The Van Buren press., 1869-08-10
GAMBLING AZ A CRIME.
convit,on OF a Noted Cleveland Gambler
Impressive 9ontenos of Judge Paine =
The True Character e Cr1me.


elegant and fashionable gambling Heuse,
No. "a st. Clair street. Cleveland, Ohio,
has been convicted under an indictment
| for gambling for livelihood, and sen
teneed to imprisonment in the Jail fer a
period Of six menths, and pay fine OF
$500 and costs Of prosecution, the full
extent of the law. Before pronounting
the sentence, Judge Paine delivered q
review Of the case, in which he denonnc-
led in the most scathing terms the aess-
ric@s business in which the prisoner was
engaged. Among other things he said !;
| II appears that something more thau
three years since you took a respectable
Ebriek residence, No. "a st. Clair street,
in the worry hss OF this city, that you
proceeded at once to arrange shc front
door in such a way shat he who seught
admission Was concealed entirely from
view while he was using the bell to gain
admission thar by soue contrivance in
an inner door he who desired to enter
must undergo inspection from an eye
within and the fitness u the applicant for
reception must be fully settled upon be-
fore he could enter. Police officers we're
not always allowed admission. Your
parlors were elegantly furnished, and
your side board well supplied. To this
place Of comfort, conealment anu crime,
young men were invited to tcs! the quail
ity of favorite brand OF choice wine, or
fire the brain with som,thing stronger
II they met and partook Of the hospitali-
ties Of your rooms in the day time. they
seldom left without inaulging in gamb'
ling, and often arranged for ruture meet
ings.
Your establishment appears to be de
signed not so much for the aecommoda-
tion Of the professsd gambler, where
those equal ndoctrina,ea in the mysteries
Of the game and instructed in the rigid
rules OF honesty which prevail there, as
for the young and inexperienced 1t
seems to be the infant school, where the
young may be instructed in She first ru-
diments of crime, where they may be
taught the first lessons OF unrestrained
recklcssness, and put npon the shortest
and most direct raad to ruin. The cyi-
dence in the case did not show the extent
Of your business, or with certainty the
success thst attended its prosecution. 1t
did show, however, with no other estensi
bic means of making money. you were
able to buy and pay for s20, 900 worth OF
Government securitiee at time and still
have means left TO invest largely in goods
ut auction.
have said your establishment seemed
to be designed for the young ssl mex
perienced. But this is not all 1t seems
adults, under certain circumstances, coulc
be accommodated, The evidence showed
that last fall man in the prime OF life
Of abundant means, bat in the habit Of
indulging too freely in streng drink, wen
to your room early on g saturday even
ing that you at once threw open your
side board and invited him to partake OF
the hospitaltiss of your house that yor
then proceeded to entertain him by edal-
ing faro and other games, playins and
betting largely; thst you thus amused
him until three or tour o clock Sunday
morning that during that Eight not less
than $1,000 was involved, and that he
left your house 4 much more sober man
than when he entered, and with Sl2,50C
less means. Whether sobriety had been
in this case produced by loss Of property
or moral training during the night. the
witness did not state.
And what, let me ask, 10 the effect ol
slch an establishment in a city like Cleve.
land? What fruit may be sought from
such tree, or water from such foun-
tain 2 A single specimen will answer fol
a thousand or more. The Judge here
drew a picture OF q young man Of fine
talent, who had situation Of trust in .
business house, who is decoyed into the
gambling room, is induced 10 play, and
finally, aftor losing his own means, draws
upon the funds Of his employers in des
perate attempt to retrieve. his fortunes.--
lie loses, and is forever disgraced
What is that young mans mental con
ditionY All the bright prospect for the
future in moment annihilared, u con
sciousness that unboundcd. confidence
has been betrayed, sense Of the dceI
guilt of tho crime Of embezzlement, with
no means to avert the disgraceful disclo
sure or merted punishment lie thinks
of what be was, and Of what he nigh
have been, lie reflects upon the hom'
and scenes of his childhood, the nstruc
tions Of a devoted mother, and the exam
pie of an honest father. lie looks 10 th'
past, and every remembrance adds to hi
present torment; and TO the future, ant
sees nothing but the reproaehes Of all h
has learned TO respect. with incarceration
in tho penitentiary his only relief. Th
reproaches OF an enlightened conscienc
from within admonishss that tho remorse
less cravings Of the never dying worn
have commenced on earth.
II you watch our daily papers you vii
often see notice something as follows
"sCICIpE.
"As Mr.. a, the confidential clerk Of {
ID. d. Co., on X. street, was not at hi
post rs usual this morning, there wa
suspicion that there WAS something
wrong. The door of his room was fore
ed, and the young man found lying ol
his bed corpse. An empty vial wa
found upon the stand, which had contain
ed poison. On the table was found
note directed to his parents, as follows
Dear Parents-I thank you for wha
you have dane for me, and ask pardon
: for the afIliction have caused you.
am tired Of life; it has lost its charms
Remember mo to my dear sister, and for
give my rashness. 1t had been noticed