Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-03-05
PErrKsGunc, Fed. p6h. 1872

IL
MIR E1itor-Be not startled al my vsr;tin, vo, n
line respecting gamblers the law, Sc 1 nave no
disclosures TO make now, which, it the world were
good enough TO receive them, would do more meal
euaoiy 10 arrest the wee than any legislation how
ever ludicous. The trorii MOI rood ,notgb,
mean by that all that the expression IN every svl
laoie' imports; but mean especially 10 saw that
should expose IN detail the plan Of operations by
which certain class OF gamblers plurder I. cir as
soei'es' there are very many more apt and artiul,
VINO would practice II on others less apt and nrtful
than themselves. | speak from the book have
tried u. Whilst | was engaged IN detecting the
tricks OF the gambler. at short games [ explained
the plan. IN some OF It's varieties to some o my as.
soc'a,es who thought would De least disposed to
practice It for profit. My object IN telling them
was TO enable them TO keen others from imno,inr
on them. But, To- all of them, with one honorable
exception, siralshiway set about praclicins It for
profit That honorable exception was RoBERr
NATHAN BcorH, !ate OF LawTencevi Bruns-
"leh, Va. All who ever played at cards with him,
vii remember that he hard TO beat; but II was
not that he cheated Others bat that others could
not cheat him.
This note has been prompted by your editorial
Of the 23i inst, headed "GGHliHg Latr Gambling
Houses Sc. You therein say. "Althoueb We
have = settled idea that Faro can be,t US" sc; 1--WE
krow the ruin It brings on families" SC. Now is
true you nave HIT the nail, but not on the head as
!, was your aim 10 have done. You have HIT he
nail on the point, and drove Il out OF the most mis-
chevous part OF the vice. into the soft part OF the
community. You have only given flesh eXurcs -
son 10 the general opinion. oh YES! these gaming
houses-ihese "Hells"-how horrible Out oil
this mistake mas proceeded most Of he defects Of the
legislation on the subject. Look 10 our law, and
while i IS .enen', comparatively, to other gambling
i - or has been, cruel IN the pains and penalties
IN cied on the exhibitors OF the prohibited games
The exhibitors Of games do much ess mischief To
individuals who are duped, and 'esS deirlment TO
the public economy, by FAR, than is done by gam.
b.ers " no 20 not avoS themselves such by exhibit.
Ing games. | have known this course 4 events
often 10 happen: y, b, c, ID and +, pay at b .uf,
or other game, the three las, being pig ami the
other two, ptra'ts; they play tai late hour, G. d.
and l., ose, and tsayl u loses largely; Z says TO H.
you play with lad luck. and let's 20 10 Faro, and
Try your hand there" &c. We'll, they settle mp,
AMI ~ IS u thousand !oser-They 90 10 Faro
where u loses two hundred dollars The next dav
Il Is SAID al about, that y went 10 FARo and lost
arge sum OF money. No, a word is said of his
having lost with his friends, A and b. at the sho.t
game. Oh, no, that was a little private amuse-
meni among friends And A and b, the pirates.
took care when they went TO the Faro 10 get a pro
mise from 4, ID and +, the pigeons, that nothing
should be said about the bluff parry Thus. and
IN many similar ways the Faro dealer is made the
scape goa; Of the sins Of the secret, and unavowed
and unsuspecled gambler and plunterer Of his as
sociates.
Let the inquiry he conducted, and Il will be nscer
aned that nine 10 ten of those who are ruined Tor
have lost much, but stand it, at games at cards.
hive been first feeced by the secret sharps.
II am right IN all that, then it would be wise so
% alter the law Of this State land elsewhere), as 10
essen the penalties ogains, exhibitors OF games, and
Increase those against gambling AZ short genes
aver mat more than ten men who have heen
members OF the General Assembly of this State,
within The last ten years, have been known to me
20 be OF the number Of those who were and some of
mem yet are systematically engaged IN the unsus-
pected plunder to which have referred. There is
not town in Virginia in winch there IS no, some n
lhemi and IN every county in which am well ac-
luainied. They are often, by their general good
esteemed The very eiiie Of the community
IN which they live sc.
have made these suggestions for the public good.
Respectfully,
Il. r. COLLIER.