The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1865-07-18
Gambling In Mexic0--A Curious
State or Society.


fCorespondesce of the New York Times.]
Mexico, Saturday, June 10, 1865.
Dulness, as far as news and business
are concerned, but not so with the ma
tive and foreign blacklegs. Gambling
is the order of the day, and nothing
else is talked about. As you are prob
ably aware, the Mexicans are born
gamblers, just as they were naturally
good Catholics. Among the useful re-
forms attempted by Maximilian is the
suppression of monte and rouge ct
noire. But the Emperor, although
very good at decree writing and pub
fishing, is very weak as far as the exc
cution is concerned. Two or three
heavy banking firms, such as the Bar
on and Escandons, went to work and
persuaded the bewildered monarch that
his dynasty would go to ruin unless
his faithful subjects had at least week
during which their favorite passion
could be allowed to have full sway and
work itself into extinction. So we
have had our gambling week, as well
as we are going to have the week of
the Holy Sacrament. Halpan is small
city about twelve leagues from Mexico.
A yearly fair of twelve days is about
the only Industry which makes it live
during the whole year. Here fair SIM
ply means gambling to the fullest ex-
tent. Of course l followed the crowd,
and went to Judge by myself of the re-
suits of such useful institution The
road was crowded by all sorts of We
hicles and all sorts of people. 1t was
also very strongly guarded by native
troops, stationed at very short distan-
ccs. For, in spite of the crowd, and
although so very near the capital, it is
not at all safe to venture on that road.
Indeed, the horse cars running three or
four miles out of town have to be guard
ed. This may give you an idea of the
security enjoyed all over the country.
We'll, we did not happen to meet the
guerillas, and arrived safely. The
town has nothing worth mentioning
except few fine gardens belonging to
wealthy bnt neglectful proprietors.--
From ten to fifteen thousand people
were crowding the filthy streets, all
pushing promiscuously to get at the
gambling booths. Every house, every
uoom, every alley-way, and every spot
where table or plank could be made
to stand without stopping the circula-
ton, were occupied by fellows sitting
before piles of money. That money,
or about the whole of it, belonged to
two individuals, Escandon and Baron
the two worthless who had obtained
the suspension of the law. Just think
of it-these two firms are the CrGsus
of Mexico. They have the money by
the bushel, still they are jealous of the
little left to their poor, starving coun-
trymen. 1t is true their fortunes have
been accumulated by just such means ;
but why not stop and say enough p
Why not allow the reform intended by
the sovereign to be accomplished P
o! what q heart, what q conscience
some men have! suppose that my
self and the French gendarmes were
the ONLY ones who did not try their
luck. The fashionable grandins, the
poor ragged men, the young, the old,
the women and children, were playing.
The highest as well as the lowest risks
were accepted by the cool and light
fingered fellows who were beating the
cards or pushing the three-colored
wheel. / have seen men put down one
thousand dollars, and l have seen little
girls, about naked, watch the result OF
yenturing their alone cent. The
same men who had burrowed that hell,
had created means to provide it with
victims. Pawnbroker shops were mul'
tiplied around,
There everything was accepted
Costly jewelry, horses and garments
of all discriptions-I say garments, l
ought to say rags, for piles of clothes
accepted were literally taken from the
.wnbroker to the paper-mlll. Many
"a poor fellow went on horseback and
c,me back on foot. Many q father
came back naked, and had to throw his
children in the streets upon the charity
of tn, lucky fellows. As far as l hear,
the lucky ones were few. To attempt
description of all the painful sights to
be endured at that fair, would require
o thorough physiognomist. Indeed, |
was so disgusted that could not stand
it more than two hours. As luck would
have it, had been invited by an Amer
lean family to picnic upon their beau
tiful grounds, two or three miles off at
ST. Augustine, There the contrast was
more charming. Instead of the horri-
BILE faces of cursing gamblers, the
sweet smile Of pretty girls and the COM
psny of gentlemen. may just rs well
mention that fine lunch was spread
under q tree in the midst OF an orchard
and by the side of clear and noisy
brook. We had besides wine, another
abpendagc not generally in use on such
occasions, They were leaning against
and depending from tree lot OF rifles
and revolvers, one for each guest; be-
sides, up in the mountain about half a
mile of, the hands of the Hacienda,
mounted guard and patroled the neigh
borhood. The brave and prudent host
did not wish to expose the ladies to
sudden alarm. In fact, the gucrillas
had attacked his manufactory two
nights previous, and it was supposed
that they were not yet too faa off not
to be attracted by the fragrance of the
good things spread on the grass.
Having heard that considerable
number of rascals are tried and sum
marily disposed of by the French,
have had the curiosity to be present Al
one of the daily sittings of the martha
lcourt. The fate of two ragged fellows