Weekly Trinity journal., 1870-01-15
A New York Gambling House.

The Twenty-sixth street gambling house has
organized Campaign for the winter on an orig
inal and comprehensive system, after the Baden
Baden school. The house is few doors west
of Broadway, and not far from the aristocrauc
ST. James hotel. 1t is a ive-story brown-stone
front, and is occupied by score of the card fra
ternity. Women, elegantly dressed, futter IN
and out of its door. During the early evening
the hutter of silks and laces and the simmer of
jewels grow most BRILLIANT. These women are
what are termed by gamblers elegant cappers.
They inyeigle many wealthy victims into this
gambling den. One-half the number of men at
this house are young and handsome men, dressed
in the richest of clothes. They pretend to rep
resent scons of Fifth avenue and other aristo-
cratic neighborhoods These young men have
engaged day board for the winter in uptown
fashionable boarding houses-one in each. The
Oldest of the men who have travelled
extensively. Five of them have been runners
for New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Cincin-
natl wholesale houses. They have more ex-
tended circle of acquaintance than any other
class of men on the continent. They know thou
sands of country merchants who visit New York
to purchase goods, and the piles of each. These
have day board al the hotels, and, like their
companions agents of this gambling house
square game of faro, keno, roulette, monte,
| or rouge Ell NOR is not played at this house.
Gamblers not interested in the game not al
lowed there. The association is a combination
gambling ring. Their runners obtain access to
all circles of society. How they effect this it is
not necessary to explain; but they manage it TO
perfection. They are at all the grand recep-
tions, and their lady companions are from among
| the families of the millIonaires. II the young
lady has brother who commands ready money,
| she is a favorite with one of these young men.
Their system for making acquaintances is so per-
feet that they become the best known in
the city. Some of them frequent the Manhattan
club. They lounge in the parors of their re-
! spective boarding houses after dinner, and min
| gle with the boarders. They are asked out with
rich men, and ask rich out with them.
Then, as if by accident as they converse on
New York life, gambling hells spoken of.
Just look into some of the most elegant ones
some night is suggested and agreed upon. They
go to the Twenty-sixth street house of course.
The stranger is not asked to play He sees half
dozen Incorporating men at the table toying
with ivory chips. Others occupy magnificent
settees and chairs. Luxury surrounds the apart
ments, and instead of hell as the new WIS.,
itor has imagined he finds an abode of elegance.
He looks on and men accumulating stack
after stack of white, blue red and black chips
and changing them in for money. He is irresist-
IDLY drawn to the table. If he plays, he losses as
long as he lays his money down. Those whom
he sees playing and winning are members of the
fraternity. The money they win is passed in
again and so the game runs Those who oper-
| ate with country merchants accompany them
when they purchase goods, win their favor and
are taken with them to their brilliant gambling
hells. Not an honest card is turned A number
of the associates of this house may be seen on
the corners of Twenty-sixth street and Broadway
during any afternoon They are the dealers and
| older cappers. These wear diamonds and a pro-
fusion of jewelry. They occupy seats near the
windows at the Hoffman and st. James, and
crowd respectable people off the side walks.
The young men who irtrude snake-like into
higher society are never there or in COM
pany with gamblers; but at Central park, the
theaters, and first-class balls they may always
be found .--Nesc York Sun