Always a Cold Deck — Crib Sheet — (3 pages)
Web Page – streetcarmysteries.com/always
Glossary
American plan – A hotel room rented with meals included.
chippie – A promiscuous young woman; a prostitute.
cold deck – A deck of cards that's been marked or rigged to cheat.
drummer – A salesman, hawker.
European plan – A hotel room rented without meals included.
fly – Wise to, hip, aware.
I should smile – An expression of disbelief, along with mild contempt.
panel house – A brothel where a hidden panel is used by an associate of the prostitute to enter the room and steal from her customer while he is distracted.
parlor house – A brothel or disorderly house of a higher class.
play horse with – To ridicule or make sport of.
Characters
Sadie Collins (aka Sadie Parker) – A woman of changeable affections and uncertain reputation.
William "Fingy" Conners – Buffalo's Boss Conners has his remaining fingers in many pies.
Detective James Donahy – Buffalo policeman of unknown loyalties.
Charles Elwell – A lawyer and Secretary of the Eastern Elevator Co.; recently disappeared.
Charlie Elwell – Charles Elwell’s son, also a lawyer.
Nell Elwell – Charles Elwell’s wife.
Samuel Keegan – The proprietor of the Gotham Insurance Bureau.
Ed Ketchum – An insurance investigator who specializes in arson.
Colonel Livingston – A semi-retired police inspector in Toronto.
Emily McGinnis – Charles Elwell’s niece and an employee of the Eastern Elevator Co.
Robert Mason – The original superintendent of the Eastern Elevator Co.; whereabouts unknown.
General Chester Osgood – A lawyer and President of the Eastern Elevator Co.
Catherine Osgood – The General's daughter.
Carlotta Reese (aka Cissie Lightner) – Harry's cousin who works the vaudeville circuit.
Whitey Schuler – Boss Conners' jack-of-all-trades.
William Stark – Inspector of Detectives in Toronto.
Danny Sullivan – Saloon owner and former employee of the Eastern Elevator Co.
Jack Whitner – A mysterious acquaintance of the Elwells’.
