New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-08-26
GAMBLING on THE MISSISSIPPI

From The Chicago Journal
We are told tnsJ gambling prevail. 70 fearful ex-
text beard the stsawbosts that pass up aud d)wn
the Mississippi River Al sor's Of games efe peac
tc.d nere and among these who Tayel are soma OF
the most psusible aud finished rOsuss. short IAN,
stree patty of bla kegs induced several retained
Csi.CrAisue 10 venture "a fsN burJred dJlsfs upon
the hang Of the oaf or tho dee aud &c the end OF
tte game the Cahioynsns discovered that Lhree
counterfeit billa for so each, had been passsd oil
upon them. They Immediately dems1ded good money
ia txcLsr &c. This wes refused for a time, as the
blanklsga pretended th SO they mad none. Tney wFe
then given to unieIfisrd that, unless they rectif-d
the fIaud immediately, they would be forcsd ID take
their chance for the night at the yory NEXT unnnso-
ited Island that the beet should reach. Flndng toe
serr Atve rather SERIOUS they Reluctantly made toe
exchange domeud ed, and endesyoItd to cOncs.e the
Gallo nsIs by inviting them 10 drink. Inc ssue
knsyes day or two oeiJre ooDtriyed 70 VIE : goo
from sery youDg merchant Of L)ulsana, who was
on bis wsy North TO buy goods.
Gambling On the Mississippi ia profe sion which is
followed by hundreds old well youog. All sorts
Of combinations are formed By these gentry. they
will come on board b0at from different points, and -
apparent strangers and after getting acquainted with
the ys9us parties, two or three ~l st do IN az the
gaming table, with the objecS of merely killing time.
Gfaduslly, however, they will tempt the inexpsrt-
epoed by drink aid excitement and then proceed TO
cheat srd pluDder them coolly "a II they were en-
gagged 10 some creditsble employment. On one 0ecs
sion a noted ccunteIieiter was discovered TO be on
bost vhen De ras immediately put ashore, and at
point where the prtluclce eBsmH counloIieleIs was
So great that they often hung than up without Judge
or Jury. Life the Missssippi IS characterized BY
extIaOrdnary scenes and incidents.
IL is stated that on recent occasion clergyman
was earnestly engaged 10 preaching to considerable
audience at end Of steamer, while IN the middle
gambling was in busy progress, and at the other end
OF tie saloon were music aud dancing. Many OF the
boats are Led up in The most magnificent style, aud
amount in fact, to floating palaces 1t often occurs
that they are occupied BY 1000 soals and upward
The cost of cabin passage from Ne8'Ofeens TO ST.
Louis is about go. That of Geek passage 10, OF
course much lower. All the leading towns and cities
are stopped at and thus constant changes take psce
in the inmates Of tue boat In some cases large prohs
are reslized Thus few weeks aimee, steamer that
called from New Orleans to 81. Louis had freight
list that an oulted to $4,000 in addition to the re-
ceipts Of the pssser ger money aud the bsrs.
lhe quantity of wood that Is consumed is lmmensei
Il ranges sometimes as high az 300 cords day. The
scenes Of woodng," especially at night, are full OF
excitement. 1t sometimes happens that nearly every
raticn on the face Of the globe s representatives
on board of one Of these Toe travel up and
doWa the river amounts TO tens of thousands per an
num- While the freight that passes inward and out
ward may be estimated in yslue at millions. freud
from whom we gathered these facts informs us that
ebert time since he had occasion 10 travel from New
Orleans TO 81. Louis, and day or two after ne was on
board the boat he became acquainted with modest
ard uDassumDg young gentleman, whose manners
were 80 mild, and conversation 80 Intellectual that ne
supposed he young lawyer, sphysiclsn, or per-
haps e student of divinity. The next day he dis
covered that be was one Of the most accomplished
gamblers Of his age in the Western country