The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-01-19
Roulette NJ Monte Carlo.
PAKADISE.
fBoston Herald Pisa Letter. !

PARADISE.
CBoston Herald Pisa letter.
We pass couple OF attendants, enter
first long, narrow room, and occupied by
tables, and Immediately after, into large
room, beyond which is third, draped like
the first. all three magniGcently decorated.
In the large room are three tables, and around
them quiet and orderly but larger crowd
of men and women, some standing, some
sitting, players and on-lookers are grouped.
These are roulette tables. In the centre is
sunken bowl, in which is mounted a
wheel. This wheel has thirty-seyen divi-
sions marked from 0 10 90, not in
the order Of sequence, and alternating red
and black, 0 also being black and not SUBJ
ject to color bets. This wheel being whirl-
I'd in one direction. ball in the opposite,
both slow down, and the ball dropping into
adiyision determines the result OF the play.
on each side OF the table, next the wheel,
ere seated two crOVpierS or tdilleurS, and at
each end is another, while just behind one
Of the middle pair, on an elevated seat is
seventh, who oyerlOOk> all and settles dis
putes. On each end OF the isble is geome-
iIical figure, with the numbers so arranged
and go distributed that one can bet on
red or black, odd or even, above or below
hall, on first, second, or third dozen, on one
or three other groups Of figures, on one,
two, three, four, or SIN numbers, the return
being in proportion to the bet and numbers
covered. The smallest bet on the roulette
table is five f., the largest being, on Il single
number, I. $50, and on color, I. G,000.
The returns, Of course, vary i'm the same
way. Before twirling the wheels the
croupicr notifies players to make their bets,
and Just before the ball falls into division
forbids any more play. Meanwhile all
around the table people are putting down
money, SILVER, gold and Bank OF France
notes, in from one TO dozen places. At
the conclusion OF each play the croupier
calls out the number and the winning color,
and with little rakes the money lost is
drawn in, and the winning stakes being
left, are paid in full, with marvellous celeri-
~. These croupiers are many OF them
Germans. cool, collected, and possessing
quick eyes, but the strain is considerable,
and they are relieved every two hours.
The gambling table is a great leveler OF
persons, and the crowd that surrounds it is
a strange mixture. Here are young and
old. so old many OF them that much OF
their gray hair is a memory only, rich and
really poor, good and bad, yirtuous and
positively not so, sick and well, fair and
ugly, all elbowing place TO play or watch
Others DlhN. OOllt art HtIt lbl "a HHOIt
time only and look on in curiosity, some
are occasional players Of small amounts,
Others play q fixed amount every evening;
Others again who play m2dly, recklessly,
and, although the bank has percentage OF
1-33 in its favor, il makes It's greatest gains
probably because Of rcchlessnesS and the
the never satisfied desire for gain. For
instance, man having won one night will
almost invariably return, trusting to a
continued run OF luck, and plays till he has
lost his winnings. A story is told OF 4 man
who came with I. 100000, and 10y an early
hour had wOna like amount from the bank.
The table being supplied with further funds,
he won I. 10000 more. After the close OF
the play the croupier reported the loss to
NJ. Blanc, who only said, "Well," and sent
his servant the next morning to the stran-
gers hotel TO inquire il he had departed.
When he returned and reported that the
winner was still at the hotel, NJ. Blanc
smiled complacently and assured his follow
ers that all would be well. That night the
man returned, played, lost his winnings,
his I. 800, 900, and I. $4,000 more which he
had borrowed. One OF the most remarkable
players to be noticed was man OF pale
complexion, regular features, dark hair,
ewes, and moustachc. He Is an Italian, said
70 be prince, and to have 4 fortune Of
I. 20,000,000. Night after night he is
found at the table, cool, collected, never
losing his head. He not only plays him.
self, hut hires others to play for him. He
has q pile OF Napoleons, I. twenty pieces,
in front OF him, and at every turn Of the
wheel puts down seven or eight piles OF
three or four Napoleons each. On his
right isan old lady OF fiity-fye or sixty years,
gray hair and glasses, pinched expression
Of the face, an ayaricious look in the eye
she is playing for him, I. % to /.
100 at time. Later in the evening q
young woman, one OF the coolest players
in the room, is playing for him, and soon
he leaves the table TO look, perhaps, after
rome other OF his players. Another man
who has been losing heavily has q lucky
turn and wins I. 5000 on his number;
pleased murmur goes up from the crowd,
and the croupiers smile at his good fortune
while the winners face flushes, then palcs,
snd great beads OF perspiration break out
on his face and neck. The jewels worn by
some or the female players are magnificent
and cost fortunes in themselves. Some
of the finest are worn by the young wife OF an
English gentleman. but scarcely sec
ond TO these are those of fair but frail
habitue of the salon de Jeu. Let us 20 to
the gold table," so called because moth |
ing less than twenty-iranc pieces can be /
played. Here the return, II any, only 1
equals the stake, which varies from I. 20 TO I
I. IL, 900. The game Is trcnte ct qalardRte," |
and consists OF dealing out cards from a
pack which has been shufied by the dealer 1
aud cut by one OF the players, till the num-
Der. counting face cards ten, is between thir- /
~ and forty. two deals being made at each |
play, the relation OF the last cards in each deal |
determining the winning color; thirty-ive /
being a tie, new deal must be made.
There are great many cards in the pack,
probably 200 or 300.
Prominent among the players is slen-
der, ark-complexioned man, heavy beard
and moustaehe, and watchful but rather
nonchalant manner about him. lie is play
ing I'll 900 notes, wins one, then two, two
again, three, one and two-f. II ,000 then he
loses, and his playingis uncertain. Two or
three nights later he plays with Napoleons
There is one other table In this room, but
Is a roulette. This third room is the rich
est Of ali, Is OF recent construction, and was
designed by Granicr, architect OF the Crane
Opera House, Paris. There are seyerel pam
el pictures by Clarin, female figures in fan