Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 111, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 October 1899 — HOTEL SERVANTS ARE HONEST. [ARTICLE]

HOTEL SERVANTS ARE HONEST.

They Are Often Accused of Stealins, bat Are Rarely Guilty. “A curious thing happened here today,” said the head clerk at one of the leading hotels in New Orleans to a Times-Democrat man. “About a month ago a gentleman and his wife, from Milwaukee, spent a couple of days in the house, and on leaving the lady missed a valuable ring. She was positive she left it on the dresser and equally positive it had been stolen by one of the servants. We set an investigation on foot and promised to forward the ring if found. A little later the husband wrote to inquire whether the search had been successful, and When we replied in the negative he notified us that he. proposed to sue the hotel. He claimed we had shown great negligence in not arresting a suspected employe, and his comments were bitter in the extreme. That was two weeks ago. “Now here is the sequel in the shape of a third letter that arrived this morning. He says that he and his wife reached home a few days ago and in unpacking the luggage found the ring in one of the trunks, and he is manly enough to add a very handsome apology for his hasty conclusions. Strange to say, thgt is the first time in the history of the house that any guest has frankly admitted such a blunder after taking his departure, and blunders of that kind are of almost weekly occurrence. “It is the commonest thing in the world at all hotels for persons to go away declaring that they have been robbed by the help. We know the missing article subsequently turned up, because the subject is. never referred to during later visits, but in the meanwhile a score or so of humble, but honest and hard-working people, have been placed under a suspicion that is wholly unwarranted and unjust. That is a point the average traveler doesn’t seem to consider. Hotel chambermaids are continually returning .valuables which they find in rooms. Dishonesty among them Is so rare as to be almost unknown.” ’