The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1847-10-28
A SCENE IN A GAMBLING HOUSE.

Tue IoIIOWing very remarkable ctrcum.
stance is vouchcd for by Green, the reform
cd gambler, which VIC condcnsc from his
work on gambling. There is a degree Of 70.
nance attached, that in manner relieves
es il Of the horror excited by the catastro-
pho. u occurred at New Orleans some
years ag0.
A ca-cnptnin was in the hnbit of free
quenting roulette table, kept by French
men in company with party Of gamblers.
Green remarks thu. they played with
more fairness then, than is customary or
general with them now. The captain was
evidently influenced in his visits more with
q wish to kill time than passion for the
sport. lie had visited tho room frequent
~, and his invariablc bet was twenty five
cents, and winner or loser he never in
creased il, he visited the place on the night
in question.
The sea-captoin, having placed his bet
on the red, sat with his head leaning on
his hand, rs if awaiting the result Of the
game. The wheel started again, but the
captain did not move, aud contrary to the
usual practice, the amount Of his bet was
doubled. lie won the second, third, fourth,
and fifth, the sum doubling each time
Thus il went on TO the eight time, when
the gamblers began to be excited, and Ut.
tcring loud curses, cXclaimed-'.llc wins
again" AZ this, many who were in the
room gathered round tho table. The re-
suit Of the ninth and tenth being tho same
ono Of them cried out--"IIe's iool!-whv
don't he make sure OF what no has won 7"
Tho eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth,
brought the same results, mud many cxclaim-
ed--''llc is mad!' Blu, the game went on
and tho captain continued the same. The
fourteenth was in his favor. At the fii.
tccnth, thousands were nj stake, from the
small beginning oftwcnty- five cents, aud
NIL eyes seemed fixed in a,nnzcmcnt. Still
he won. The sixteenth was the samc.--
The bankers vocifcratcd curses upon the
whcel-playcr. Others urged tho cnptain to
Withdraw at least, a part Of his winnings
Sixteen thousand dollars was nj stake for
the seventeenth, The ball flew like Iigh,.
ming; but there was no change. The mo
ncy was piled up before the captain in
heavy bank-notcs, but he moved not a lin
ger, nor uttered word. At this juncture,
a husky voice IN scaman's phraze. wns
heard-"lIanl in! old captain, you don't
bet all That pile against this set Of land.
pirates haul inland hand was stretch
cd forth from one at the table, graspiug the
money nnd deposi,ing il in hat. II was
the FIRST mate Of the Captains vessel
Having thus secured the money, he seized
the captain by the shoulder, saying-"lt
is time 10 hoist sail; YOU have full cargo;
when, horrible to relate, tho corpse
Of the captain tell against him. lie had
been sitting with his head upon his hand
throughout oil this exciting scene; having
died while in tho act Of betting his first
quarter. The mate called for water, and
dashcd il in his facc-thcn for spirits; but
NIL ctiorts To rcsuscitatc him were vain.--
Life was extinct.
Green then goes on 10 dctniI tho result.
The Gamblers then demanded that the
money should be refunded; but the mate
Ind rolled il up in a handkerchief, pu. i, in
to the hands Of cabin boy, and charged
him 10 run lor his life To the ship, and de-
liver il 10 the clerk, and summons the crow
to the gambling house. Tho tnmult and
confusion were SO great that the boy slipped
out unnoiiccd.
When the corpse was laid on tho plank,
the gamblers again demanded the money
from the mate, stating that a. tho captain
had undoubtedly died while betting the first
quarter, justice required that tho money
should be returned 10 the banker. The
mate, in tone Of defiance, replied that the
orphan children Of the captain needed tho
money, md should have il. Force was
threatened il he refused To deliver il up
Seeing that their threats were UNDECIDED
they rushed upon him with violence, sciz
ing his hat, aud bore !, OF, surprising that
they had thus secured the money; but 1,
their surprise, the hat was empty. Alarge
number, who we're present, took pnrt with
and great excitement prevailed through
out the house. An assault was made OF
the mate. Some cried one thing, and som,
another. "Down with hint" "Get III;
money!" "Lct him alone!' "You hav,
no right to rob him!"--minglcd with oaths
imprecations, and curses. At this momcn
twenty or thirty ofshe ships crew rushed
in, and one word from the mate brought
them to his rescue, md the gamblers were
soon made 10 stand nj distance. Some
thing was said respecting the money, which
led the sailors to suppose that the mate hat
been robbed, md they were about 70 rusl
upon Monsieur Grampin, asihc proper per
son to indemnify him for any loss he might
have sustained, but were deferred by III,
entrance Of tho wntch, armed with shor
swords. The sailors knew the character
Of this posse, made up Of what were called
among them, "wharf rnt Frcnchmnn," sns
wcre M more dn,antcd nv their Array III