Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-04-19
Billiards in New York.

Billiards in New York.
In New York, at the present time, there are
over thousand Billiard Tables, constantly
thrown open for public use, and many of them
even not closed on the Sabbath, beside those
which are owned by private individuals in
various parts of the City.
These tables, in addition to the visitors who
use them merely for amusement, are frequently
by the higher class of gamblers, who look into
the saloons during their leisure from more ex-
citing professional engagements, as we'll as by
the ambitious novice, who has advanced tothis
stage Of his career, from its ing!orious COM
mencment in sporting coppers in the streets,
and in the Ten Pin Alleys describsd in our
last article, and by those on whom the wheel
of fortune has turned and who are now rapidly
going to the bottom of the hill, in point Of cha
racter, health, and pecuniary 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
sufficient number of yerdant youth, whom they
can tempt on to their vile purposes. Often too
they spy out brother blackleg, who in the ex-
citement of success is lavish of his money, and
readily submits to be plucked. But the most
prominent objects of their attention are the
fashionable young men, who, as well as many
reputable fathers of families, habitually fre-
quent.the saloons, professedly 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 perfect knowledge of the world,
familiar with human weakness and vice in all its
forms, and usually possessing agreeable and in
sinuating manners, they find little difficulty in
gaining the ear of their victims, and pouring
their "leprous distilment" into the fountains Of
their mortal life.
In these saloons, you find men of all classes
and calings, thrown together in the most pro-
miscious arrangements. You will see the
banker and the merchant at one table-the head
of large importing establishment and the
clerk in retail store at another-the hard
working mechanic and the Spectator in fancy
stocks at another-the banker, merchant,
blackeg and thief at another--all in state of
as reckless equality as the most rampant advo-
cate of the largest liberty could desire. Such
odd combinations, riyalling the fantastic varie-
ties of the kaleidoscope, may be found at all
the more fashionable Billiard Rooms in the
city. One party is playing for exercise and
pastime, the other in pursuit of his trade. One
is man Of mark in respectable circles of So
cety, the other is notorious blackleg from
the purlieus Of some reeking hell. In this
way, men of business form many acquaintan-
ces, whose company adds nothing to their pro-
perry 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 profession, in most cases, they
are in state of happy ignorance.
The public Billiard Saloons Of New York
are generally owned by proprietors who are
richer in contriyance than in character. In
Justice to the keepers, it must be admitted that
they are usually persons of better stripe, and
who, but for the enticements of the game,
would now be filling more honorable posi-
ton. They often belong to respectable fam-
lies, have received a good education, and are
qualified to go ahead as business men. But
frequenting the saloons for amusement in the
first instance, they are gradually drawn within
the vortex, and loosing their situation by their
neglect, become attached to the estab! ishment,
and never recover from their degradation.
One of the most conspicuous Billiard Sa-
looms in New York is owned by a man who
not long since was driven from city in q
neighboring State, his tables broken up, and
his occupation destroyed. He there kept a
house of notorious reputation, at which per-
sons of all ages, from the gray-headed yete-
ran to the boy Of fourteen, were accustomed
to game for money or for amusement In ad-
dition to this, portion of his house was de-
voted to genteel licentiousness, over which but
slight veil of disguise was drawn. The true
character of his house was at length brought
to light, and his apparatus placed under lock
and key by the Sheriff. The owner, with some
of his confederates, succeeded in breaking open
the place where they had been stored, seized
on his impliments OF mischief at midnight, and
brought chem in triumph to New York. Here
he has resumed his old calling, and at his fash.
ionable cookery drives money-making trade
in all branches OF his business.
One more incident Of recent occurrence, and
we will bring this article to close.
A merchant Of this City acquired taste for
billiards in early life. He continued the habit
of playing, which soon became excessive and
uncomfortable. At last, he determined to free
himself from its tyranny. He gathered around
him different circle Of sacquaintances, entered
into domestic relations, and in the bosom oi
his family stroye to forget his old enticements
This succeeded very well for some time. He
was happy in pleasant home, and his friends
thought that he was entirely reformed. But
after a while, the old appetite returned. He
went back to the familiar haunts which he had
forsaken, as he imagined, forever. His own
parlor was forsaken for the Billiard Saloon
His family was greatly neglected. For some
time his absence caused no remark. He ex
planned it by one evasion after another. Al
last it became too well known that his fire-sids
was deserted for the billiard table. On going
] home at a late hour Of the night, he would al
1 ways find his young and patient wife waiting
I to receive him with kindness. Not . word o
reproacE ever Cell from her lips. Her uncom
planned Of sufierings began finally to prey up
on her health. This excited the husband Il
alarm and compunction. He resolved fren
that time to abstain from everything whicl
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