Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1849-11-07
Scene i'm a Clearinghouse.

scene Hi d
We take the following stirring sketch from
a story of more length, told in the "Recollec'
tons of a Police Officer In order to under
stand it, it is only necessary to say that the 20
lice Officer had been employed by the friends
or Merton to watch over him in his career Of
infatuation for play, and that Sanford, whose
surname was Carbon, had been an acquaintance
of the Policeman in former times, and calcula'
ted on him as an accomplice:
I was introduced in due form to Mr.. Merton
as an old and esteemed friend, whom he (Sand'
ford) had not seen for many months. AT the
conclusion of the ballet, Sanford proposed
that we should adjourn to the European Coffee
house, nearly opposite. This was agreed to
and out we sailed. At the top of the staircase
we jostled against the commissioner, who, like
US, was leaving the house. He bowed slightly
to Mr.. Merton's apology, and his eye wandered
briefly and coldly over our persons; but not the
~faintest sign of interest or recognition escaped
him. thought it possible he did not know
me in my changed apparel; but looking back
after descending a few steps, | was quickly un.
deceived. A sharp, swift glance, expressive
both of encouragement and surprise, shot out
from under his penthouse brows, and swiftly
vanished. He did not know how little | needed
squirting to the goal we had both in view.
We discussed two or three bottles of wine
with much gaiety. and relish. Sanford was
especially in exuberant spirits; trimming over
with brilliant anecdotes and sparkling badi-
mage. He saw in me a rich, fresh prey, and his
eager spirit revelled by anticipation in the vic
tory which he nothing doubted to obtain over
my excellent intentions and wife-pledged viz
tue" About half-part IL o'clock he proposed
to adjourn. This was eagerly assented to by
Mr.. Merton, who had for some time exhibited
unmistakeable symptoms of impotence and I'M
rest.
"You will accompany us, Waters?" said
Sanford, as we rose to depart. "There is, /
suppose, no yew registered in the matrimonial
archives against looking on a game played by
other!"
ooh, no; but don't ask me to play"
"Certainly not;'' and a devilish snesr icurled
his lip. "Your virtue shall suffer no temptation,
be assured"
We soon arrived before the door Of a quiet,
respectable looking house, in one of the streets
lSdulI1S tiOiu III StidAu, WV, pSSuA"A nhoS"
given by Sanford, was promptly answered;
then a password, which | did not catch, was
whispered by him through the key-hole, as we
passed in.
We proceeded up stairs to the first floor, the
shutters of which were carefully closed, so
that no intimation of what was going on could
possibly reach the street. The apartment was
brilliantly lightened; a roulette table, and cards
were in full activity; wines and liquors of all
varieties were profusely paraded. There were
about half-a-dozen persons present, | soon dis
covered, besides the gang; and that comprised
eleven or twelve well-dressed desperadoes,
whose sinister aspects induced q momentary
qualm, lest one OF more of the pleasant party
might suspect or recognize my vocation. This,
however, | reflected, was scarcely possible
NY beat, during the short period | had been in
the force, was far distant from the usual haunts
of such gentry, and l was otherwise unknown
in London. Still, questioning glances were
eagerly directed towards my introducer and
one big burly fellow, a foreigner-the rascals
were the scum of various countries-was very
unpleasantly inquisitorial. "J'en reponds!!" |
heard Sanford say, in answer to his iterated
queries; and he added something in whisper,
which brought a sardonic smile to the fellows
lips, and induced a total change in his demeanor
towards myself. This was reassuring; though
provided with pistols, / should, | felt, have lit
tie chance with such utterly reckless rufians
as those by whom ] was surrounded. Play
was proposed, and though at first stoutly refus-
ing, | feigned to be gradually overcome by ire
sistible temptation, and sat down to blind ha-
gard with my foreign friend for moderate stakes.
| was g~raciously allowed to win; and in the end
found myself richer in devils money by about
Flo. Mr.. Merton was soon absorbed in the
chances Of the dies, and lost large sums, for
which, when the money he had brought with
him was exhausted, he gave written acknow-
Judgments. The cheating practiced upon him
was really audacious; and any one but a tyro
must have repeatedly detected it. He, howev-
er, appeared not to entertain the slightest sus-
picion of the stair play Of his opponents, gui-
ding himself entirely BY the advice Of his friend
and counsellor, Sanford, who did not himself
play. The amiable assemblage broke up about
six in the morning, each person retiring singly
by the back-way, receiving, as he departed, q
new password for the next evening.
A few hours afterwards, ! waited on the
commissioner to report the state Of affairs. He
was delighted with tbs fortunate debut ! had
made, but strictly enjoined patience and eau
ton. It would have been easy, as was in
possession Of the password, to have surprised
the confederacy in the act Of gaming that very
evening; but this would only have accomplished
q part Of the object aimed at Several Of this
observation-disclosures among the numbet-were
suspected Of uttering forged foreign bank
notes, and it was essential to watch narrowly
for legal evidence to insure their conviction. 1t
was also desirable to restore, if possible, the
property and securities of which MI. Merton
had been pillaged.
Nothing Of especial importance occurred for
seven or eight days. Gaming went on as usu-
al every evening, and Mr.. Merton became Of
course more and more involved; even his sisters
iewels-which he took surreptitiously, to such
adepth Of degradation will this frightfnl vice