The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1871-12-07
STRANGE, BUT TRUE.
BY f. BAILY cHANBEY.

In 1916, the principal banking institu-
| tions of the chance kind in San Francisco,
were the Bella Union" "Verandah," !"
! ''Nim de Orc, and Parker House." all
situated about the plaza" and each EN-,
| ployed band OF music TO lessen the tedi-
| Gus hours of that rainy winter. and to
drown the noise of dinging gold and sIl-
Yer, and the curslng CALCULATIONS Of the
| gamblers.
Many a sad scene has taken place with
in these saloons that chilled the blood of
! the beholder, and is remembered with
| horrorl I once careless!y sauntered
through one of these places. My attention
was attracted toward person who had
large piles of gold before him. The staring
! eyebalis, the swollen veins upon his fore
| head, the cold sweat upon his face, and
clenched hands, told of heavy losses
| Mingled eXclamations of horror and con-
tempt would escape him, and he seemed
unconscious of all that was going on around
| him His gaze was bent upon the cards,
as if his lifes blood was the stake at issue.
In this case his last dollar was placed
| within the dealers bank then, with the
frenzy OF a maniac. he drew long dnk-
knife and plunged it up TO the hllt into his
own body, and sunk a corpse upon the
table. A few rude jeers followed this act;
ion as though nothing had happened-as
ishough another victim had net been ad-
ded to the gamblers 6amning record, or
another soul had not gone to its final ae-
count. j learned thls much Of his histo-
ry: -
He started with large stock of goods,
given him by his father to sell on commits
sion, and the fathers fortune depended
upon a safe return of the money so inves
ted but as usual with young men, be
INDUCED In the full liberty of unbridled
license; and while the ship stopped at one
of the South American ports, he engen-
dered the first seeds of play" But for
while after his arrival, the excitement of
trade and the energy necessary to accom-
plish a successful issue, kept his mind bu-
sy. One day, by appointment, ne was to
meet a mercantile friend at this time, and
while waiting for his friends arrival,
staked a few dollars upon the turn of
cards, when the latent disease sprang into
life, and it carried him headlong over the
precipice, and ended IL the tragic manner
related
The MIN de Orc was gambling saloon
on Washington street, opposite the ElDoTa-
do, and in 1919 was the principal resort
of the dHbanded soldiers of the California
regiments. and also OF the soldiers who
had been engaged IN the war with Mex
ico
Behind one of the largest monte banks
in the room sat man who had won for
himself honorable mention and an officers 5
commission was given him for his bravery
at the st9rming OF Monterey: but prefer
ring the climate of California and its
| golden prospects to a more northern home,
he embarked for that country at the close
of the war with Mexico, and, upon arriv-
ing he opened gambling saloon. The
emigrants came in by thousands, and a
few nights after his arrival, young man
entered the saloon and seated himself at
the bank, and staked various sums upon
money he possessed.
Excited by the play. and maddened with
his los ses, he accused the dealer OF cheat
ing; the dealer replied sharply to the ac-
. cusation: the lie passed, when the young
man struck the dealer a severe blow upon
the face. Quick as thought, the sharp re-
port of pistol followed and the gambler
clothing was covered with the young
mans blood-he had shot him through the
right breast. The room was cleared of the
spectators present, the door closed, and
medical attendance called IN to aid The
wounded man.
The gambler sat moodily over his bank
running the small monte cards through
> his fingers, and perhaps thinking of the
deed Just perpetrated, when the wounded
man gave a moan of agony as the doctors
; probe reached the bottom Of the wound
The doctor inquired what state he was
c from, and the wounded man replied
5 From Vermont"
The gambler raised his head, for 1t had
been a long time since he had seen a per-
son from the home of his childhood, and
5 Vermont being the name of his native
3 State, the mere mention of the name IN
= teIested him.
The doctor next inquired the name o.
the place where has parents resided, If be
d had any. The wounded man replied
: Montpelier"
b The gambler sprang to his feet, his
i. limbs trembled. and his face was pale as
death, for Montpelier was the home of his
: youth, and perhaps the wounded mar
5 might have been his playmate in child
hoOd-perhaps q schoolmate-knew his
d parents, his brothers and sisters. He clunG
convulslvely to the table, and, with the
: contending emotions of rapid thought and
the weight of in Jury inflicted, he ceulC
d scarcely keep upon his feet.
A stimulant was given to the wounded
man, and he was momentanly relieved
f from that weakness the body is 50 subJec
. to after a severe wound, when the doctor
!, inquired if there was any friend IN the city
!. he wished to send for.
IS YES" he replied, my wife. She is a
n the City Hotel, on the corner of Clay anC
% Kearny streets. Tell Mary to hasten, TO
L AN badly hurt"
: A man was cent to bring his wife.
: Doctor" said the gambler, Save tina
mans life, and there is my bank, anC
$40 900 in Burgoyne, and you shall hav,
I 1t all" l- z.-
= The doctor felt the pulse of the man
and probed the wound anew. The gam
bier watched him with the greatest anxi-
etv until the inspection was finished .wheI
= the doctor shook his head in token OF i'm
,t possibility. The gambler sat by the sid
Of the wounded man, bathed his head, ,anC
= staunched the fow of blood from hi