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Old Waldorf Bar Days
And Joe had a big reputation. Just how much of it
was due to his own exploits is a matter open to speculation,
despite a book published shortly after the close of the old
hotel, which was supposed to relate some of the mysteries
and adventures in which Joe had starred as hero.
There was, for instance, the tale of his chase of the
"human fly"-a story Joe never tired of telling. He had a
passion for beingwritten up. And during the last four years
of the old Waldorf's existence, if this writer were asked to
name how many times Joe suggested that his biography
be written, he would lose count, trying to check up.
There were times when crooks of many stripes would
look upon the Waldorf as a happy hunting-ground. Ev–
erybody who stopped in the place was supposed to be
bulging with money. Some were. Wire-tappers, green
goods men, adventuresses, promoters of all sorts ofworth–
less mines, sellers of "blue-sky" literature, pickpockets,
touters for "fancy houses," criminals of every class, just
longed to get into that place and operate.
Sometimes they did effect entrance. But Joe was al–
ways on the watch and he kept himself familiar with
the Rogues' Gallery pictures at Police Headquarters,
and sometimes he could scare them out.
If
they came
in numbers, Joe had an effective recourse. It was rather
a different method
Of
sleuthing from that open to most
detectives-even hotel detectives.
THE WAY OF A SLEUTH
A word from a manager tcl'someone connected with the
hotel who knew "Ed" Hill, or some other friendly news–
paper reporter with a sense of humor, and then: "Say,
Ed, can't you give Joe Smith a story? We need it."
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