The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-21
THE UNION CLUB CARD PLAYERS
A Charge Of Cheating that Involves the Ex-
pulsion Of Somebody.

Tho alleged Irregularities OF card players
ut the Union Club form. just now. the chief
topic of conversation at uptown clubs.
In Wall street tho affair is discussed with the
kecncst relish. Jaunty bulls and bears who
fattcn their noses against Fifth avenue club
windows after business hours ovince. for the
moment, more interest in this most delightful
scandal than In tho price Of stocks. The Hicks
Lord marriage, with all its charming mystery
and romantic surroundings. pales its inoffcct-
ua fires. and sinks into insignilcanco before
this latest and freshest scandal.
1t is said that four men. all wcll known to each
other. and all friends. recently sat down to a
dollar game OF cuchre in tho Union Club
During the evening one OF them. while dealing.
dealt himself six instead Of five cards. The
mistake was not perceived till the last round.
when the player In question found himself with
two cards instead of one. One Of his adversa-
res said. you have two cards" l see have.
1t is a mlsdeal. lose my deal and we score
nothing" The deal passed and the game went
on as usual. No charge OF irrcgularity was
made at the time. and apparently none was
thought Of. An onlooker was not even aware
that n misdcal had occurred.
Some few days afterward the partner of the
player who made the misdeal lodged against
him with the House Committee formal charge
OF irregulurty at cards. based on the occurrence.
a charge OF this character-one OF the grayest
charges one gentleman can bring against
another-seems hardly warranted II the aboyo
Is n true vers lon OF what really took place II
il scarcely 70 be credited that member OF the
Union Club who detects another In cheat
ing can. after such detection. still continue
to play cards with the suspected individual. and
only retire from the game when regularly cut
out His true course would haye been 20 make
the charge then and there. and decline to con-
tinuc the game. failing n satisfactory expana-
tion. What. however, seems even more strange
is that several days should have been permitted
70 clapsc between the commission OF the n alleged
irregularty and the formal lodging Of the
charge. \ charge OF this character can have
but one issue-it involves the expulsion Of
either one or the other Of the members con-
cerned from the Union Club. IL the tone Of that
organization is to be upheld and maintained.
Inasmuch as by the Constitution of the Union
Club, the Governing Committee alone have
the right hys stwo-thrds vote to expel members.
tho charge OF irreguarity" will in the
by that Committee. The investigation has. in
fact. already been turned over TO the Govern
ing Committee 10y the House Committee
Among tho powers delegated 10 the Governing
Committee is that Of putting IN end To incmbor-
ship for any conduct of Il member not IN viola
proper or preiudicial t. the Club .-.
II will bc rtncmOcrci by club men TINT samo
years ago member oi the Union Club and other
uptown clubs wn- charged with cheating az
cards the offence occurred on Long Island the
person making the charge arose from the table.
i aoun-ai The of, ,nder and refused to continue
tho game Ihe AFFAIR caused cons iderabe cant
dul ~ the tlmo. mud was thoroughly lnyr-iisnte |
10Th by the Knlrkerhockcr and the Union club.
The oN-uier WAS expelled from tho knicker-
booker. hut the Governing CommiitN" OF the
Union took q more lenirnt view of the trunsac-
ton. and permitted him to resiAu
Tho present l'rSed irreEuurity In tho Union
Club has Obtained extensive publicity and tho
names OF the persons concerned are freely
banded about IN social circles. al clubs. hot Is.
ana N Tie sircet. i ieho5,0s tiic Cover ning
Committee. who are the guardians of the ciuh :
name ana fame, 10 give the aiiara sear hing
Inv, silgatlQn. II the charge Is established the
guilty member Will bc expelled. II the ac,'user
iQl.s 10 establish his charge ht himself should
suffer a Ike penalty. Members should not be,
exposed To the danger Of playing cards with
lurth"rS oradNelsHrlrs who iIaku false charge 70
Of IN ating nor with tho-eu unable to prove their
innocence when formally accused.
Tn lu ON Club numbers one thousand men,
lers chieliy belonging t1 the weathisr class a.
W" have IN This city large and rapidly in
crra- E class who live ON the acrumuluti ini- II
wealth inPle hy others. This wealth repreSe euts
years of toll ~ speculation on the part Of the
fathers or relatives of the present pos-, nsors.
Tho IN Comes oitiS class are in many cases eulr-
NOUS, and enable the recipents To- live in great
anucLre. both AT homo and abroad. The
Union Club, more than any other social crsuu-
iIatlon IN THIS ciy. represents tins mOnryed
aristocracy. which passes lis summers AT New
NJ the magnificent country seats which Inc the
banks oi the Hudson aud embcllish the shores
of Long Island. While tn. Governing Commit
tee cannot take cogni2ance OF swindling Wall
street operations, they should. and they viii.
most undoubtedly. see to il that the frcquonters
OF the card room do not cheat each other IN their
games.