oar story.
II was a hot Saturday night IN
midsummer and Old Tom sat
brooding behind his desk This
night shift was a dull Job, p man
had 10 pinch himself to stay awake.
Here il was only bit after H.
already he'd gone through the pa
per. heard the news reports. I'm
iShed his detective story. II would
be hours before the day man came
on -. lie reached for his thcfmoS
of black coffee.
"Jailer. turn that key
With a leap he was on ms feet
perhaps now Is the time 10 explain
that Old Tom was not a taller IN
the strict sense of the word. As
porter OF the San Pedro. a theatre
cal hotel i'm the heart Of Broad
way. his duties were somewhat the
same, however.
When guests got behind in their
bills and were locked out OF their
rooms. their baggage was held as
hostage till they paid up As Gus
todian of impOunded trunks. Tom
had 10 hear all kinds of pleas.
Sometimes when actors asked
for a suit OF their own clothes 10
sec some manager about a job his
heart went out TO them. IF Miss
Fitz says okay, YOU can have all
the suits you got" he would say.
SHE'S OLD IRoNSIDES
Miss Fitz was the hotel cashier,
unfondly known by guests as
Scrooge. Old Ironsides and Marble
heart. A psychiatrist might have
explained scientifically the frus-
trations that made this damsei so
desiccated. but Toms diagnosis
was simpler.
poor old maid. no man ever
looked at that ugly phiZ, so she
tries 10 get even with the SEX"
She got even where il hurt
actors most--the purse She
seemed TO take Sadistic JOY in
evicting the handsomest hunks of
man on Broadway, gloating when
their wardrobe went under lock
and key.
eff she wasn't such a fiend, I'd
feel sorry for the critter," Tom
would tell enraged guests. "Sure
her only pleasure Is lookin' at
the luggage locked In this dun
geon. She's a case for the sick
opaths' ward up I'm Bellevue"
Because Miss FitZ was always
Drowling in his precinct. Tom had
20 be firm and stern with all COM
crs. Not only would she fire him,
but she threatened TO put the law
on any man caught trespaSSlng in
the trunk room.
So il was more than head
ache, IL was a heartache Tom felt
when ne recognized the voice that
now pleaded: "Jailer, turn that
key!"
A staIwart lad with swapping
black eyes, in the uniform OF the
A. A. c. put out his hand. His
insignia ranked him as second lieu
|. tenant, but for Toms money he
could be major or general, or both.
Wayne Albee was the old mans.
white-headed lad of all who had
ever had their baggage held in his
basement. Up or down on his luck,
the young actor always had grin
on his good looking phiz, and was
up to some trick for a laugh.
TRIES TO SHAME HER
Half a dozen times his one and
only trunk had been in hook. 1t
was there when he left for camp.
Tom tried 10 shame Miss FitZ into
releasing il when the papers car
ried the news of Lieutenant Al
bees citation in a plane crash.
eff he comes back, he'll have
ample funds TO pay his bill"
said the woman. "Officers get
good pay. and free board be-
sides"
Looking now at the firm, filed
out form before him, Tom OBJ
served:
eyer Iookin' well fed"
"First time since you've known
me, huh ?" Wayne Albee grinned.
"Everything's aces with me,
Tom, but I'm In jam you can
help me out Of"
"Me?" the old man gaspcd.
"Fm just In for two days and
7 need TO get into my trunk"
He winked. Something very
special In the wind"
Tom knew that wink.
$50 there's gerrl In the
case" he sighed II might "a
known you wouldn't change"
But ! have" said the lieu
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