, 1877-01-07

in most others, have been made to suffer with
5onS MoRRtssEY's CONGRESSIONAL FARO BANK.
KidEeu's old drugstore building, near the
Western Union Telegraph Office rs tha Tor Ve1y cry
tensivc gambling here. kidweH "as an OLD
druggist, and was large owner Of the Seneca
sandstone qunuies. He also gives to
nsne the Potomac af thu ar'h1 kars IF Msadow sts sns
He has entered patent for all the river bottom
along the Potomac here, claiming that the &C.
crctions make it Government land, and that,
some day, he will come into the possession OF .
valuable landed property. Kidwell often deMe9
any knowledge that his building was occupied
John Morrisscy, one Of Mr. Ti1den's efficient
agents, kept gumbfng-housc here Tor q num-
ber Of years on very extensive scale. Fropholy
he will come back il the Democrats succeed
in inauguratiug Tildcn by bluster. Morrissey's
den was over kidwell's drugstore, and was
furnished very e1aborately at cost OF about
$4,000. Becoming tired Of watching the basl-
ness so far from New York, and being no longer
member Of Congress, SO that he could not give
it personal attention, and ut the same time act
as s1ropcr-in ~ among his associates, Morrissey
sold tho whole establishment few years ago 9 at
auction. The proceeds were trltie over %,
In order to perpetuate the traditions Of the
place IN the Dcmocrate family, p,eS hieffash,
Morrissey's wonderful extension fable for about
s6U In its time It is said to have been the finest
that was ever made. It was called the Con,
Eressional faro-bnnk. A gentleman who visited
this place for newspaper purposes thus describes
Its general characteristics:
tit occupies the two upper stories Of hand
some brick building, the street floor OF which
Was used IS drugstore You enter from the
bulc, and up q flight Of landsom cly-carpcted
stairs, Near the top OF the stairway
is latticed door, which is closed. By
pulling a silver bell-knob at one. side,
negro on duty opens tie door, having first
identified you through the lattice-work- Pass
ing through the door, which closes behind you,
you ascend three more steps, and, turning to
the left, find yourself In magnificent and
brilliantly-lghted apartment The room
f BUILDING. Sf HE apartment is masuiacently fur
nished. The walls are hung with fine paint
ings, the floor is covered With exquisite carpet,
description; the windows arc draped with
heavy curtains, which, besides heightening the
air Of splendor which pervades the apartment,
prevent the light from being seen without, and
give to the upper part Of the house. as viewed
from the street, deserted appearance; several
which men arc always seated at
play. Go when you will, some one is engaged
In The fascinating and deInoralizlng business OF
the place The back room is used as dining
room, and here an elegant-spread table provides
the visitor with refreshments. The table and
wines are free to all. and no one Is urged to play
as means OF paying for the repast: but the
shrewd proprietor understands that few Of bis
guests will have the assurance to partako OF his
elegant hospitality without risking something at
the tables in the front room.
The proprietor is, as men Of iis class 90, gem
tleman. That is, he is man OF dignthed bear
ing. cOurtly manners, aud, according 10 dis
light, an honest man. He would scorn to COM
init what he considered mean or dishonest act.
He will treat you fairly, entertain you elegant.
ly, win your money BY legitimate means, and
send you away with the impression that he is
the c1everest fellow in Washington.
The servants attached to the establishment
are negroes of the better class. They are We'll
trained, many OF them having been brought up
as the Wallets or buffers of the Southern gentry,
and answer better for such places than the
nicatiyc, attentive, and respectful: One of
these men is always in charge OF the front door,
and visitors are admitted with caution.
The playing in this establishment Is fatr It
is carried on III the front room, and the princi-
pal game Is ss faro.''
'''' WHO 90 THERE?
Nobody does now. Tie place is entirely his
torical- It has been discontinued for at least
two years. Those who know say You might
have seen the great men OF the country there
and navy, and retired citizens. But this ques-
tion WAS better answered some years ago By
gentleman who visited the place when it was in
the heyday OF its wicked glory. He described
it thus:
s'Ncw York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio,
Missouri, and Minnesota seldom fail Of having
one or moro representatives around the faro
table. Some one has called the establishment
the Congressional faro bank II the fact that
dozen or more Senators or Cougrcssmen visit
it every night for gambling purposes be taken
into consideration, the name may not be misap-
piled. There are some, however, who rarely
show in these lower rooms, but use
the upper stories, which are nicely
fitted up, and where there is no danger
Of detection or intrusion. On these occasions !
the game is generally whist, cucbre~ or poker,
aud Sometimes keno. There is a waiter con-
stantly in Attendance to bring up wines, cigars,
ETC., aud ALSO to give notice Of tue approach Of
any one who does not belong to the party.
There are, however, other visitors to this
place, who occupy equally prominent posi-
1ions with the Congressman in public.
The Indian Bureau sends heavily
built man, with a swarthy complexion
aud black. restless, glittcring eyes. This man
smokes as he plays, and, when noulinally e1-
show his Indian blood. People from almost
ness men known in Washington as well and
1amiliar1y rs almost any Of the public officials,
nightly crowd these places. Bank clerks, book
keepcrs, aud society men, may bc seen late ut
night crowding around the fatal board, whose
countenances, incapable Of repressing emotion,
form picture which the hehoder never for
Eets.'