The Law of Inns, Hotels and Boarding Houses, A Treatise Upon the..

1888. Engagingly Written Treatise on Hotel Law Illustrated With Anecdotes Wandell, Samuel H. [1860-1943]. The Law of Inns, Hotels and Boarding Houses, A Treatise Upon the Relation of Host and Guest. Rochester, NY: Williamson & Higbie, 1888. First Edition. Octavo (9" x 6"). [5], xix, 271 pp. Modern period-style quarter calf over maroon cloth sides. Spine featuring two gilt-lettered leather labels and gilt rule accents. Renewed matching endpapers. Text block shows light, uniform toning but remains crisp and internally clean. A very good, tightly bound copy of an uncommon Gilded Age legal text. $350. * First edition. An engagingly written treatise on hospitality law, notable for its seamless integration of colorful historical anecdotes. Beyond standard common law considerations regarding hotel theft, fire, and property damages, Wandell's work is historically significant for capturing American infrastructure and civil rights at a major crossroads. Published just five years after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Civil Rights Act of 1875, the text provides critical contemporary insight into late 19th-century civil rights legislation and public accommodation access. It also addresses the emerging legal framework governing railroad sleeping cars, tracking how the Gilded Age transportation boom legally transformed the ancient relationship between host and guest. Wandell was a member of the Syracuse, New York bar and a versatile writer who also authored The Law of the Theatre and a well-regarded biography of Aaron Burr.