Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1858-11-19
miscellaneous.
A Washington Gambling House

One OF the most celebrated and sue
cessful sportsmen of this or any other
country was buried in this city on Sunday
week. The occasion of his death affords
me an opportunity of giving your read
crs a sketch of the man and description
of his gaming house Let it serve as
warning, not as an example.
He had been resident of Washington
some fifteen or twenty years, during
which period he amassed great wealth by
gambling, or, to use the mild and honest
language Of the avenue, che realized an
ample fortune out of the successful ope-
ration of his house p His "house" be-
ing the most elegant, and his bank the
most weighty and substantial in the
country, it has been for years the fash
ionable and fascinating resort of wealthy
planters, fast Congressman, aspiring d.
plomats, and ambitious sportsmon from
every part of the world. For many
years past he has lived in the most luxu-
RANT style, having, like certain other
rich man, "been clothed in purple and
fine linen, and faring sumptuously every
day" In person he was above the me-
dium size, fat and sleek, of pleasing adj
dress, and a generous disposition; exhi-
biting in his general department to stran-
gers the characteristics of a wcll-fed,
good-natured clergyman, rather than
those of heartless, unrelenting gambler.
His reputation for generosity was
widely established /! If college was q
be endowed, church built, or private
charities to be dispensed, his was sure to
be among the most munifcent of the do
nations. His wife, now a widow, was
of good parentagc; woman of rare
beauty and accomplishments, possessing
social qualities, which, combined with
the dazzling allurements Of wealth, in
sured her troops Of admirers and courte-
zans. Rolling along the avenue in her
magnificent equipage, which far exceeds
in richness and style that of the Presi-
dent of the United States, or that of any
other gentleman in Washington, she
looked very queen being quite undis-
turbed by any thought that her presence
sent dagger to scores Of hearts whose
patrimony. unlawfully obtained had con-
trlbuted to her enjoyment, in the same
proportion that its loss had added to the
woes and wretchedness of the behodor
His establishment was upon Penn
sylvania avenue, between the National
Hotel and the Capitol. Let us approach
and look at it.
You enter by door of varicgatod
stained glass, which, by gas-light. reflects
all the colors Of the rainbow. Ascend
ing fight of stairs you reach a door,
pull the bell, and instantly a small aper-
turc opens. and you are greeted with a
pair of red eyes and Il double row of
worries, set in black, which nominally
belong to Sambo, but which, in fact, are
the property of the proprietor A glance
sunices. You have filled Sambo's eye.
and are deemed passable. The door is
at once opened and you arc ushered into
the ante-room, the vestbule Of hell =
This room is not large, but elegantly APP
pointed--thc chief attraction being the
side board, which is of solid marble and
white as Diana's bust. Here are arran-
ged in long and distending columns, de-
canters of cut glass, sparkling like bril-
liants, filled with the choicest nectar, and
blushing to the very necks with the glow
ing vintage Of the olden time. If you
pass this rubicon without tasting its
sparkling but dangerous waters, it is not
from any dcarth Of hospitality on the
part of your persuasive host. The spa
cious "sporting hall' is now visible
The floor is covered with carpoting from
! the Orient Of immense cost and marvel
lous beauty. The walls are adorned with
superb paintings of the old masters and
the new, while pendant from the win
dows hang curtains Of embroidered lace,
covered with golden tapestry Of Oriental
magnifconco; with mirrors Of mammoth
size rejecting your form and features
from a score Of cleaning cmbrasures.--
Along the hall, at convenient distances.
arc ranged circular tables Of polished
rosewood, around which arc seated num-
bers Of thoughtful, anxious, dark-yisaged
men, who heed you not--their eyes hay-
ing another and stronger attraction. One
would naturally suppose this TO be the
atro for csts, dro,lery and song. or bac-
chanalian revelings. or pugilistio encoun-
ters. Far from it. On the contrary all
is hushed, silent, scpulchral
emo real voice or sound
within those chccrcBs walls Is found
You arc oppressed with the fearful
stiffness aud awful silence which peryadcs
the place. 4 laugh, a joke, or even a
curse, would be a sensible relief But
you hear nothing OF this An occasion
al long breath or half-subdued sigh, is
all that tells tho ear that these mad dew
oteos are possessed Of lungs and life.
An hours inspection satisfies yo1r Gu
riosity and you are about taking your de-
parture when a soft hand taps you on the
shoulder, and low voice, please don't
leave, sir; supper win be ready 10 few
minutes" At precisely l0} o'clock, the
doors Of the dining hall are thrown open
and "suppcr's ready proclaims an i'm
mediate armistice between the combat
ants, and invites to a moro healthy and
rational duty. The long tables groan
beneath their burden Of gold and silver
plate, and the heaps Of delcacies which
surmount aud adorn thom.
Here are yenison from the brown for
ests Of Maine turkeys from the broad