Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-10-22


the hell and themselves. The initiated
into the mysteries of gambling opera
tions, alone, can detect them as easily as
they could looker-out," or profess
sional "copper"" or "roper = both
meaning the same thing. The latter,
however, are quite a different class of
persons from the professional talker
Without his address, manners, antece-
dent and education, they would utterly
fail in initiating him. The copper
or roper" occupies about the same low
social position among the better class of
gamblers as drummer for mercantile
house does among leading merchant
princes Their business is TO frequent
hotels and other public places of re-
sort, get acquainted by hook or by
crook, in some way, with strangers,
who come to the city, make fraudulent
assertions about themselves, and after
two or three days intimacy, show them
the elephant" Sometimes the roper
gets bit himself by picking up a
sharper in the disguise Of greenhorn,
but in seven times out of ten they gem
orally succeed in the end in robbing
their victim of all he possesses. One
such case has just come to light, that Of
a person named Geo. Z. Stevenson, who
has been victimized out of $50, 900 in
three months in several Broadway
gambling dens He made an affidavit
before a criminal judge, charging
number of parties keepers
of faro banks, ropers, ETC., with winning
the money from him by fraudulent prac-
tees. The defendants when arrested
assert that Stevenson did no. lose half
the sum he says he did, but that he is a
professional gambler from Memphis, and
only resorts to this proceeding to levy
black mail upon them. They are to be
tried next week, when the full facts will
be elected. In the meantime the au-
thorites say that they are determined TO
break up the haunts Of the sporting
fraternity" whose visits and high-handed
proceedings at the fashionable watering
places last season had such an injurious
effect upon landlords, etc., by driving
away thousands Of respectable people
who had no desire to come in social con-
tact with them. The liquor dealers OF
this State, as we'll as of this city, have
organized to oppose the election of any
candidate favorable to the present excise
law. The law has its faults undonbted-
IN. 1t proposes to accomplish too much
A fair, impartial license law, and one
that would really regulate the sale OF
liquors without aiming at prohibition
of their use, would be acceptable to all
parties As the law stands now a
policeman is clothed with the powers
of an autocrat. He can close up any
establishment at any time he may be
piqued against its proprietor. Only
through the recommendation OF the po-
lice captain of the district where an inn
is to be located is license granted.
1t is said that the cunning old Mexican
General Santa Anna has enlisted the aid
of the Fenian Brotherhood in the cause
of Mexico. He has had several pro-
tracted conferences with Roberts, Swee-
ney, and other Fenian chiefs, and has
laid matters in such light before them
that the /. R. BIS have shut their eyes
TO the advantages Of Canada, and are
now zealously educating the Irish into
the belief that Mexico is the country es-
pecially designated by Providence as the
best fitted for the development and nur-
ture Of the Milesian race
Parasols for the fall following in the
march of luxury, have come out more
fancifully adorned than at the spring
opening of the modistes. They are
small lined with white or some contrast
ing color, and ornamented with feathers
and marabouts A black silk parasol
has row of black and white feathers
near the edge and one not far from the
top. A purple silk is trimmed with
white marabout, and blue silk with
blue and white. They are pretty, but
expensive.
The murder of Walker, the horse
trainer, at the Centreville course, is still
wrapped in mystery. A large amount
of money was found on his person.
One witness swears be saw two men
running from the place about the time of
the murder. A reward of $500 is offered
for the arrest of the guilty parties. 1t
is seldom, of late, that we have been
called upon to record so many dreadful
marine disasters on the southern coast,
as within the last week, eliminating in
the loss of the New Orleans steamer,
Evening Star, with nearly all on board
We have but few particulars, as yet,
though it is supposed near three humid
red persons in all perished Many of
the lost we're well known in this city;
some ef them Indeed, were our fellow
citizens An opera and ballet troupe,
comprising ffty-nine souls, recently from
Europe on their way to fill lucrative
engagement in New Orleans, we're also
among the lost Besides this troupe
there were thirty male and female cir