The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-07-10
S)}@jstellanly.
Scene in a Gambling House.

The following very remarkable cir
cumstance is vouched fof by Greer, the
reformed gambler, which we cnndense
from his work on gambling. There is
a degree Of romance attached that in a
degree relieves it of the horror excited
by the catastrophe 1t occurred at
New Orleans some years ago. A sea
captain was in the habit of frPquent;ng
q roulette ia lie, kept by Frenchman,
in company with party Of gamblers.
Green remarks that they played with
more fairness then than is customary
or general now. The captain was evi.
IDENTIFY influenced in his visits more by
a wish to kill time than for any passion
for the sport. He had visited the
room frequently, and his invariable bet
was twenty-five cents, and winner
or looser he never increased it. He
visited the place on the night in ques-
ton.
The sea captain, having placed his
bet upon the red, sat with his head
leaning lpon his hand, as if to await
the result Of the game. The ball fell
into the column and he was winner.
The wheel started again, but the cap
tain did not move, and contrary to his
usual practice the amount of his bet
was doubled. He won the second,
third, fourth, and fifth, the amount
doubling each time Thus it went on
to the eighth time, when the gamblers
began to get excited, and uttering loud
curses exclaimed, /" He wins again p
At this many who were in the room
gathered around the table. The result
of the ninth and tenth being the same,
one of them cried out, He is fool
why don't he make sure of what he
has won 7" The eleventh, twelfth and
thirteenth brought the same result,
and many exclaimed, He is mad ~
But the game went on and the cap
tain continued needless The four.
teenth was in his favor At the ff.
teenth, thousands were at the stake
from the small beginning of twenty
FIVE cents, and all eyes seemed fixed il
amazemsnt. Still he won. The six
teenth was the same. The banker
veciferated curses on the wheel player
Others urged the captain to withdraw
at least a part Of his winnings. SIC
teen thousand dollars were at tn
stake for the seventeenth. The bal
few like lightning but there was NJ
change The money was piled up be
fore the captain in heavy bank notes
but he moved not a finger, nor uttered
word
At this juncture husky voice il
seaman's phrase was heard" haul in
captain You don't bet all that pill
against this set Of land pirates Han
in |" and hand was stretched fortl
from one at the table, grasping tn
money and depositing it in a hat. I
was the first mate Of the captains yes
sci. Having thus secured the money
he seized the captain by the shoulder
saying, "C9me, you have full cargo
its time to set sail when, horrible
to relate, the corpse Of the captain
fell against him. He had been sitting
with his head upon his hand through
ont all this exciting scene, having
died while in the act Of betting the
first quarter. The mate called for wa
ter and dashed it in his face then fol
spirits but all efforts to resuscitatt
him we're in vain. Life was extinct.
The gamblers then demanded thai
the money should be refunded /; but
the mate had rolled it up in hand
kerchief, put in the hands of cabir
boy. and charged him to run with i
f)r his life to the ship, and deliver it