Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1877-10-29
NEVADA SCENES.
Characteristic cu.sems Of she Com.
stoek-IIow she People will Gam.
HE ON any Proposition.

-
The gambling proclivities Of Nevada
are proysrbial. II . man has anything oil
which he wishes TO dispose. and can man
age 1t SO that a game Of chance shall de-
eide tho future ownership, II is an easy
matter to secure purchasers for the chances
or "shares." as they are sometimes called.
To he sure. there ia q State law against
rafting, but II Is in reality 4 dead letter.
Al church fairs the statute is openly de-
fed, and the outsiders invent oil manner
OF subterfuges to circumvent tho rcgula-
tons OF the law.
Virginia City. an elegant gold chain was
disposed Of by chance. the game Of keno
being chosen as the means by which the
Goddess OF Fortune should mako known
her edict. The chain was said to belong
to some lady In reduced circumstances,
who took this means Of raising the wind.
Philo Knapp. the Ice man. acted as her
agent. and placed the stock upon tho mar.
kst. One hundred cards were sold. at two
dollars each. tho chain being estimated 10
be worth about Sl60.
Tho time for calling the numbers was
fixed for @ o'clock. Before that time ar
rived tho Delta keno-ro0m was crowded
with excited shareholders and interested
spectators. That gathering was . regular
study. 1t consisted Of lawyers, barkeep-
ers, professional gamblers, actors. mer-
chants. mechanics. miners. clerks. ~loafers,
spendthrifts, dead beats, and, In fact, every
class TO be found upon tho Comstock. A
News reporter, seated In the spacious gal
lery above. viewed that surging. swaying
throng with moro than ordinary interest.
All phases Of human passion were de-
picted before him. There was the reck-
less speculator. who bought q ticket simply
because there was an uncertainty In the
matter. Beside him was the philanthropic
individual, who invested Just a. Q mat
ter Of charity. The gambler opposite was
engaged In making mental calculations OF
the combinations" necessary for his win
ming the prize. Tho other characters were
absorbed In their own thoughts, each u
Of them thinking tho rest unmitigated
fools for imagining for q moment that they
had any chance TO win.
Finally everything was In readiness and
Jack Magce mounted tho high stool and
began 10 put the numbered marbles into
the helmet" Then Tom DAILY. the clear
toned herald. lifted up his voice and re-
marked
"Gintlemin, tax yer seats I; oil as has
got tickets!'
Jim Orndorf called OF the cards, be-
ginning at l.. and ending with 100. A
number Of ticket-holders were not present,
but thoir cards were played by disinter.
ested outsiders. Manifest fairness was
observed In every part Of the proceedings.
"Aro you all readyf' II was Jack
Magee's voice. and tho ensuing silence
gave assent.
"N.u.mber 3 for . starter"
The hush Of tho grave was upon all In
the room. The players held their breath.
The spectators were rpeochless.
In the meantime the monotonous voice
Of the caller continued-34, 81, 80, %, 80,
IS, -. 90, 50. sS, GO, So
"Shako her mp !" yelled Q discouraged
player who had down only four buttons,
looking at the card Of q man with three
chances.
Round and round went the box. tho
marbles rattling together. Silence again
IL, rs. CD. number 2. ~, 70. 40, 80. IS, CT,
rs. 80, IS, 10" K,no!"
The usual EXPLANATIONS Of disappoint.
ment followed. Billy Robinson announced
the five numbers In Q row which card No.
100 had found. They were 2. 10, 30, IS
and rs.
Upon examination OF the list II was
found that Mr.. W. II. Ash was the lucky
holder Of the winning card. thus getting a
gold chain worth slGO for -. The crowd
soon quieted down and the regular game
was proceeded with. The law was success.
fully evadcd. and the losers drew . sigh OF
relief, feeling thankful that they were not
entirely broke.