, 1868-08-28
Gambling in New York.

The prevailing vice among New Yorkers
Is gambling. Men gamble in stocks and
gold, aud when the stock market is closed
they indulge in the healthy pastime Of
fighting the tiger, otherwise called faro.
In many Of the down town business streets
gambling 'hells' are located, in order to
accommodate merchants with "a little game
during the hours Of toll. Up town, on
Broadway, from Spring street even as far as
Fortietb street, two or three gambling saloons
are nm -~~h block. and the side streets are
lntested with them Hnvaring aropnd ,be.s
doors are men arrayed in spotIess broad
cloth and fine linen, shiny silk hats and dyed
mustaches, waiting ready and anxious to
pounce upon the unWary and lead them to
destruction. To what extent gambing is
carried on, our police records will show.
Bank clerks, cashiers and treasurers, become
detaulters, and the origin of the crime is
traced to one cause-gambling Tie police
know this, and are cognizant of the where
aoouts OF each hell, yet no efforts are made
toward their suppression. 1t is true a raid
Is occasionally made upon some poor unfor.
tunate, but the big guns like John Nor
rissey, John c. Heenan, George Beers, Joe
nan and others, go scot free.
"What is sauce for the goose is sauce for
the gander,' is an old saying, ard the mat.
ter Of gambling is no exception to the rule
The wives and daughters of our most wealthy
citizens are afflicted with the mania, aud
play as deeply aud heavily as their husbands
and fathers. In Twenty-third street, near
Madison avenue, is a gambling house pa.
tronized exclusively by females. With the
kind permission of your readers we will visit
them.
1t is modest, unpretendiug looking house
the entrance scrupulously clean, and present.
ing no different appear rance, externally, than
those adjoining, save that the blinds are all
tightly closed. Ringing the bell, we are
admitted by gorgeOusly appareled woman
who acts as janitress. On one side of the
hall is superb painting of Leda and the
Swan, and on the opposite side is another,
equally good, Of Venus rising from the sea.
Ascending the stairs, we are ushered into
the parlors on the FIRST floor. They are ele>
gantly, even luxurantly, furnished. The
person who fitted up these rooms must have
had exquisite taste. The paintings hanging
on the walls are rare and valuable, but the
most conspicuous, and the one that first
strikes the eye and Iivets the attention, is
the painting by AIRY Schaeffer, of the gam
bling scene from Bulwer's play of Money
and for which, it is stated, Auguste Belmont
has offered twenty thousand dollars, and been
refused.
Seated around the room and at the gaming
tables are a number of ladies, all of whom
are dressed in the height Of fashion. The
players are flushed with excitement, but the
dealer, in her pompsdOur waist, half revealing
half concealing an ample bust, sits calm aud
collected, and rakes in the checks with the
utmost Sangfroid. EVersnd anon some player
when heavy bet is lost, calls for wine, which
is speedily supplied by an attentivs and dem
ure looking Hebe. Demure !? Yes, but it
is the occurrences of the cat. Offend her,
and she will quickly show that she has claws.
That lady at the center of the table, sitting
between Anonyma and Aspasia, is the wife
of one of our most wealthy merchants. l
could tell you her name, but tales must never
be told out Of school. Observe that young
lady, with bonnet no larger than a cookie
shell and Bismarck brown ribbons the one
who is now taking off her diamond ring to
STAKE, a0Q winch sne Will IoSo de suI0 10 eeSS
are eggs, is a daughter of an exjudge. Alb,
the wife of our wealthy merchant is loser
see, she rises from the table, biting her lips
till the blood comes, to conceal her emotion.
Come, let us away such scenes do not make
our opinion of poor human nature the more
exalted.
Is it any wonder that we SO frequently see
rewards offered for lost diamond rings, neck
laces and bracelets 7 If we had the power
Of Asnodeus, we would see these lost articles
in the safe of some gentleman who has for
his sign the old Lombardy emblem Of three
balls. The thirst for gambling will be sat
istied, and money must be obtained. Yes
yes. Hamlet was right-there are more
things in heaven and earth than are dreamed
OF in our philosophy.