New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-31
GAMBLING IN NEw-YORK

=
ono Oh tae most degrading and A. ,ba
time, to large class OF person, ona 80 ~ sAs
tempting i0Fms Of gambling, is @una 4. the - ~
ofinhing, houses, where RArrrlys ~ noo ~
wa. "s''Hes' le"eiFy articles of clothing. guns
LOIS oo~le'kniyes, furniture, and otbs, l,,, ~
OF property 10 carried gu to greo, 49,. ana.
my quantity Of iiquor-drinking indnIga1 s'
the intervals OF the game. The stake uus m
usually not much above the value of a topa, -. =
is divided into shares of shilling 0, si~a. Aas
each the winner being expected to stand S's
'ne whole company. In over two thousand s,s..
shops aud fashionable drinking saloons in S S.Ss
York, this game is going on everv niss, - =
week' attracting throngs Of young people, bcOkss.
down gamblers, raw youths from the c,no, ,n' !.
pursuit Of the elephant, idle foafers abon. 80 :
and others who are always on the seen. 70, -
ever gives the promise of sport - "nS''
The game, however is not oon6oaa - y
drinking houses. There are several a,t.hr.S
ments of more private character. where ,bss
furnish lights, dice and tables for cets;, -.
centage, which the players put up in each poS
These houses are of more genteel descrnS,,
than the haunts Just mentioned they are r..
quented principally by young men of good famIv,
the play is usually for money; they are conducts3
with more order and system, and may Justly ).
called railing clubs. Here many fret get TIA
taste blood. They acquire thirst, passion f.
games Of chance, which grows stronger by indul
gence and at last sends them to the tables OF tbs
blackleg, from which the descent is easy to he
lowest depths of a New-York hell.
This game as g general rule is not one for ye,v
high play. Still, it. possesses strong fascia.
ton, and sucks i'll iisvictims With no less certain.
ty and rapidity than the Faro table.
The Saloons are iorthe most part conducted b,
the most vulgar and degraded specimens OF III.
gambling fraternity Some of the propriesors az.
persons whose ambition is amply gratiaed by til.
emirence of their position; they wish Tor nothing
better than the chance which it affords TO spresj
their tolls overthe unwary victims and bring thea
within the reach Of their internal grasp The,
Saloons are often decorated with great spendof
the bars furnished with dazzling array OF many
colored decanters, the walls adorned with bnl.
liant specimens ofmeretricious art,-showy las
terms hung out to guide the passer-by into tk
road to ruin,-whia paid agents are kept On I'll
trot soliciting men of all classes from the capitala
to the coal-leaver, and endeavoring to seduce her
by all the arts OF persuasion to try their luck
the last plausible scheme of deception.
The Christmas aud New. Years holidays, whic
present such general ezcitoments to toe populs
ton of the city of NewY York. afford rich harves
to the rafting houses. At this season they AZ.
,hronged with great numbers, among whom is
larger proportion Of workingmen, often OF til
poorer classes, risking the hard,earned gains
labor for the hope Of paltry prize. These,
many instances, are men Of good morals, honest
hard.working, industrious laborers, who have bee
tempted by the prospect of fat turky, or irs
brace ofowls, 10 risk their sixpence on the thrOv
of the dice. But this is not the end of it. Ifths
man wins, lie is expected to pay for drinks al
round if he loses,h must drink with the winneG
and in this way, between the two fires, is luckyE
he does not get badly singed The Instances an
not uncommon, where, in less than an hour q MAJ
is stripped OF the earnings oil whole week, and is
a state of brutal ntoxicati9n sent home to def
tjtute, hungry and shiyerng family
Like all gambling establishments, the raiHs
housestrust not only to luck, butuse every means
in their power to fleece their visitors. We will
relate an instance which took place not long since
in one of the most fashionable of the concerns IN
our city. A gentleman, who had been in The habit
of meeting there with bankers, brokers, mcr
chants clerks, and others, whose pockets wets
well lined on one occasion lost to so largem
amount as to awaken suspicion in his mind aud
spoke of the fact to some of his friends IL was
decided to lodge complaint against to houss
with the Police. A warrant was Issued and tbs
landlord arrested While the process was pend
ing, the railing dice and box, whichhad been uaei
in the game were seized and examined. They
W ere found to be false. The dice were loaded witt
platina, SO that the small numbers came up wita
every throw The gamblers had dice OF their oEa
which they secretly put into the box on their tue
to play. This was done so silly as to egcapete
lection, long practice aying given them the hocs
pocus skill of q Blitz or McAlster. This esia
ia not vet decided. Whether the keeper Of tie
house and his confederates viii meet their desefa
or still go ''unwhipt Of justice is more than Vs
can venture to predict.
Another instance of different kind occa'sk
our memory. The victim was young lawyers
handsome abilities and good reputation by
habits were unexceptionabie in all respects
regular teetotaler, diligent man OF business ~
remarkable for bis economy, prudence, and !hfEs
United by marriage to young Iadyoi great ai''1
worth and Of congenial disposition
highly respectable rank in society-and feap4
rich pecuniary reward for the exercise o. .. o
Talents, his lot in life seemed every way enslaas
and almost beyond tie reach Of the templates
into which he finally fell. ......, -
Soon after hu marriage he Sssaq to dePos.' =
week for safe keeping with his wi'e, a y g
Of over 81 coo was thus accumulated n'a ~.
hour ps he made the acquaintance Of the f'99as
nf y' celebrated rafting house, who applied y :
forlsgal advice They soon 'tfack ap a.. I, da
H. He = cenfded to the rattle keeper the iaP, 81
- .he ann above nentloheu -