New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-25
GAMBLING IN NEW YORK.


or giving countenance to the nefarious swindles
of the protested gambler, by which thousands are
brought to ruin, beggary, and an unsimey grave.
| We DO not call IN question what may be said in
favor of the game as an ingenious scientific in
vention, calling for the exercise OF shrewdness
and skill in the player, and sffording pleasant
and healthfu exercise both for the brain aud mus
cles. Bat in pursuance of our plan to point out
the sources of gambling in this City-to show the
Influences by which the destructive tendency is
cherished--and to put our fellow. citizens on Their
guard against every thing which serves TO strength
en- the devouring monster,-we are bound to make
some plain statements concerning the character
and influence OF the fashionable establishments,
which. under the name of Biard-Saloons, pre-
sent such ruinous destinations % numerous class
Of visitors
In New-York, at the present time, there are
over thousand B lizard Tables, constantly thrown
open for public use, and many of them even not
closed on the Sabbath, beside those which ara
owned by private individuals in various parts Of
OF the City.
These tables, in addition to the visitors who use
them merely for amusement, are frequented by
the higher class of gamblers, who look into the
saloons during their leisure from mora exciting
professional engagements, as well as by the am
bilious novice who has advanced to this stage OF
his career from it's inglorious commencement in
sporting coppers in the streets, and in the TenPin
Alleys described in our last article, and by those
on whom the wheel Of fortune has turned and
who are now rapidly going to the bottoa Of the
hill, in point OF character, health, and pecunary
means.
Their purpose in visiting the Billiard Table is
to find out new victims. They have their eye on
those who they think can easily be drawn within
their tolls. There is always a sufficient number
OF verdent youth, whom they can tempt on to
their vile purposes Often too they spy out
brother blackeg, who in the excitement Of sue
cess is lavish Of his money, and readily submits
to be plucked. But the most prominent o jects
of their attention are the, fashionable young men,
who, as well as many reputable fathers OF fami
lies habitualIy frequent the saloons, pretessedy
for the sake of exercise and amusement. These
are always marked by the gamblers who are
lowering about the tables. eager to pounce upon
their prey With a perfect knowledge of the
world, familiar with human weakness and vice in
all its FORMS and usually possessing agreeable and
instructing manners. they find little difficulty in
gaining the ear of their victims, and pouring their
"leprous distilment into the fountains OF their
moral life
In these saloons, you find men of all classes and
caIlings, thrown together in the most promiscuous
arrangements You will see the banker and the
merchant at one tabe,--the head Of a large i'm
porting establishment and the clerk in retail
store at another-the bardworking mechanic and
the Spectator in fancy stocks at another,-the
banker, merchant, blackeg and thief at another
ALA ind state of as reckless equality as sthe
most rampant advocate OF the largest liberty
could desire Such odd combinations, rlvaIllnS
the fantastic varieties of the kaleidoscope, may
be found at all the more fashionable Billiard
Rooms in the city One party is playing for ez,
eroise and pastime the other in pursuit oil his
trade. One is man of mark in respectable cir.
cles of society, the other is notorious blaokleg
from the purieus of some reeking hell. In this
way, men of business form many acquaintance,
whose company adds nothing to their property or
their character They literally fall among thieves,
who would not hesitate to rob them OF everything
which they hold most dear but OF whose pro
fession in most cases, they in state of happy
ignorance.
The influence of the Billiard. Saloons is more
dangerous on account OF their fashionable preten-
sions, and of being supported by comparatively
respectable class of citizens. They in fact may
be said to bear the same relation TO raining, F arc
Banks, Ring or Cock.fghting, that the lotteries
Of Church T airs and Art mons do to the Dela
ware, Maryland, or Virginia lotteries authorized
by the State The latter operations are regarded
az gambling of pernicious character, because
they are conducted by men Of the world with toe
avowed object of personal gain, while the former,
being sustained by men and women for the sake
of Christian charity or the promotion OF Art, are
deemed innocent and worthy the patronage OF
religious community. But with our experience
of the evils of gambling oil the insidious manner
in which taste for its worst excuses takes pos
session of its victim, and of the gradual steps by
which he is often placed on the brink OF fatal
precipice, we cannot but utter our solemn protest
against every form in which 1t Is disguised
whether arrayed in the robes OF Christian beneyo
lence or artistic cultivation.
But to return from this depression. The excite
ment Of Billiards is certainly not less than that OF
the Bowling Alley, while to many IT possesses
fascination more seductive than that afforded by
any other game AT the same time, the praeticed
gambler finds in its refnements the means OF
duppg bis victims with an ease and celebrity OF
which the more homely pastime of the Ten Pin
Alley is incapable These arts are well-known TO
the blackleg, he watches the novice with the yigl-
lance of aterrier in pursuit of rats and never ias
to pounce upon the unwary adyenturerthe moment
he is within reach of his grasp So skilfal are the
frauds of these experienced villains that even
shrewd and cunning gamblers, Of lower degree
are often taken in and done for, while they are
themselves on the ok.out for their own victims
Whether they find the old proverb true, thai. the