Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-05-01
A Gambler of the Olden Time--'
- Sold as a Slave in Stanton.

- Sold as a Slave in StauntOn.
The Washington correspondent of the
Chicago Tribune has furnished that
journal with synopsis of an old autobiog-
raphy of celebrated gambler and turf
man who once flourished in these parts
We copy a few detached extracts:
The book is entitled ssThe Life and Adj
ventures of Robert Bailey,'' written by
himself, at Bath, Va; was published at
Richmond in 1922, and vouched for ION
the honor of soldier, an officer, and a
gentleman"
Bailey was born in Chester county, Pa,
of an Irish father and Quaker mother !;
and his father, wasting sshis mothers SUBJ
stance'' by going security for people, en-
tered the Patriot army, and fell, Major,
at Cowpens. The widow immlgrated,
very to soon Culpeper county, Va, and
| opened roadside tavern, afterwards a
school, and when she married again the
| boy decamped. For while he farmed in
Montgomery county, Md, near Conrad g
| Ferry, but finally married tavern-keep-
| er's widow, and traded in horses, spirits,
and merchandise. He was roped in by
some Philadelphia gamblers, and taught
to play, and on the way home he stopped
at the Annapolis races. Here" he says,
twas Colonel Taylor, with Virago, and
General Ringgold, with Pichegrue. There
was gambling at Mann's tavern"-much
the same as nowadays roulette, equality,
| etc. Learning how to
CONDUCT FARO BANK
from such great gamesters as Major Jack
| Willis, StrasS. of Richmond, and Samuel
| Overton, Bailey opened faro bank at the
| Sweet Springs, and in the courthouse
building. When the ladies once refused
to dance with him, he bought the only VIC
linist, a slave, and stopped the balls. Then
! he fought duel with Major Tom Lewis
! and wounded him.
Gamblers were allowed to be sold as
slaves ON conviction, in Virginia, and
Bailey, being convicted at Staunton, was
| so adjudged He libeled Judge ST. George
Tucker, and was summoned to appear be-
| fore the Virginia House of Delegates
| therefor, December oath, 1903. No lawyer
would take his case.
Escaping from Richmond, Bailey visited
Philadelphia, and quietly slipped back
when the storm had blown over.
| Returning to the mountain district OF
Botetourt, ran for Congress, carried three
counties, and barely missed being elected
| rich widow, Ann TurnbulI, of Winches
ter, travelled in coach-and-four up and
down the country with her, and settled in
Washington city, gambling in George
| town, and running a faro-table at Port To
bacco, with John T. Esmenard In 1915
Bailey patented ssThe Fair-Dealer of the
| Cho7toe Latsorioe, ito prevent unfair deal
! ing at cards.
On Mrs Turnbull he says he spent four
teen years of his life at $4,000 a year
| travelling and opening a faro bank, OF run
ming fast horses, at all the large towns
II came with Madame to Richmond in
SEES tandem, Mrs. Turnbull by my side, and
an outrider.
| lived in
| ELEGANCE AND EXTRAvAGANCE
| with Mrs. Turnbull. My winnings were
from $4,000 to $4,000 year, Members
| of Congress and other respectable person
ages visited my private dwelling, where
they were entertained sumptuously. There
were three other banks, kept by sharpers .
| Bailey was a man with a high head
rather narrow forehead, enormous nose
disposed to be aquiline, and large and
coarse in the region of the nostrils; his
upper lip was square, like stone wall, and
the jaw beneath it was like General Wash
/ ington's. A look of royal dignity was i'm
posed upon this rather vulgar countenance
the swagger of magnanimity and humol
was expressed in the poise Of his head
He wore a standing collar, with a white
stock and with a ruffied shirt bosom. His
hair was invariably powdered. That stamp
of man still exists among the gamesters Of
Baltimore, Richmond. and New Orleans.
Bailey wrote his book when he was near
| ly bereft of health, money and friends
| He walked to Winchester to obtain few
subscribers, and afterwards he went to
Richmond and sold more copies, the Legis-
lature subscribing literally. He then en-
| tertained the idea that he might be elected
| to Congress, wretched as he was. AT Staun.
/ ton an attempt was made to seize him and
sell him as slave on old judgments of
nineteen years before, for faro dealing.
| Baily now visited the race-courses where
| he had fiourished for years in vulgar ele-
gance, seeking to dispose of copies of his
| book. He was often insulted, when the
old temper would revive; and men were
still afraid Of him, and at this point the
old book comes to an end, leaving Major
Bailey in perfect health again, at the age
of As years, in the year of q ur Lord 1S2o.'
| GATH.