Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-05-13
THE GAZETTE.
CANISTER OF THE OLDEN TIME.

WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 10.


From the Washington Star.
The Life and Adventures of Robert Bal
lev" is a somewhat rare book, published at
Richmond 10 1929 and sold to subscribers
from the hand otis author
Bailey was the greatest gambler OF his pc
Rod, and was iu the height OF his fame during
the administrations OF Washington, JEFFERSON
and Madison. He was "a son of an lrlshman
and his mother Quaker. Born in Chester
Valley, Pa, his fathcr wasted considerable
fortune of Mrs. Bailey's by going security Tor
men at large. Theu entering the patriot army
the elder Bailey became major, aud was Killed
at the battle Of Cowpeus. The Impoverished
widow loaded her goods upon cart, and with
her brood of children followed after on foot to
Culpeper county. Va, where she kept tavern
and afterwards school, and hnally married
again. The second husband undertook to
chas.ise young Bailey, but received dread
full Aopgging This happened at the Sc
neca stone quarries, in Maryland. Afterwards
young Bailey married tavern-keeper' widow,
and showed considerable genius tor trading IN
horses, liquors, negroes, and merchandise;
Without education, he bad still powerful
will and violent temper, and his proves
made him audacious and feared. In those
days the Virginia Springs were tull OF faro
dealers and Bailey was the principle gam
bier at the Sweet Springs, afterwards
of his fame he had large boarding house at
Berkeley Springs, and a city hotel at Wash
ippton called the Bell lnn kept in SIX OF Dan
lei CAROLS houses At this time, as tor four
teen years, be was the dupe OF Winchester
widow. named Ann Turubu!l, and although his
relations were notorious and open with this
creature, the Chief Justice and the Supreme
Bench boarded with him, and even advanced
him hundreds of dollars at times, GU account
of board. Again be had a magnificent estab-
liShment at Georgetown, and rented the
Union Hotel. He was twice put III prison as
debtor, and each time escaped, once adVertls-
ing reward for the marshal OF the District,
R.nggoid, who had placarded him. On another
occasion he visited President Jefferson in the
White House, at the reqAsst OF Commodore
Barney aud Congressman Dawson, and when
the secretary, Col. Cole, sent an usher to tell
him that he must retire. he waylaid the mar
shall in the street aud gave him dreadful fog
eng, for which, after tedious prosecution, he
was fued only $40 aud costs. He kept some
of the fastest horses in the country, and ran at
Annapolis, Richuoud, Petersburg, Wluchcs-
ter, Lexington, Lyuchburg, Port Tobacco, and
other places. lie drove either tour or SIX
horses to 4 grand chuisc, with out riders, aud
men in livery, and his own hair was superbly
powdered, while be carried a gold-headed caue.
On such tours he stopped at the PROMINENT
places and opened game. He says that his
earnings amounted TO hall million dollars i'll
gross On Que OCCASION when the ladies at the
Sweet Springs refused to dance with him, he
bought the negro vollnst and stopped the pIuSc
in the height of the season. He went abroad
to dispose ofSnIhe mountain land, and becom-
lug short of funds, rang 10 with some Engllsh
poblemen, VINO diced freely, and he bet ESQ.,
O0U Losing, he threw himself on their gen.
crosby, and they raised him IA purse. Again,
in France magnificent luck followed him., and
he returned 10 the United States rich. He
then loaded a ship with merchandise aud went
into business at New Orleans, where dis
agreement with his doxy made him low spirit
ed and he lost his luck.
In the latter part OF Bailcy's life, when he
was struggling most earnestly to amcud his
evil courses and thrive by legitimate business,
he fell into the hands OF batfS, and was
hunted from Jail to Jail for trivial bebts until he
lost the use OF his lmbs by wearing manaces
and by rheumatism. Then, wretched, pursued
and despairing, he went into meeting honSe
at the town Of Bath, where he had once been
a great favorite, and eudeavOred to address his
ignorant soul to the contemplation OF heaven.
The constables suddenly rushed IN upon his
medtatlons and he was dragged again tojall.
Finally, released from Hagerstown prison by
the iutercession ofthe celebrated Ohio Williams
he had no resort but to indte bis memoirs aud
peddle the same from horse race to horse race.
His book closes at this period, aud although
sometimes vulgar, it is so free and unreserved
iu its developments that we may doubt whether
any gambler ever lived who described himself
so fully. TO the student Of early social tunes
this is an Invaluable book, giving the depths
and heights of gamester fate. On one oc-
casion Bailey was convicted at StauDton for
keeping faro table, and uoder the laws, as
then enacted, was adjudged to be sold as
slave. He libeled the judge, St. George Tuck
er, and was cited before committee OF the
Virginia Legislature.