Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser., 1842-10-29
GAMING HOUSES IN LONDON.


GAMING HOUSES IN LONDON.
The gaming housos Of London-at
a,ed in the modern and elegant quarter OF
the town and are among the greatest
wonders Of this world Of houses and hu
man beings. In The slang Of the town.
such dens Of vice and plumber are desig.
nated heVs-a name too applicable to the
nature Of the business transacted within
them. We are creGblv informed by the
author of Life in the West, recent pro.
duct,on, that these houses are fitted up in
a style Of extraordinary splendor, and
that their expenses are enormous, though
no'hin in comparison to the profits rea-
lized. One house is supported at an cx-
pense Of a'housand pounds week. The
next in cmincnce costs a hundred and fif-
~ pounds+a week.. and the minor ones
vary from fifty 10 eighty pounds. Each
house has regular complement Of Off.
clals, who are paid extravagant salairs.
The inspectors or overlookers are paid
from six to eight pounds a week each !;
the ''croupiers,'' or dealers, three to six
pounds; the walters and por:ers two
pounds; and person who keeps look
out after the police officers, to give warn
ing Of their approach, two pounds. The
money disburscd for secret information.
wines, &c. cannot be easily ascer,ained,
but must be very large.
Every thing in the interior Of these
mansions is elegant; but certain things
betoken the dreadful and hazardous ma.
ture Of the establishment. The doors
and window shutters are fortified with
strong iron plates, so that an ingress by
violence is a tardy and difficult matter.
There is one Of these iron doors at the
bottom Of the stairs, one near the top, and
a third al the entrance into the gaming
room. These are opened and closed one
after the other,as the person ascends or
decends. In each Of the doors there is
little round glass peep hole, for~the por-
ters TO take deliberate view Of all per-
sons deslrous ol admittance, in order 10
keep out or let in whom they choose.
An unsophisticated person would ma
iurals enough suppose from this account,
that none but those Of great courage
would dare to penetrate into the heart Of
these establishments; bat it must be ex-
planned that there is nothing like gruf.
ness on jailerism in the keepers Of the
mansion. The wholeis placed on an easy
gen;cel footing. No ciyiIi,y can equa,
that Of the walters, while the condescen
sion Of the proprietcrs or bankers. the
refreshments and wine, all combined,
have an interesting and deceptive inilu
ence upon the inexperienced and unre-
flecting mind But what kind of people
sre they who keep such houses? are they
born particular class? By n. means
In London there is always a largo num-
,ber Of individuals, tho refuse Of every
raak; and the natives Of every county,
floating on the surface oi society. ready
TO engage in any desperate under
taking, provided it can bring money into
the pocket, and indulgence to I pas
sions. Tho proprieiors Of these houses
arc composed Of a Heterogeneous mass Of
wornout gamblers, blacklcgs, horsedea
'ers, Jockeys, Wallets, oettifngging lawyers.
low tradesmen, men in business. who
have failed through their debauchcrv.
and others OF a similar stamp. They
dress IN the first style of fashion. keen
country horses, carriages, horses, and
tate sumPtuousy: hsdizcn themselves out
with valuable gold watches, chains, seals,
diamond and other rings. costly snuff
boxes. &c. property, with bu. little ex.
ception. originally belonging to unfor-
tuna,es, who had been fleeced Of every
thing, and who, in the moment of dis
tress, parted with them for a mere ;rl,.
Some have got into large private man
slons, and keep first.ratc establishments.
Persons, with a very superficial know
ledge Of the world, can easily discern
through the thin disguise of gentlemen
they assume.
Tho degree Of blackguardism, villany,
and wasteiul protusion which character.
lzes these infamous establishments, will
doubtless appal the minds Of thousands OF
our respectable aud Industrious readers:
but there is "a use III thus unfolding scenes
capable o. soaring tho unwary man Of
properly. or those in desperate crcun-
stances. fromthe gaming table. while the
vlrtuous portion of the communion. in
reading such accounts Of what is hourly
transacting-nighl and day, Sunday as
we'll as every other day in the week. in
the mctropois-wili draw closer together,
and learn to be thankful that their simple
and honest occupations do not lead them
into the way of such unhalowed tempta
tons
The 10Th Of May, 1880, was remark
able day. Candles we're lighted in many
houses; tic birds were si.cnt and disap
peared and the fowls re ired 10 roust.-
lhe Legislature OF Connecticut was then
IN session+at Hartford A very general
opinion prevailed, that the day Of iuls-
meul was at hand. The House of Re-
personalities, being unable to transact,
their business, adjourned. A proposa! 10
adjournlhe Council was under consideras
tion. Abraham Davenport, Of Stamford,
was then member Of the Legislature !;
and his opinion being asked, he answer
ed, q am against an adjournment. The
LAY OF Judgment is either approaching,
or il is not. Ills it not. there is no cause
iot an Adjournment: ii it is, choose 10
be fonna doing niy.oMty; wish. therefore,
thar candies may be brought
SnMErulNc Nc,v n,a,all;., hnll..n