New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-14
GAMBLING IN NEW-Y YORK.

In the present article we shall state some facts
with regard to the Bowling or TeuPin Alleys in
New. York. which may be regarded as the fer
mentng and pestient hotbeds OF gambling on
more magnificent scale.
There are not less than four hundred OF these
fruitful sources of corruption in our city plying
their detestable trade with an activity that would
do honor to better calling. For six days and
nights in the week they are in full operation, with
scarce al interval for breathing. On Saturday
nights they are usually most crowded and often
keep in hot blast until the morning bells OF the
Sabbath compel their frequenters toslink awayto
a less noisy kind of dissipation.
We do not say that all these places openly pro-
Tess to be gambling establishments Many oil
them do so without disguise, and are We'll known
to the Police. There are none however, though
patroniaed by respectable men for exercise and
recreation but what are at the service OF the
gambler and blackleg. There are none put "nae
are used for their purposes
Beside the atreetboys described IN our last
number there is another class of youngsters who
swarm about these Alleys, maturing their educa-
ton for crime with an internal celebrity. These
are lads of various ages from ten to sixteen, some
of whom have left their homes, others have been
turned out of doors by their parents or guardians
for bad conduct and all ready to take great strides
in the path of vice In every way they curry
favor with the keepers Of the saloons. Their
faces become welLknown and they get to be re-
earded as fixtures Of the establishment They
generally find shelter for the night in the saloons
and are on hand for business early in the morning.
Both night and day, they wait upon the players
setting up the pins, returning the balls fetching
light for their cigars, supplying them with liquor
when thirsty, and thus make certain amount
daily by the operation. Every game is a lesson
for them in which they make surprising prof.
cheney They soon learn all the petty swindles
and yillanies Of which there is no lack Of exam
Plies. In a short time, they become old heads up
to all the tricks of the trade, and play eagerly on
their own hook OF course they are on the watch
for companions, and with them, companions and
victims are the same thing. A great many boys
belonging to good families are entced by them
into the saloons. These are taught to roll the
balls and Of course, become interested in the
game. That is not the worst They learn all
sorts Of vile language are initiated into the vices
OF their associates, are obliged to make use Of
deception to conceal from their parents where
they have been, and often become 10 deprayed
and hardened, as to make the task OF reclaiming
them almost entirely hopeless Hundreds Of boys
are in this way ruined before any suspicion Of
their conduct has been awakened. They become
stepped to the lips in vice, while their fond parents
are kept quite blind to their career.
One instance of this kind came to eur know
ledge some time since. The only son OF an aged
~ obi ng Tan
Pin Alleys His father was grocer, and intend
ed to leave his business to his son. He relied
upon him as the staff Of his old age. The young
man had thus a pretty free command of money
He layished large sums at the saloons. 1t was
not long before be had made ouch inroads on the
property that the old gentleman was in danger o.
bankruptcy. He was forced to close his business
hoping to save the remnants Of his fortune The
son, whose habits ne had now discovered could
not be prevailed upon TO change his course The
urgent expos.ulations of his father were in
vain With the fairest promises of amend.
ment, he still pursued his prodigal career
HI so far gained on the feelings of his father az
to obtain from him frequent sums Of money.
These he squandered in the same profigate man.
ner. At length the property and credit Of his
father was exhausted his own character was
gone, and he became protested gambler. This
last step completed the misery Of his broken.
hearted parents Their cup of bitterness was fuI.:
Deprived of the means Of subsistence in their de-
crepid years, their fondest hopes blasted, their
son on whom they had relied as the stay of their
old age, publicly disgraced, they were forced to
leave the scenes to which they had been accus
toned, and in desolation and penury to seek an
humble home in aneighboring city The last we
heard of the cause Of all this wretohedneas, ne
was still pursuing his infamous career in the gam
bling houses of New-York
We are aware that Bowling is recon-
mended as healthy exercise. We do not
deny it. Many persons are in the habit OF
visiting the saloons on this account whose nor
r9r Of gambling is no less profound than GUY own
Ii this were the oaly use to winch the bowling