The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-03-24
Gambling In Washington.

city has become of late, and true history
of life that was here in the old anti-bel-
lum days." said newspaper man who
has lived in Washington for many years,
''come with me this evening and will
introduce you to man who has run
q club house in Washington ever since
1S49."
At the risk of injuring my morals by
gazing upon the gorgeousness which, in
cheap and sentimental novels, written
by women and very young men, always
gilds the vice of gambling, l went, says
correspondent, with my journalistic
friend from one dingy den to another un-
til we had made the grand tour of the
gambling houses of Washington. They
number less than q dozen, all told, and
only two or three bear any outward or
inward evidence of prosperity. An ordi-
nary gambling house is about as dismal
and forbidding a place as man can en-
ter, and the "tiger's" lair here is not
whit more proposing than in any other
village in the land.
The house formerly owned by John
Morrisey is still resort for gamesters,
but poker is more popular than faro and
more profitable to the proprletors. The
club house managed by John E. Cham
berlain is maintained in fine style, but
no faro is dealt there now, and it there
is gaming it is among parties of gentle
men who meet to discuss the merits of
Boston, whist and poker. In the bali
dozen or more faro banks which we visi-
ted the play was very light. and the
players, with few exceptions, o most
ordinary looking lot. Only one member
Of congress was trying his luck in placing
the copper, and he is said to have a
mania for the game. Inasmuch as his
name was never heard outside the con.
fines of his district in southern state, it
makes little difference in what way he
spends his time so long as he doesn't de-
vote any portion of it to the business of
legislature.
In the course of our peregrinations we
encountered the veteran gamester already
mentioned, and he seemed nothing 10th
to air his views upon the change that
has come over the sporting life of Wash
ington since the old slave days.
"There never has been much gambling
worth mentioning in this city since the
beginning of the war;" he said. I'm
Southern man myself, and began bust
ness here. almost in this very spot, in
1S49. I kept first-class clubhouse.
and it was patronized by the foremost
men in the country. I have seen as
many as sixty Senators and Representa-
tives in nv rooms on O single night, and
they nearly all played. Brag was the
great game then, and have known men
to lose as high as $50, 900 at single sit
ting. At that time we dealt faro without
limit, and players might bet as high as
they pleased; the dealer would always
turn for whatever was put down.
once turned for Humphrey Marshall for
$3.50. He was the highest player ever
saw, not excepting Brooks, of New York.
Another time when I was dealing,
player, member of Congress, who be-
lieve is still living, called the turn for
$11OO. If he had won he would have
taken $4400 out of the bank on the turn,
but be didn't win.
II only mention these facts to show
you how the times have changed. Now
a.days member of Congress Is rarity
in a gambling-house, though great
many Of them play poker in their rooms
and at the private clubs. Thad Stevens
was most persistent player, and before
he entered Lincoln's cabinet Stanton was
a frequent visitor at my club house"
asked the old man how he accounted
for the change, which he seemed to de-
plore, and if he thought it due to an ele-
walton of the moral standard of Congress.
Morality has nothing to do with it so
far as I can see" was the rejoinder.
"Why, within o short time have had
Congressman, whom I know only by
name, come to me to ask for an interest
in my game. That doesn't look much
like morality, does it? OF course I know
as we'll as anybody that gambling is an
evil, ard that men are foolish to play;
but they will play, and gambling houses
will exist the world over as long as hui
mainly remains what it is.
II believe that the real reason for the
decline in gambling, of which I have
spoken, was the emancipation Of the
colored people. In the olden time the
heavy playing was all done by Southern
men. If they ran short of funds in con.
sequence of losses they could easily re-
plenish their exchequer by selling few
slaves. Many and many q sale of that
kind has been made in consequence of o
comparison OF hands IN those old build
ings.
''The carpet-baggers who came here in
the reconstruction days did not play,
though they stole enough to afford any
extravaganza, and the men who have
succeeded them do not play because they
A. A. mn