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The proprietor of the International hotel from 1929-1943 was Matt Hayes. He inherited the business from his father, also called Matt Hayes. He moved from the hotel into a lavish apartment above the Bank of Hamilton where he lived with his brother Eddie. He lived an increasingly lavish lifestyle enjoying good food and large parties. In response to this his size began rapidly to increase. He could afford this lifestyle as, in addition to running the hotel, he was a bookmaker. And not a small time bookmaker either. He handled the larger bets that smaller bookies in Hamilton couldn’t. He accepted heavy bets through the telegraph, known as the “”hot wire stuff” from the States with bets running into the thousands of dollars on a “hot nag”.

He used some of his money to help out neighbours when they needed food or other kinds of assistance. Matt, however, was becoming increasingly hampered by his excesses and his weight had increased to almost 400 pounds. His brother Eddie had to help him dress and tie his shoes. His doctor, Thomas Balfe, warned him that he only had about 2 years to live if he did not lose weight. Gambling right to the end he refused to give up his lifestyle and almost to the day, two years later, on September 26, 1943 just a month before his 49th birthday, he died.