The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-11-08
THE BROTHERS.


In 1919 the principal banking ;nstitu-
tions of the chance kind in San Francisco
were the Belle Union, Verandi, MIN de
Orc, and Parker House, all situated about
the Plaza, and each employed band of
music to lessen the tedious hours of that
rainy winter, and to drown the noise of
jingling gold and silver, and the cursing
CALCULATIONS of the gamblers.
Many sad scene had taken place within
these saloons that chilled the blood of the
behOlder, and is remembered with horror.
once carelessly sauntered through one of
these places. My attention was attracted
toward 4 person who had large plies Of
gold before him. The staring eyeballs,
the swollen veins upon his forehead, the
cold sweat upon his face and the clenched
hands, told of heavy losses. Mingled cx-
CARNATIONS of horror and contempt 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 life's
blood was the stake at issue. In this ease
his last dollar was placed within the dealers
bank then, with the frenzy of a maniac,
he drew long, ugly dirk knife and plunged
it up to the hilt i'll his own body, and sunk
corpse on the table. 4 few rude jeers
followed this act the body was removed,
and the game went on as though nothing
had happened-as though another victim
had not been added to the gamblers damn
ing record, or another man had not died.
lie started with large stock of goods,
given him hy his father to sell ON commits
sion, and the fathers fortune depended on
a safe return of the money so invested :;
but, as usual with young men, he INDUCED
in the full liberty of unbridled license, and
while the ship stopped at one of the South
American ports, he engendered the first
seeds of play" But for while after his
arrival, the excitement of trade, and the
energy necessary to accomplish success
ful issue, kept his mind busy. One day,
by appointment, he was to meet mercan-
tile friend at this time, and, while waiting
for his friends arrival, stakeda few dollars
upon the turn of the cards, when the latent
disease sprang into life, and it carried him
headlong over the prccipice, and ended in
the tragic manner related.
The MIN de Orc was gambling saloon
on Washington street, opposite the El
Dorado, and in 1916 was the principal re-
sort of the disbanded soldiers of the Cali
fornia regiments, and also Of the soldiers
who had been engaged in the war with
Mexico.
Behind one of the largest monte banks in
the room sat a man who had won for him
self honorable mention, and an officers
commission was given him for his bravery
at the stOrming of Monterey; but, prefer
ing the climate of California and its ''gold-
en- prospects to more Northern home,
he embarked for that country at the close
of the war with Mexico, and upon arriving
he opened gambling saloon. The emf
grants came i'll by thousands, and two or
three nights after his arrival a young man
entered the saloon and seated himself at
the bank and lost nearly all the money he
possessed.
Excited by the game, and maddered with
his losses, he accused the dealer of cheat
ing the dealer replied sharply; the lie
passed, and then the young man struck the
dealer severe blow upon the face
Quick as thought the sharp report of a
pistol followed, ard the gamblers clothing
was covered with the young mans blood
-he had shot him through the right
breast. The room was soon 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 moan of agony as the doctor probe
reached the bottom of the wound.
The doctor inquired what State he was
from, and the wounded man replied:
''From Vermont"
The gambler raised his head, for it had
been long time since he had secn per
son from the home of his childhood and
Vermont being the name of his native /
State, the mere mention of the name inter
ested him.
The doctor next inquired the name OF
the place where his parents resided, II he ,
had any. The wounded man replied:
''NIontpelier.''
The gambler sprang to his feet, his
limbs trembled, and his face was pale as