May 21, 1999 - SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES and executives at the Inn at Spanish Bay, a posh hotel owned by the Pebble Beach Company, are investigating a guest who somehow managed to run up a stupendous hotel bill of $90,000 which he said he couldn't pay when he was finally asked to leave the five-star resort on May 19. 

When Deputy Pat Grover responded to a call from the Inn he found Henry Pearlberg of Aptos, his wife and a domestic employee still in the two-bedroom suite they had occupied since March 25. Pearlberg indicated that he planned to "make good" on his bill, according to Grover, but he did not have the funds to pay. 

"We are investigating whether a crime has been committed. The man said he was going to make arrangements to pay the bill," Grover said.Suites like the one used by Pearlberg and his entourage normally rent for $1,065 per day (for a forest view) or $1,150 (for a full ocean view), according to a reservations clerk at Spanish Bay. Fifty-six days at that rate would add up to about $60,000, not counting taxes. Pearlberg's final bill included room service and other charges and totalled $90,000, according to the sheriff's department. Pearlberg was escorted out of the hotel. 

The situation, not to mention the gigantic bill, is extremely unusual, according to Pebble Beach Executive Vice President Mark Stilwell. "I don't recall a circumstance like this ever before," he said. "Our guests are typically extremely conscientious about paying their bills and our staff is conscientious about following up with required security."Stilwell said the usual scenario is for a guest to provide security upon check-in, and to have charges deducted from that security on a weekly basis. 

"We would typically require a credit card or cash security for the duration of the anticipated stay. If the stay is extended beyond that point, we require additional security," Stilwell said.The Inn is investigating how Pearlberg managed to stay nearly two months without paying any of his bill.