The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-10-03
Noted Gamblers.
New York Star.

new YORK Star.
Every one has heard hundreds of stories
of John Morrissey, the Woods, Ed Simmons,
John Chamberlain and other famous gam
blers. Chamberlain fell into bad odOr with
the sporting fraternity, as almost every gam
bier did who kept house exclusively for
gentlemen"
do you think there is any such thing as
a square gamer
'tOf course | do; my observation would
place gamblers higher in the scale of honesty
than railroad Directors, stock brokers and
other social aristocTats They are not so apt
to swindle their friends. There is q great
deal OF nonsense about marking rings bugs
brace faro boxes, briefs and shippers, and
the like have asked many players, who
could have no reason to lie. They say that
at an open faro bank where professionals
play against the bank, the dealing sgenerally
fair. For all that, gambling is. perhaps, the
worst vice that can get hold of man. 1t
seems to be the most inSidiOus ana the hard.
est to cure You can talk, for example, with
Mr.. Derby, who has dealt for Senators. Am
baSsadOrs. ROthSCids and, for aught know,
crowned heads. He will tell you OF life be-
hind scenes at Washington that would make
your hair stand on end
ave often seen that poor unfortunate
COrnele Vanderbilt at game. He would
put stack of chips on the queen, another on
the corner of the ace. and three or four more
be seized with epiletic fit, foam at the
mouth and fall on the ground After while
he would rise, and inquire carefully into the
fortune OF each one of his bets. There were
Teek and Able, and Fyles and Oaks and
Uncle John and host more in these days.
Oaks had q caustic w.t. but you could never
make him say anything unkindof any one
'0ne of the most impressive lives of gam
blers that l ever followed was that of Doc
West. j knew him in New York years ago
He had such an education as one acquires by
a term at a medical college, When L first
met him he was bOarder at faro bank that
is, q man whose business is to eat not to
play. i used to keep one of the finest Club
houses in the city, lie said to me. 1t was
frequented by all the famous cracksmen.
Men would often come to me at night and
say, Doc, want to leave SO, 600 in your safe
for few days They knew that it would be
perfectly safe with me, while a savings bank
might fail. Notwithstanding this there was
a triiling dispute between the Doctor and an
bill, which resulted in his being barred out
of the saloon. / learned afterwards that his
parents had been rich and had brought him
up to no work. They had lost their money
and the Doc had taken to cards. / lost sight
of him for a long time, but year and half
after l was at Billings. was visiting one of
the fashionable saloons in that strange town.
A:ouEd the table one could easily distinguish
be ween the old-Iimers and tender feet.
WIS watching the dealer at the end of a deal.
-Four for one. Last turn, gentlemen cried
the dealer. Just then there was q sudden
stir. Some one struck man over the head
with the butt of a pistol. 1T is only a nip
per- some one remarked. Every one was in
tent on the game and did not stir.
GAS the cards left out of the box the win
ners among them myself, rose and impaired
into the condition of the wounded man. The
losers sat motionless watching the shutting
cards with wolfish eyes. The proprietor had
the nipper carried into the back room and
laid on box. saw the negro waiter slyly
transfer few stolen chips from the nippers
pocket to his own. a young doctor has
tened to complete what the pistol had begun
and ushered the poor check pilferer into the
presence of his Creator.
THE face seemed familiar to me, and in
the morning visited the corpse again. Ii
was my old acquaintance Doc West"