National Republican., 1875-07-02

People will gamble. This is fact which can
not be denied. There is In the heart of every
American citizen at least feeling which leads
him to wish for the speedy accumulation Of money,
and in erder to secure this he is willing, nine
times out Of ten, to indulge In such games Of
chance as tempt his cupidity and offer to him .
shorter road to competence than the well-beaten
path of hcnest labor. With many gambling in its
varied forms is o mania, and this is particularly
the case with the man who plays cards, and al
though, when he hazards his money, he knows
that the chances are ten to one against him, he
will take that one chance, and necessarily will
lose. Such men as these are not entitled to any
sympathy. They know when they engage in card
playing that they are tempting fate In
AN UNEQUAL CONTEST,
and that they are violating laws enacted to re-
strain them in the exercise Of their passion. As
rule when such men lose, and they invariably do
they quietly walk of, nursing that phantom idea
OF luck until they get more money, when they
foolishly try 1t again. Many who read this viii
at once recognize the truth of the saying that
"lt's game that can't be beat"
As is stated above, laws against gambling have
been made in this and all other cities, but 1t
would seem that they are simply made to be
the statute books. Once in q while Q spssm Of
official virtue causes the proprietors Of faro banks
and other gambling hells to close, but it is only
for 0 short time. The storm blows over and the
seductive and dangerous resorts, with their mani
fold temptations, are allowed to exist in full
the moral sense Of the community. --N
Occasionally, however, some victim, imagining
that he has
BEEN UNFAIRLY DEALT
with, demands a return of his money, and case
since that time has kept Inc members of the fra
ternity in q stew as to its results. As usual the
gamblers won, but that the public may be fully
posted as to the FMS and outs Of the case the facts
given follows:
ON the nth Of June Mr.. Robert F. Stockton q
Son Of Senator Stockton and uelLknown young
man of this city, concluded that he would like to
raise stake, and as the best chance of doing so
entered the house No. 13i5 E street northwest,
which is the reputed faro bank Of George s. Par
ker. His luck did not prove good for two days,
after which he quietly called at the office Of JUS
tice A. S. Taylor, stated that he had been sbest"
in said faro bank, and for the purpose Of recover
ing his money or having revenge asked for
WARRANT FOR Mr.. PARKER.
This was Just in the line of the uptown Justice
of the peace, and without more ado he informed
the young man that he would have to swear to an
affidavit on which TO have the warrant issued, and
District of Coluusbia, WashindtoR County, to trit
On the 18th day Of June. A. D. 1875, personally
appeared before me, justice of the peace in and
for the District and county aforesaid, Robert +.
Stockton, and made oath in due form Of law to the
following statement, viz: That he did on the 18th
day Of June a. d 1872 lose In M gambling ~ house house
hundred and sixty-ive dollars, lawful money Of
the United States.
This afidsvit was signed by Mr.. Stockton and
duly authenticated by the justice.
THE WARRANT
was issued as follows:
Whereas complaint has been made before me.
the subscriber, q justice Of the peace, upon the
information and oath OF Robert F. Stockton, who
charges George s. Parker with having on the 18th
day OF June, 1875, in the county Aforesaid, kept
gambling house in the city Of Washington, Dis
trict of Columbia, now, therefore, &C., sc.
The warrant was placed In the hands of the
police authorities, and two days later Mr.. Parker
gent and McElfresh, to snswerth the charge. He
appeared with bis counsel, and gave bail IN the
sum Of $5 600 for his appearance from day to day.
The United States District attorney concluded
that the best way to dispose Of the matter was
to send the case to the grand jury, and accord
ingly the witnesses were directed to appear be-
fore that august body. Before they reached
there, however, Parker and his friends thought
that things were getting little too warm, and
sTocKToN.wAs INTERVIEWED
and, It Is thought, given back his money on the
condition that he would leave town. 1t is, how
ever certain that he did not respond to the grand
jury summons, and when searched for 1t was as
certained that he had left the city. If the grand
sojourning in Freehold, New Jersey, where the
weather lie not so warm as 1t is in Washington.
The other witnesses summoned did respond to the
number OF eighteen but as is usual 10 such cases,
suit, the grand jury failed to prove the owner
ship of the house on Parker; In fact It clearly
proven that it was rented by another party, and
they failed to bring in bill and dropped the
case.
AS the matter now stands Stockton has got his
money, the gambling house, with all its imple-
ments, is intact, the repu;ed owner walks the
streets ready for new victims, and the officials
quietly SIT by and say they cannot convict. II
they can't prove ownership, they can az least
break up the house.