Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1855-06-13
TIL E BR OF II E RS.

each employed band of music to lessen the
tedious hours of that rainy winter, and 10 drown
the noise of jngiing gold and silver and the
curslng CALCULATIONS of the gamesters.-Many a
sad scene has taken place within those saloons
that chilled the blood of the behoiders and is
remembered with horror
l was once carelessly sauntering through one
OF these places. 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 cenched hands, told of heavy losses :.
mingled exc;amations ofhorror and contept would
escape him, and he seemed unconscious of all else
going on around him; his gaze bent upon the
cards as if his lie's blood was the stake of the
issue and in this case his dollar was put within
the dealers bank when, with the frenzy of
maniac, he drew long dirk knife and plunged it
| up to the ht in his own body, and sank corpse
upon the table. few rude ieers followed the
! acti the body was removed and the game went
on as though nothing had happened-as though
another victim had not been added to the page OF
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 commission, and the fathers
! fortune depended on a return of the money
invested, but as usual with young men, in the full
| liberty of unbrided license and while the ship
! stopped at one of the South American ports he
engendered The first seeds of "play but for time
after his arrival the excitement of trade and the
! 10 ltSL sful
kept his ind busy. One day, by appointment
ne was to meet mercantile friend at his house
he staked few dollars upon the turing cards,
when the latent disease sprung into life, and it
carried him heading the precpce and ended
in the tragic manner related
The Mine de Orc was a gambling saloon,
situated on Washington street opposite the FL
Dorado, and in 40 it was the principal resort of
the disbanded soldiers ofthe California reg impnts
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 man who had
won for himselfhonorabe mention. and an officers
commission given him for his bravery at the
storning of Monterey: but preierrng the climate
OF California and is golden prospects TO a more
northern home, he embarked for that country at
the close OF the war with Mexico, and upon his
arrival he opened bank for gambling. The
/ emigrants came in by thousands and few nights
after his arrival, young man entered this saloon
seated himself at the bank, and staked various
sums upon the cards. until he had lost nearly all
the money he possessed. Excited with the play
and maddenet by his losses, he accused the dealer
of cheating the dealer replied sharply to the
struck the dealer severe blow upon his face as
quick as thought the sharp report of a pistol
folIowed, and the gamblers clothing was covered
with the young mans bIood-he had shot him
through the right breast.
The room was soon cleared of the spectators
present, and medical attendance called in 10 the
aid of the wounded. The gambler sat moodily
over his bank, running the small monte cards
through his fingers and perhaps thinking of The
deed Just perpetrated, when the wounded man gave
moan of agony, as the doctors probe reached
the bottom of his wound. The doctor inquired
what State he from and the wounded man
replied
"From Vermont.
The gambler raised his head, for it had been
long time since he bad seen person from the
home of his childhood, and Vermont being his
native State, the mere mention of its name
Interested him. The doctor next inquired the
place where his parents resided, if he hal any
The wounded man replied
montpelier
The gambler sprang to his feet, his limbs
trembled, and his face pale death, for Montpelier
was the home of his youth and perhaps the
wounded man might have been his playmate in
childhood-perhaps a schoomate-knew his
parents, his brothers and sister. He clung
convulsively to the table, with the contending
emotions ofrapid thought and wei ght of the injury
he had inflicted, he could scarce keep his feet.
stimulant was given to the wounded man, and
he momentarily relieved from that weakness
the body is subject to after a severe wound-when
tue doctor inquired if there was any friend in the
city he wished sent for.
"Yes' ne replied, ''my wile--she is at the City
! Hotel. corner of Clay and kearny streets. Tell
her to hasten for | am badly hurt
| a man was sent to bring his wife
| doctor, said the gambler, save that mans
| life, and there is my bank, and $4,000 in
| Burgoynes-you shall have it all"
The doctor felt the pulse of the man and probed
the wound anew. The gambler watched him
with the greatest anxiety until his inspection was
finished, when the doctor shook his head in token
of inpossibility. The gambler sat down by the
side OF the Woundst and bathed has head with
water, and staudched 1he flow. of blood from the
wound until III nffsral 81 his WIFE she came.
accompanied by a lssv~friends. and as heroic
women bear their misfortunes she bore hers.
Not word of reproach escaped her-words of
cheerfulness only came from her lips the tears
coursed down her cheeks. To her inquiry TO
the chances of her Husbands recovery, the doctor
assured her that there was TO hope; that the
wound was mortal, and that in few hours he
would die She sank down upon her knees and
invoked the mercy of forgiving God for her
dying husband and his murderer The gambei
asked the forgiveness of the wounded man for the