The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1862-10-30
A Washington Gambling House

A Washington correspondent gives the
following interesting 'siuside view" of one
Of the many gambling hells Of that city ::
Of the thousands who come to the cap
ital on pleasure or business, very few
indulge in the perilous luxury of gambling
Want of means deters some, and fear keeps
Others in the honest path but high moral
principle is the ruling habit with many.
Before the war the gambling houses here
were thronged, and no willy arts were
needed to entice the foolish to their ruin !;
| they came Of their own accord, and when
plundered went away only to come again
when wealth enabled them to attempt re
vengc. Now, however, unless a Congress
ional session brings crowd of immoral
people from the North, there is but slight
business for these fascinating helIs. Sc
cession has almost ruined their owners,
and the exodus of the chivalry from
Washington has caused many complaint
among lis gamblers.
The most prominent of these houses are
located on Pennsylvania avenue. Nothing
outside indicates the business pursued
within, and honest men who walk the
pavement in front never know their close
proximity TO vice. Animated by lauda-
ole desire for knowledge, your correspond
ent lately made q tour through some Of
these places, and now sends description
Of what he saw.
One of the houses I entered was being
reitted, in anticipation Of the next meet
ing Of Congress, from which rich harvest
was hoped to be reaped. Not being in
full operation, OF course it will scarcely
bear description. Not very far off, how
ever, was another in full play, and ready
for editorial criCicism. An entry was
entered, the street doors, an outer and an
inner, beng passed through, and a third
with movable blinds was approached. BY
its side cord and tassel hung, which
rang bell inside. y young negro, after
first ascertaining who was there by peering
through the blind Stats, opened the door
and admitted the party, and passing up
stairs, | was ushered into the presence Of
the gamblers.
The entire second floor was occupied,
being divided into two rooms, each brill
iantly lighted, Cor these things are only
done at night,) and elegantly furnished
The back room had ii sideboard on which
were proiusion of well filled decanters and
cigar stands. This was the refreshment
saloon, and in the other room the business
of the place was carried on \ large faro
table, with the various cards pasted on its
raised centre and the banker behind with
a box full Of checks by his side, was in the
centre Of the room. Three men were
there. two playing and one gazing at the
others. The game was faro, and as the
banker drew his cards out of the box, the
other carefully marked on printed card
board those which lost or won, and each
| time the first shuffied, threw his stake up
on q particular card, on which he risked
! his money. The gameStcr soon gave up,
he had lost all his money, and his bets
had one after the other been swept into
| the bank. Later in the evening the
banker told me the man was a poor PLAYER
and that be had been drawn on by temnt-
ing bets until his ruin was accomplished
The table was not idle a moment, four
officers Of the army entering the room and
proposing a game of poker. The "chips"
were made worth twenty-five cents, and
at work they went | watched the dcluded
soldiers for half an hour; saw the apparent
careleSsness of the two gambling house
keepers, as they fixed the cards to suit
themselves, and the angry countenanccs
of their victims as, one after the other,