New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-11-05

him through the keynote, ana we passed. in' :,
We nrnceeded up stars to the hfst moor, the
sbnttera of which were carefully closed, so that
no irtimation of what was gong en- eonla p0sslpiy
reach the street. The apartment was primarily
lighted roulette table and dice cards were pro
fIselv paraded. There were about nall dozen
ners6ns III soon discovered, besides the gang, ana
mat comprised eleven or twelve we'll dressed des-
neradoes. whose sinister aspects induced mo
mentary qualm lest one or more Of the parry
might suspect or recognize my VOCATION "
This however, REFLECTED, was scarcely posslpIe
NV beat, during the short period had been in the
force was far distant from the usnai h i VI =;
such gentry, and l was otherwise unknown ~
London. Still, questioning glances were eagerly
directed toward my introducer; and one big, ourly
fellow a f0reigner-the rascals were the scum OF
various countries-was unpleasanty lnqulsltorlal'
| {" Yen responds I" 1heard Sanford say N answer
to iterated queries and he added something IN q
1 whisper, which brought a sardonle smile 10 inc
feIIow,s Inns and induced total change IN his de-
meanor toward myself, This was reassuring for,
though provided with pistols, should, lee, nave
little chance with such utterly reckless Fulahs' Us
those by whom was surrounded.
/ PLAY was proposed; and though at hrst stoutly
j refusing, feigned to be gradually overcome by
irresistible temptation, and sat down to eInd haz
/ ard with my foreign friend for moderate stakes:
! I was graconsly allowed to win, and IN the end
found myself richer in devils money by about ten
pounds Mr.. Merton was soon ABSORBED IN the
| chances of the dice, and lost large sums iof
/ which when the money he had brought with MN
i was exhausted The gave written Acknowledgements.
The cheating practiced upon him was really auda-
4 cious aad any one but tyro must nave repeat
eddy detected it, He, however appeared n9 p 70
his opponents, guiding himself entirely by the ad-
vice Of his friend and counselor, Sandford VINO
4 did not himself play. The amiable assemoiage
broke up about six in the morning, each person
retiring sngly by the back way, receiving, as he
departed, the password for the next evening.
4 few hours afterward i waited on the com
4 missioner to report the state of affairs: He was
i delighted With the fortunate DEBUT had made,
butstilL strictly eni0ined patience and caution IL
would have been easy as | was in possession Of
the password, to have surprised the contederacY
in the act of gambling that very evening" but this
would have accomplished only half Of the object
4 aimed at Several of the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
among the number-were suspected of uttering
foreign bank notes, and it was essential to watch
narrowly for legal evidence to insure their CON
victon. 1t was also desirable TO restore, If pos
/ sible, the property and securities OF Whlch MT.
Merton had been pilaged.
Nothing of especial Importance occurred fol
8 seven or eight days. Gambling went on as usual
I every evening" and Mr.. Merton became, OF course
. more involved; even his sisters jewels-whicl
e he had surrepttiously obtained, to such deptt
Of degradation will this frightful vice plunge mel
y otherwise honorable-had been staked and lost
e and he was about to conclude heavy mortgage
g on his estate. in order not only to clear on hi
d enormous debts Of HONOR but to acquire trest
d means of swimming backn-that igRiSfatu1tS Of
d all gamblers-his tremendous losses! new pre-
nnar4 III Nsrt6r astnnn3ed SimsaIf lSn6w
. ;oo aI'd a. ocarte # was introduced and h
=. ~ 10 ~ a,,arI garoa he nIaved mucl
e to the apparent annoyance and discontinue Q
4 | k;ob b.d InvsaIf fal1en I of course the NOR
@ 6 aau + and feIt quite sased that
q } 49, 80 ~ neJifstad tn The mean time
? 7. ~ - ia aarJfora Was eonfiIentialr
= i M anoe +t+ @ ony Jgait;ng in Tondon
y ~ p t 60 aSy7 SI,a +5onsond nnn7e
~ ncia Passgrove,s Ieaacvand then in
ana5 u basta iTToad;atelv 6acE to canny York
a n no 10 saan the Villains ewes "a incidentally
q ~ \ 1rera aoe a,onrcad nv GRAND and Intention
s as ~ "eie' ny - a..
They 1alrly Fasned WIN ihieFn ti Hlees Al
sandford sanafoTa y9a Were, wv 81 ~ yUL o ,,a
hihS out = sanu 9lu i'tios W t4 f n
had Wfohged anu FulLieu ooulo So easLy I04Sop VI
' aeBG ne eWeu you .es,,, ~ 1r,.+,,, . 49,.
rue ctlsis calLe sMl " n II ~ Son ? ~
i 9ags lohey w. ~ NC pau a. AN sa a
On tnde uay, sIo' tunotueeN It9
anus TeeeNaple py mt were w pe 7nanued 4Set
MT. merton, elated py MS repeated llqInphs
eearte, ana prompted py ms iIleh9 oanuloLu, y
solved instead OF canceilng tne ponds ana OBJ
y cations held py the conspfato[s! 10 feoeein u
Y losses ny stahhE on tAag salAe As aealy loIe
8 agamst those naollltes ms Mas ~ ntsI ae!tte
y 70 WIN Lnucn appatenG eathestless ~ S e " %
r. but as merton, Warmly secohGeu ny 9a1uiotu,
sisted upon the concession, as ne oeeeu II, y W
nnaly agteeu IiaI ecatte snoutu pe tLe S aLne =
20 when ne nlg9I nope 10 regain the Iortu4e an
4 peace Of mind ! ne mad SO rashIy squandered ID
/
as sure OF sucGess-ne assured SANFORD thab Z
% would never handle cards or dlee. he s1oni
/ have heard the moekl9g merriment with whlch u
i, gang heard SANFORD repeal tnls res0luti0n
n amend his Ways-When ne mad recovered PACK
Is wealth ,r.-
= The day SO eagerly Iohged fof by Merton an
n the contederates-6y the spoilers ana Their prey
n arrived, and aWalted WIN teVeflsn Anxiety u
y coming on OF ngnt' ohly tie enlel consp
Us eight IN number-Wefe 70 De present ana ;. !
stranger except myself privilege owed 10 u !
ID moonshine legacy had just reeeiVed i, TO
y admitted to TINS GROWING tTluinpn q ms success
le fql fraud. Qne nnt ohly had ventufea 70 gn
Q Mr, Merton, and that under promise, on ms non
~ as gentleman" OF lnvlolable secrecy. Ii ="
~ this : pc sure, before commencing play TONIC
ld row night, that the bonds ana o6lgaaonS you ha'
10 signed, the Jewels you nave losE, with sum
notes or gold to make up an equal amount 20 IN
c- which you mean to FISK, IS actualy deposlted
We the table" he promised 70 inslst on ms conc
tlon' ltlnYolVed mueh more than we dreamed {
10 MY arrangements were at length ltnoro,uSh
to complete, and ateW minutes past twelve o,ctoSS
the whispered password admitted ne INTO 7
W mouse. an angry attefcauqn was gong o
r Mr. Merton was insisting, as haa ADVISED; aP'
IN the exhibition OF sum equal to that which he hi
brought with hiH for, confident OF winning,
M was Determines % recover ms losses 70 tne ia
We aftniag ana agaoagl ms ponds, os, opllgaglon