The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-12-20
Miscellaneous.
Gambling In Washington.

Gambling In Washington.
Washington for many years had been
q hot-bed for gamblers of high and low
degree. There were dozen faro-banks
on the Avenue within q stone's-throw
of Gadsbys, on the corner of Sixth
Street. Many of these establishments
had club rooms attached, where men,
bers Of Congress and others amused
themselves with brag, vingt. et.un,
and whist. Draw-poker came into
vogue at later day. Gambling, and
for large sums, was common, particu-
larly among Southern and Western
members. Scores of them from Ohio,
Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the
Gulf States squandered their modest
per diem, then eight dollars only, at
the gaming table, and some impaired
their private fortunes by the same in
diligence. s. S. Prentiss was reported
to have lost thirty thousand dollars the
first winter he was in Congress.
The most notorious and dashing
gambler of the day was Edward Pen
dleton. He came from Virginia, where
he was well connected, his family being
of the best blood in the State, and he
married most respectable and accom-
plished lady, whose father held a re
sponsible Office under the government.
Pendleton gave sumptuous entertain
ments at his clubhouse, which were
we'll attended by some of the most EN-.
inent public men in the district. Mr..
Mangum, then President of the Senate,
John j. Crittenden, John M. Bolts.
John B. Thompson, of Kentucky, and
Linn Boyd, afterward Speaker of the
House, and others of lesser note, were
frequently his guests. Congress had
enacted stringent penal laws to prevent
gam bling, but they were dead letter,
unless some poor devil made CON-
plant of foul play, or some feeced
blackleg sought vengeance through the
aid Of the Grand Jury; and then the
matter was usually compounded by the
payment of money.
Whist was favorite game with the
foreign ministers and the elder states
men. Mr.. Clay, General Scott, Mr..
Bodisco, and Mr.. Fox-nephew of
Charles James Fox-who represented
William the Fourth and Queen Vic.
toria, often played together, a hundred
dollars being the usual stake. They
generally played well, as Hoyle taught
the game; but many of the members
of the fashionable clubs of New York
play with more skill than was dreamed
of forty years ago. Governor Marcy
was great lover of whist, but he would
never bet money on the game. There
were always inveterate whisters in the
Senate. A story was current at one
| time of protracted sitting at the card
table, at which Governor Stokes, of
| North Carolina, and Mountjoy Bailey,
sergeant. alarms of the Senate, were
two of the players. 1t ran in this wise :
the Senate adjourned from Thursday
over to Monday The party sat down
to cards after dinner Thursday evening.
They played all night and all the next
day, only stopping occasionally for
refreshments. The game was continued
Friday night and Saturday, through
Saturday night and all day Sunday and
Sunday night, the players resting for 6
snatch of sleep as nature became ex
hausted. Monday morning the game
was in full blast; but at ten O'Clock
Bailey moved an adjournment, alleging
that his official duties required his pres
ence in the Senate. chamber. Stokes
demonstrated, but the sergeaut.at,arm'
persisted, and rose from the table. Tht
Governor grumbled and scolded, bu
finally gave it up, swearing that if b,
had suspected Bailey would break VI
the game thus prematurely, he woult
not have invited him to join the party
Mr.. Webster played whist, but indif
fently only. The Virginians were ad
dicted to that stupid game known a
shoemaker loo. President Tyler wa
fond of loo, and on rainy day, whel
there was no great pressure of publ
business, he has been known to max
| up a game at the White House, an
play all day, having dinner in hi
chamber. His companions usually wer
William Selden, Treasurer of the Unite
States, Cary Selden, his brother, stor
keeper at the navy yard, and sometime
Governor Gilmer, of Virginia, wit
now and then another favorite. Th
amount played for was always smal
but Mr.. Tyler was as much delighted 8
taking a pool as If he had won hur
dreds.
Public opinion was not SO averse
gaming in Washington as in most (
the Northern cities. Probably the ton
5 of public morals is no more elevate
now than it was then, but there WI
! then less pretense and ostentation
purity. AT "a large party given by IL
g wife of a cabinet minister, Mrs. Cla.
chaperoning young lady from Il
North, passed through room whei
!. gentlemen were playing cards, Mr.. Cla
among the number.
! sis this a common practice?" il
quired the young lady.
TT "Yes," said Mrs. Clay; "they alwa.
play when they get together
"Don't it distress you to have Nj
Clay gambler"
= "No, my dear" said the good o
, lady, composedly; she 'most alwa
wins"
1 In the winter Of 1S4l General SEQ
Mr.. Clay, Mr.. Fox, and Mr.. Bodis
played whist once week for SOL
Q time. the stake, as usual, being hu
d dred dollars. They played a mat
% game, Scott and Bodisco against Cl
er and Fox. They were we'll matche
and for long time the game was pret
VI even. At length fortune favored Mess