Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1861-12-05

end found myself richer IN money By
about ten pounds. Mr.. Merton wa
soon absorbed in the chances Of dice
and lost large sums, for which, wbel
the money be brought with him wa
exhausted, he gave written acfnowl
edgments. The cheating practieeS
upon him was really audacious, ant
any one but q tyro must have re
peatedly detected it. He, however
appeared not to entertain the slight
est suspicion of the "fsir play" Of hi
opponents. guiding himself entirely b.
the advice OF his friend and counsellor
who did not himself play. The anisbl'
assemblage broke up about six in th,
morning, each person retiring singly
by the back way, receiving as he de-
parted, new password for the mex
evening.
A few hours afterward / waited or
the Commissioner to report the state
of affairs. He was delighted with the
fortunate debut I had made, but still
strictly enjoined patience and caution
1t would have been easy, as was In
possession Of the password, to have
surprised the confederaey in gaming
that very evening; but this would only
have accomplished part Of the object
aimed at. Several Of the fraternity
Sanford among the number-wss sus-
pected Of utteiing forged foreign notes.
and il was essential TO watch narrowly
for legal evidence to restore. ifpossible,
the property and securities Of which
Mr.. Merton had been pillaged.
Nothing Of especial importance oc-
Cured for seven or eight days.
Gaming went on as usual every eve
ming, and Mr.. Merton, became Of
course, more and more involved; even
his sisters jewels-which he surrept-
tiously obtained, to such degradation
will this vice plunge men otherwise
honorable--bad been staked and lost,
and he was, by the advice of Sanford,
about to conclude heavy mortgage
on his estate, in order not only 10 be
clear of his enormous "debt OF honor, |"
but acquire fresh means Of "winning
back"--that ignis fatuus Of all gam
blers - his tremendous lossesl A
new preliminary dodge" ] observ.
ed, was now brought into action. Mr..
Merton esteemed himself knowing
hand at ecorts. 1t was produced, and
he was permitted to win every game,
much to the apparent annoyance and
discontinue of the losers. As this
was precisely the snare into which 1
had myself fallen, l Of course the more
readily detected it, and felt certain that
the grand coup was meditated! In
the meantime l had not been idle
Sanford was con6dentially informed
that was only waiting in London to
receive between four and FIVE thousand
pounds-part Of Uncle Passgrove's
legacy--and then intended to immedi-
ately hasten back to canny Yorkshire.
To have seen the villains eyes as /
accidentally, as it were. announced my
errand and intention! They fairly
flashed with glee! All, Sanford! San
ford! you we're. with all your cunning.
but sad blind idiot to believe the
man you had wronged and ruined
could SO easily forget the debt he owed
you'll
The crisis came swiftly on. Mr..
Merton's mortgage money was to be
paid on the morrow; and on that dag,
too, 1 announced the fabulous thousands
received by me were to be handed over,
Mr.. Merton, elated with his repeated
triumps at ecarte, and prompted by his
friend Sanford, resolved instead of
canceling the bonds and obligations
held by the conspirators. to redeem his
losses by stalking on that his ready
money against those liabilities. This
was at first demurred to with much
apparent earnestness by the winners,
but Mr.. Merton, warmly seconded by
Sanford, insisting upon the concession.
as he deemed 1t, it was finally agreed
that ecarte should be the game by
which he might hope to regain the for
tune and the peace of mind he had so
rashly squandered; the last time, should
he be successful-and was be not sure
of successi-he assured Sanford, that
he would never handle cards or dice
He should have heard the mocking
merriment with which the gang heard
Sanford repeat this resolution to amend
his ways--phen he had recovered back
his wealth. M
The day so eagerly longed for by
Merton and his confederates--by the
spoilers and their prey--arrived, and /
waited with feverish anxiety, the COM
ing night. Only the chief conspirators,
eight in number, were to be present.
and no stranger but myself--aprivilege
l owed to the moonshine legacy had
Just received--was to be admitted to
the crowning triumph Of successive
fraud. One only hint had ventured
to give Mr.. Merton, and that under
promise, con his honor as gentleman"
Of invioIable secrecy. This was it.
"Be sure, before commencing play,
tomorrow night. that the bonds and
obligations you have signed, the jewels
you have lost, with a sum in notes or
gold 10 make up an equal amount to
that which you make the risk, is actual
ly deposited on the table," He prom
ised to insist on this condition. It in
volved much more than be dreamed Of
then. gss- Ci-i zsiaie gi'sg1f9,
Ny arrangements were at length
thnrnnnhlu cnmnlete and few minutes