The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-05-01

WASHINGTON, April Is, 1874.
For several years l have used some
leisure diligence collecting the shreds
OF old apparel, in order to restore form
err days in Washington. This homely
task is not without it's constituency,
and oftentimes folks appear with queer
old books, offering them to me for ma
terial.
THE MAN.
The "Life and Adventures OF Robert
Bailey" written by himself, at Bath
Va, published at Richmond in 1922,
and vouched for ION the honor Of q
soldier, an officer, and gentleman"
is the story OF a celebrated gambler and
turfman in these parts.
He was born In Chester county. Pa,
OF an Irish father and Quaker mother;
and his father, wasting This mother 9
substance by going security for people,
entered the Patriot army, and fell, a
Major, at Cowpens." The widow immi-
grated, very poor, to Culpepper county,
Va, and opened a roadside tavern,
afterwards a school, and when she
married again. the boy decamped. For
awhile be fsrmed in Montgomery
county, Nd, near Conrad's Ferry, but
finally married a tavern keepers widow,
and traded In horses, spirits and mer.
chaudise. 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, WAS Col. TAYLOR. with Virago
and Gen. Ringgold, Pichegrue. There
was gambling at Mann's tavern" -
much the same as nowadays: roulette,
equality, etc. Learning how to con-
duct faro bank from such great game
STEERS as Major Jack Willis, Strass, OF
Richmond, and Samuel Overton, Bailey
opened a faro bank at the Sweet Springs
and in the Court House building. When
the ladies once refused to dance with
him, he bought the only violinist. a
slave, and stopped the ball. Then be
fought duel with Major Tom Lewis
and wounded him.
Gamblers were allowed to be sold as
slaves, on conviction, in Virginia; and
Bailey, peing convicted at Stanton, was
so adjudged. He libeled Judge St.
George Tucker, and was summoned to
appear before the Virginia House oil
Delegates therefore, December "A, 1903.
No lawyer would take his case. The
reverent sentiment OF the State was as
much excited against the gsmesters as
are the women in our times against the
liquor interest.
A MENTAL PORTRAIT.
Samuel Blackburn, Esq, attorney, Of
Stsunton, who defended Bailey, alter
wards wrote this description OF him:
81 have never been 30 fortunate as
to hear him mentioned as a man OF
good morals, character, or reputation
gambling, as far as know or believe,
being his principal occupation, by
which Tor other means unknown to
| me) he is said 10 be in the receipt Of
large sums; which, in addition 10 bold
assuming manners, an affected gsner-
osity in disposition, and familiarity in
conduct, with total vacuity OF mind
as to every useful requirement, gives
him currency with the unthinking part
of the community, without imposition
on the more enlightened"
Escaping from Richmond, Bailey
visited Philadelphia. and quietly slipped
back when the storm had blown over.
He sold out at q great race at Lexing
ton, and took to swindling roadside
travellers out OF their horses with
patent needle-case game. These out
RACES provoked general denunclaation
and Bailey now became q desperate
and went to court at Staunton, defec
the Sheriff's officers with pistols and
dirk. and then, retiring to the mountain
district of Botetourt,
RAN FOR CONGRESS,
carried three counties, and barely miss
ed being elected. He was made tn,
dupe of a suppositiously rich widow
Ann Turnbull, OF Winchester, itravele'
in a coach -four up and down thu
country with her, and settled in Wash
ington City, gambling IN Georgetown
aud running faro-;able at Port Tobac
CO, with John T Esmenard. In ISL
Bailey patented THE Fair-Dealer Q
the ChartG LusoriG." TO prevent un'
fair dealing at cards.
He went to England to sell noun
tain land, followed some of the nobIlit
to their diclug- baunts, and bet $4,000
without cent in his pocket. Losing
he threw himself upon their generosity
D and they presented him with so guinea
, He had a grand career IN France an
won $4,000, and then returned
Georgetown to join Ann Turnbull. o
whom he says he spent fourteen veal
r OF his life at $4,000 year, travelin
and opening a faro-bank, or runnin
fast horses at all the large towns. "
: came with Madame to Richmond
great splendor driving a pair OF twl
. horses tandem, Mrs. Turnbull by m
side, and an outrider." He sold on
; horse to Colonel Taylor, at Washlngto
+. for 81, 100. Turubull kept a bosrdlu
g house at Georgetown, and bosrd'
/. Commodore Barney. and the Hon. JOB
Q Dawson, while their host Bailey su
/. fered two months imprisonment
Jail with Esmenard.
BEGGARs ON HORSEBACK.
In 1907 Bailey came out OF Ia
= where be had lived in a carpeted rool
with an excellent bed, constantly q
tended by his mistress, and at an e.
pense exceeding that OF the most ias
ionable hotel and resolved to 60
Philadelphia for medical advice. MI
,ooAo, Mad hin, NTH