St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1858-09-09
Gambling on the Mississippi.

We are toll that gambling prevails to n fear
full extent Oh irsrd the steamboats, that pass
mp and down tlr Mississippi river. All sorts
of games are pr;cticcd there, and among those
who travel are sDmc of the most plausible and
finished rogucS \ sho:: ;;wt .:nC, & parry OF
blacllrgs induced several returned ClforEians
to venture a fox hundred dollars upon the
changes of the tarls Cr the ,icc and at ;he end
of the game tie CalifurniarS discovered that
three countcrlei bills, for $40 each, had been
passed OH upon them. They immediately de-
mandcd good money in exchange.
This was refused for t:nc, the b!ackIegS
prctcnd'l thai they had nolc. They were then
given to understand that unless they rcctiticd
the fraud Immediately, they would be forced
to take their Glance for the night at the very
next miuhabited island that the boat should
reach Finding the alternative rather serious,
they reluctantly made the exchange demanded.
and en,cavored to corciiiate the Calitornilns
by inviting them to drink. The same kuavc;
day or two before Coutrivcd tp win 81 900
from very vulng merchant of Louisiana, who
was on his way NORTH to bay goods
Gambling on the Mississippi is i profession
which is followed by h"ndrcd>. old as we'll as
young. All sorts of combinations are formed
by these gently. They will come on board n
boat from diitcrr:t points, and rs apparent
~tIs'se, r--.'' '.f- ,it'.-.. a.a,i4i.fr,l ,,iti.
the various parties two or three will set down
at the gaming table, with the object OF merely
killing time Gradually. however, they will
tempt the inexperienced. by drink and excite
mcnt, and then proc 70 cheat an r,uaicl
them, rs coolly rs if they were engaged i'll SON,
cIcditable employment. On one occasion q
noted cOuntcrieitcr was discovered 10 lie Oh 4
bolt, when he was immediately put ashore AT
a point where the prejudice aglinst countcriri-
tcrS great that they often hung tIcm
UP without Judcr or Jury. Life on tie Mis-
sissipri is charactcrZcd 10y extraordinary Sccnc>
and incidents.
1t is stated that on a recent OCCASION 4 cIcr-
lyman was earnestly c,.7aac'l i'll preaching f.
Il considerable audience at one end of Il stca-
mcr, while in the middle gambling WAS in busy
progress and at the other end IF tie sal uou
were music and dlucing. Many OF the boats
are fitted up III the mo-, magll:ti ont style and
amount, in f:lc., to floating palaces 1t otto,
occurs that they are occupied by 5000 soui>
and upward. The cost of a cabin pa>sa@o
from New OrlcauS to 81 I,orIiS is about so
That Of deck passage Is. Of Course, much
lower All the leading towns ard cities arc
stopped at. and thus constant changes take
place in the inmates ci the boat. In S"1nc
cases large profits are realized. Thus. few
weeks since. a steamer that sailed flom New
Orleans to ST. LINUS had a f.i"ght list tina;
amounted to $40, Zoo. in adiit!rn to the re-
ccipts of tie passenger money AMI the bars.
The quantity of wood that is consumed !,
immense; it ranges sometimes - high as 2"0
cords per day: Tie scvHcS c. '.,,ooIino," -" -
pecia:!y at night. are full "i excitement. It
sometimes happens that nearly every natl,!.
on the face .! the alcbe has is representatives
on board of one OF these steamers. Tie trayci
up and down the river amounts - tens If
thousands per annum. while the freight that
passes inward and outward may bc estimated
in value a. millions,
\ friend from whom We gathered these fact
informs lis that a short time sine" hc bad &C.
casior Ia travel from New Orleans 70 St. Louis.
and day or two after hr was ON board the
boat he became acquainted with 4 mode; a;d
unassuming youEg gentleman. whose manner,
were so mild ard CONVERSATION :" intellectual.
that he supposed he WAS Young lawyer. 4
physician, or perhaps a stud.Hit Of divinity.
The next day he discovered that lie was on"
OF the mos: accomplished gamblers Of lis age
in the Western country.