Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-06-24
Sole OF o a Story.
GAMBLING IN SAN FRANCISCO,

III lofo, Cnc prlnclpal banking institutions
of the chance kind in San francisco were the
"Bella Union,' Verandah," "Nim dc Oro,"
and "Parker House," all situated about the
"PluSa," and each employed band of music
to lessen the tedious hours of that rainy win
ter, and to drown the noise of dinging gold
and silver, and the cursng CALCULATIONS of the
gamblers. Many sad scene has taken place
within these saloons that chilled the blood of
the bcholder, and is remembered with horror.
l was once carclcssly sauntering through one
of these places. My attention was attracted
towards person who had large piles of gold
before him. The starting eyeballs, the swol-
lon veins upon his forehead, the cold sweat
upon his facc, aud clenched hands told Of
heavy losses. Mingled ordinations of hor-
ror and contempt would escape him, and he
seemed unconcious of all that was going on
around him. Ills gaze was bent upon the
cards as if his llfe's blood was the stake at is.
sue. In this case his last dollar was placed
within the dealers bank then with the
frenzy Of maniac, he drew dirk knife and
plunged in up to the hilt i'll his own body and
sunk a corpse upon the table. A few rude
jecrs followed this act; the body was removed,
and the game went cn MS though nothing had
happencd--as though another victim had not
been added to the gamblers damning record,
or another soul had not gone to its final ac-
count. learned this much Of his history.
lie started with II large stock of goods
given by his father to sell on commission, and
the fathers fortune depended upon safe re-.
turn of the money SO invested but, as usual
with young men, he INDUCED in the full libcr.
ty of unbridIcd license, and while the ship
OF, of %b,
he cngcndercd the first seeds of"play." But,
for awhile after his arrival, the excitement of
trade, and the energy necessary to accomplish
successful issue, kept his mind busy. One
day, by appointment, lie was to meet mcr-
camille friend at this time, and while waiting
for his friends arrival, stalking few dollars
upon the turn of cards, when the latcn5 dis.
ease sprang iuto life, and it carried him hcad.
long over the prccpicc aud ended in tragic
manner related.
The MIN dc Orc was gambling saloon on
Washington street, opposite Of lei Dorado,
and i'll 1849 was the principal resort of tho
dsbandcd soldiers of the California regiments,
and also of the soldiers that had been engaged
in the war with the Mexico. -
Behind one of the largest money banks in
the room sat a man who had won for himself
honorable mention, and an officers cumtnls.
sion was given him for his bravery at the
storming of Monterey; but prcferring the eli.
mate of California and it's golden prospects to
q more northern homo, he embarked 70. that
country at the close of the war with Nc, leo,
and, upon arriving he opened a gambling sa.
loon. Tao emigrants came in by the thou.
sand, and, few nights after his arrival, a
young man entered the saloon and seated him
self ut the bank, and staked various sums up.
on the cards until he had lost nearly all the
money he possessed.
Excited by the play, and maddcned by his
losses, he accused the dealer of cheating tho
dealer replied sharply to- the accusation the
lilo passed, when the young man struck the
dealer severe blow upon the face, Quick MS
thought, tho sharp report of apistol followed,
ahd the gamblers clothing was covered with
tho young mans blood---he had shot him
through the right breast. The room was
cleared Of tho spectators present, the door
closed, and medical attendance called in to
aid the wounded man. .
Tho gambler, sat moodily over his bank,
ftihning the small mopto4 cards through his
fingers, and perhaps thingiug Of tho deed
just perpetrated, whenthe wounded man gave
a moan Of agony asf tho doctors probe reached
the bottom ofthe wound.
1.-The doctor inquired what State he was
from, and tho wounded man replied, ;i
"From Vernon" /. s'-' 4 ..s,'''T !
The gambler raised his head, for It h.,
been long time since ho had seen a. person
from the home Of his ohildhold, aud. Vermont
being tho name of his native State, the mere
mention Of bis namo interested him. ,''0