Hotel detectives and the art of shadowing guests
A New York hotel detective, David J. Larkins, explains that true detective work relies on shadowing without detection. He outlines how to observe regular guests, identify suspicious strangers, and handle high grade sneak thieves who case rooms during dinners. He recalls a case where a guest named Watson stole $200 worth of clothes and was jailed after a chase from the Grand Central area to pawnbrokers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York
David J. Larkins
Mr. Larkins
Lear
Watson
Baltimore
Grand Central Hotel
New York Hotel
Philadelphia
Bowery
New York Commercial Advertiser
Morosini Home on the Hudson and its unusual features
The Riverdale estate of Gioianni P Morosini near the Hudson is noted for a museum of military arms and exotic animals. Parrots and tropical birds greet passersby while kennels house many dogs and horses. A flock of sheep and herd of rare cattle graze beyond the meadows. Two ministers in the Fiftieth congress are Stewart of Georgia and McKinney of New Hampshire.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Morosini
Hudson
Gioianni P. Morosini
Riverdale
Museum of Military Arms
River Avenue
New York Tribune
Stewart
Georgia
McKimney
New Hampshire
Our Own by Mrs. Clara 1. Meath
A reflective poem noting how the small chill near our feet can sap strength yet affirming the enduring love for one’s own. It muses on distant lands and brighter skies while concluding each person still cherishes their own ties and loyalties.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lauwn
Clara
Meath
Rice Throwing at Weddings The Peach Blossom Legend
Origin of the custom traced to a Chinese tale from the Shang era. Peachblossom outwits sorcerer Chao Kung by rice at the door to avert a doomed marriage, then faces rival magics in a nocturnal contest. The story ends with Peachblossom and Chao ascending as gods.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Uhere
Shansi
Chao
Prang
P’ang
Pang
Great Cho
Plang
Peachblossom
Chao Kung
Prince Albert Victor as Exquisite of the George IV Type
The London Letter describes Prince Albert Victor, eldest son of the Prince of Wales, as modeling himself on Ouida heroes with a taste for knickknacks. He favors ivory brushes, perfumes in his bath, and refined note paper, yet pays promptly for luxuries and avoids ostentatious attire, appearing stately and solemn.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Prince of Wales
Blair
Prince Albert Victor
Ouida
Eis
Eau de Cologne
Ufe
England
Poole
London
The Life of a Grasshopper and a US Army General
An essay notes grasshoppers mature in stages from grub to winged insect and die by year end, then shifts to biography of William Selby Harney, born near Nashville in 1800, who rose in the US Army and was brevetted major general in 1865.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Gentleman’s Magazine
United States Army
William Selby Harney
Nashville
Temm
Cavalry Deserter Hunts in the Mississippi Hills
William B. Field describes a civil war era cavalry mission in Scott and Lake counties Mississippi to hunt deserters and draft dodgers. The detail hunted wary households, subverted hides, and endured brutal, tense captures highlighting the harsh realities of pursuit in dense woods and rough terrain.
Bicycle Lessons Teach a New View of Pedestrians and Drivers
The London Standard notes cycling alters a man’s perspective as he shares the road with pedestrians and drivers. It describes drivers as imposing social power, cyclists learning caution around horses and carts, and the new moral impact of interacting with the “outspoken” public.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Butcher Boy
Vate
Jos
Hsi
Bib
Tucker
London Standard
Garden of Laborde in Cuernavaca: a colonial jewel
The Garden of Laborde, Cuernavaca, laid out by the Frenchman Laborde nearly 150 years ago, features a grand central lake, artificial islets, and tropical flora. Adjoining church and convent decay as the grounds offer a lavish retreat once enjoyed by the pious owner and later visitors.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cuernavaca
Labord
Laborde
Mexico
Bellevues
Philadelphia Record
Codfish in Harness at Fort Popham Catches Attention
A young man at Fort Popham kept a cod weighing about thirty pounds alive in a hogshead. He harnessed the fish with twine and released it into the water, inviting a young lady to ride its back. A life preserver was used as she held the reins, the cod moving swiftly at depth until rescuers intervened to prevent disaster. Warne MacVeagh, at a London Savage Club dinner, quipped about Americans admiring and paying for pictures and actors, and stealing books.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Fort Popham
Portland Arge
Warne MacVeagh
Savage Club
London
Also Mentioned on This Page
Scott and
Lake Counties
Mississippi
Armbush
Stowers
Sergt. Howard
William B Field
Philadelphia Times
Mexico’s “Garden of Laborde
Illinois
OWA
Wisconsin
Michigan
Minnesota
Dakota
Nebraska
Wyoming
Chicago
Milwaukee
ST. Paul
Minneapolis
Council Bluffs
Omaha
Free Lands
Black Hills
California
H. A. Gross
Lancaster
Marvin Hughitt
H.c.wicker
P.wilson
Fragie
Gen. Pass
GEO, A. Macbeth & CO
Pittsburgh
Grapoline
ESM
Darlin E.ag
Arch St
Philadeiomia
L. G. Noyes
Warren, Pa
A. W. Worck
L. G. Notes
Acker
Noyes
Cute
Chiron
Tihol Catara Gaus Co
Dishing
Paice
Pentegliania
Merck Drug Store
UAW
H. Sandborn
Warren
N. K
Ron’ Ee
Hesselroth
Bae
Hesselrath
Tiesselroth
Jayer
Laurence Resselrote
Chicago Ave
E. Bartsch
Water St
Diamond Block
Axle Frazer Cits
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!