Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-05-26
THE BROTHERS

TIE BROTHERS.
In 1S49, the principal I" banking insti-
tutions of the chance kind" in San Fran
cisco were the Bella Union, Verandah,
Mine de Gro FL Dorado, and Parker
House, oil situated about the Plaza, and
each employed band of music 10 lessen
the tedious hours of that rainy winter,
and to drown the noise of jingling gold
and silver, and the cursing calculations
of the gamesters. Many a sad scene
has taken place within those saloons
that chilled the blood OF the beholder,
and is remembered with horror.
Twas once ecarelessly sauntering through
one Of these. My attention was attracted
towards person who had large piles Of
gold before him the starting eyeballs,
the swollen veins upon his forehead, the
cold sweat on his face and clencbed
hands, told Of heavy losses; mingled ex-
clamaticns of horror and contempt would
escape him, and he seemed unconscious
of all else going on around him; his gaze
bent upon the cards as if his life's blood
was the stake of the issue; and in this
case his last dollar was put within the
| dealers bank, when, with the frenzy of
a maniac. he drew long dirk knife and
plunged it up to the hilt in his own BODY.
and sank a corpse upon the table. A
few rude jeers followed the act; the BODY
was removed, and the game went on as
though nothing had adhappened- though
| another victim had not been added to the
page CT the gamblers damning record,
or another soul had not gone to its final
account!
learned this much Of his history he
started with large stock Of goods, given
him by his father to sell on commission,
and the fathers fortune depended upon
a sure return Of the money invested :;
but, as usual with young men, he in the
full liberty of unbridled license, and
while the ship stopped at one of the South
American ports, he engendered the first
seeds of play" but for q while after
his arrival the excitement of trade and
the energy necessary to accomplish q
successful issue kept his mind busy. One
day, hy appointment, he was to meet q
mercantile friend at this house, and while
waiting for his friend he staked few
dollars upon the turning cards, when the
latent disease sprung into life, and it car.
ried him headlong over the precipice,
and ended in the tragic manner related.
The Mine de Gro was a gambling sa-
loon, situated on Washington street, op-
Iposite the III Dorado, and in l849 it was
the principal resort of disbanded soldiers
Of the California regiments, and also of
the soldiers who had been engaged in
the war with Mexico. Behind one OF
the largest monte banks in the room sat
a man who had won for himself honora-
bic mention, and On officers commits
sion was given him for his bravery at
the storming of Monterey but, prefer
ring the climate of California and its
golden prospects to more northern
home, he embarked for that country at
the close OF the war with Mexico, and
upon his arrival he opened q bank for
gam bling. Tie omigrants ca nc in by
thousands, and a few nights after his
arrival young man entered this saloon.
seated himself at the bank, and staSed
various sums upon the cards, until he
had nearly lost all tho money he pos
sessed. Excited with tie play, and
maddened by his losses, he accused the
dealer of cheating: the dealer replied
sharply to the accusation I; the lie passed,
when the young man struck the dealer q
severe blow upon bis face; as quick az
thought the sharp report Of pistol fol-
lowed, and the gamblers clothing was
covered with the young mans blood
he had shot him through the right
breast.
The room was soon cleared Of the spec
tators present, the doors CLOSED, and
medical attendance called in aid of the
wounded man. The gambler sat noodily
over his bank, passing the small monte
cards through his fingers, and perhaps
thinking of the deed just perpatrated,
when the wounded man gave moan of
agony, as the doctors probe reached the
bottom of his wound. The doctor in
quired what State he was from, and the
wounded man replied:
"Vermont."
The gambler raised his head, for it had
been long time since he had seen per-
son from the home of his childhood, and
Vermont being his native State, the mere
mention of his name interested him.
The doctor next inquired the name of
the place where his parents resided, if
he had any. The wounded man replied
Montpelier" .r
The gambler sprang to his feet, his
limbs trembled and his face was as pale
as death, for Montpelier was the home of
his youth, and perhaps the wounded man
might have been his playmate in child
hood-perhaps schoolmate-knew bis
parents, his brothers and sister. He
clung sVnvulsively to the table, with the