The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-06-23

Probably there IS 10 state in the Union
where gambling of all kinds is carried or
as openly and as generally as it is in Ken
tucky, and in no city has the mania 70,
gambling such hold on the public mind
as it has in Louisville. Everybody CANDLES
here, The central part of the city is one
vast faro bank. For three squares on Fifth
street and for four squares on Jefferson
street nearly every house is filled with keno
rooms aud faro banks. The law is a dead
letter, for the gamblers are greater than the
law. They make the law. This city has
how become the horse center of the state.
and here are collected the great sports" OF
Kentucky. From February until October
and November pools are sold in half dog.
en- places tor sums ranging from twenty.
i've cents to 81, 900 and IS, coo,
The vast amount of money that changes
hands in single year is also appalling
was talking the other day with Fat Dick ),
Watts, one of the proprietors of the turi az.
change, and the figures he gave of the firm 3
dealings, including orders by telegram
French mutuals and pool selling, were for
last year between 81, 600 900 and ST. 900 Goa.
Compare this with the dealings of any of
the national banks or any OF the great mer.
camille houses OF the country and see how
few surpass it. The amount of betting 90
ing on at the races each day is simply
amazing. On Derby day no Tess than 500.
900 changed hands on the ground alone,
aud all this in cash. 1t wasn't very good
day for betting either.
ihe winnings that some OF these ganb.
lers make is enough to take ones breath
away. In one race at one Mr., Jack
Chinn, the owner OF Leonatus, won $S5 900.
He is the famous friend of Phil Thompson,
and was his stauuchest supporter in all the
troubles that arose from Thompson's I'M
fortunate shooting affair. He is a despe-
rate better. and one night last summer.
the story runs, in a big poker game with
some blue grass race men he won SIS 900
Ex-Governor McCreary was at this time
talking of running for congress against
Thompson. Chinn heard OF It and, slap.
ping his hand down on the table in font
of him, swore roundly that Thompson
should have every cent of his winnings to
beat McCreary. When McCreary heard of
the threat he failed to make the race
Chinn is q typical Kentucky gambler
handsome, broad-shouldered liberal to a
fault, and knows how to use pistol. He
once faced mob Of thirty republicans at
Harrodsburg, who were threatening to kill
any enemy OF Colonel "Bill" Bradley, the
leader of their party in the state, and es-
pecially hated by Chinn. He boldly de.
nounced Bradley before the whole crown.
In minute dozen pistols were out.
Chinn instantly drew his own, leveled it at
the head Of the leader and swore that the
first man who attempted to shoot him
would read their leaders death warrant,
Some friends backed him mp, all of them
with their weapons drawn, and a bloody
battle was only prevented by mutual
friends settling the dispute. He carries
himself .uatlly, never picks quarrel and
never sNums one that is forced ON him. A
brave, reckless. dashing fellow is Jack
CHM, and good specimen OF the blue
grass gambler. He owns Leonatus aud
several ether good horses, has fine farm
IA the heart OF the blue grass, and is will
ing TO bet $1,000 on three aces.
Another man here named Keegin won
$4,000 on Ida Stanhope and it scarcely
raised ripple, In the same race a pool
was sold Tor $4,000. This is considered
the streets buy pool tickets, On one side
gloves wagering their thousands at the
Turf" and across the way bootblacks and
newsboys bet twenty-five cents on the
Derby"
The judge of our circuit court buys pools
aud no one thinks wrong Of it. He is big
hearted, honest gentleman, and ii public
sentiment opposed his gambling he would
scorn to do it. The chief of the fire de-
partment sells pool tickets across the coun-
ter, and the leading councilman of the city
is an auctioneer during the races. The
governor of the state buys freely, and backs
his choice like an old gambler. The very
girls buy pool tickets, and divide their
pocket money with their brothers and try
TO plump winner. Men make princely
fortunes in few years. Milt, Young. an
obscure grocery-keeper, at Henderson, KY,
got hold OF good horse, and after two
years bought himself magnificent stock
farm near LexingtOn-the famous Nc.
tirathiana-and is worth anywhere from
100000 to 5000 900, and has stable full of
Ayers. His horses always lost at the right
time and won at the right time. "You
oughtn't to blame the horses" said a turf
man to me they didn't have anything to
do with 1t.
The license that is given other kinds of
gambling makes Louisville the paradise
for the "calculators of chances as Bret
Harte calls them. All the fines that are
imposd are freely RENTED by the COVER
nor. Faro banks are almost as responsible
as nitional banks and have quite as much
cspial backing them. Winnings and los.
ing are made at single sitting that would
make ones head swim. Waddell, well.
known gambler in the south, won $4,000
intwo hours. Major Hughes lost 5000 on
vent into the Fifth street bank few nights
kg) and closed the bank up for the night
winning everything in the saie.-TLouis
vile, (Ky,) letter.