Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-19

How the Darling blue Grass Gamnesser
Pile Up Their Money.

How the Daring Dlue Grass Gamessers
Pile Up Their Money.
From Louisville Ky } Letter to Philadelphia Press.
Probably there Is no state In the Union where
gambling Of all kinds is carried on as openly and
as generally as it is in Kentucky, and in no
city has the mania for gaming such hold on
the public mind as 1t has In Louisville. Every
body CANDLES here. The central part of the
city is one vast faro bank. For three squares
on 5th street and for four squares on Jefferson
street nearly every house is filled with keno
rooms and faro banks. The law is dead letter,
for the gamblers are greater than the law; they
make the law. This city has now become the
horse center Of the state, and here are collected
all the big ''spOrts" of Kentucky. From Febru-
airy until October and November pools are sold
in half dozen places tor sums ranging from Is
The vast amount Of money that changes
hands in single year also is appalling was
talking the other day with ''Fat Dick Watts,
one of the proprietors Of the turf exchange, and
the figures he gave Of the firms dealings in
Guiding orders by telegraph, French mutuals
and pool selling. were for last year between
Sc, 0OO, 600 and $1,000 600. Compare this with
the dealings of any of the national banks or any
OF the great mercantile houses of the country
and see how few surpass it. The amount Of
betting going On at the races each day is simply
amazing. On Derby day no less than 500, 900
changed hands on the ground alone, and all
this in cash. 1t wasn't very good day for bet.
ting either.
make Is enough to take ones breath away In
one race alone Mr.. Jack Chinn, the owner Of
Leonatus, won SS5, 600. He isthe famous friend
of Phil. Thompson, and was his staunchest sup
porter In all thetrOubles that arose from Thomp-
sons unfortunate shooting affair. He Is des-
niCrhf lost + hn
story runs, that in big poker game with some
Blue Grass race men he won $4,000. Ex-Gov
McCreary was at this time talking of running
for Congress against Thompson. Chinn heard
OF 1t, and. slapping his hand down on the table
In front 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 a typical
Kentucky gambler, handsome, road-shouldered,
liberal to fault, and knows how to use pistol.
He once faced a mob of thirty republicans at
Harrodsburg, who were threatening to kill any
enemy of Col. CHIP Bradley, the leader of
their party in the state, and especially hated by
Chinn. He boldly denounced Bradley before
the whole crowd. In a minute dozen pistols
were out. Chinn instantly drew his own, lev
eed 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 up, all OF them with their weapons
drawn, and bloody battle was only prevented
W lllcHuS settling tie dispute. lie car
rles himself iauntily. never picks quarrel, and
never shuns one that is forced on him. A brave,
reckless, dashng fellow is Jack Chin and good
specimen Of the Blue Grass gambler. He owns
Leonatus and several other good horses. has a
fine farm in the heart of the Blue Grass. and ia
willing to bet $4,000 on three aces.
Another man here named Keegin won $40. 900
on Ida StanhOpe and it scarcely raised a rip
pie. In the same race a pool was sold for
S4OoO. This is considered moderate betting.
The very children in the streets buy pool tick
cts On one side of Sd street you can see men
in kid gloves wagering their thousands at the
Turf" and across the way bootblacks and
newsboys bet Is cents on the ''Derby."
The judge of our circuit court buys pools and
no one thinks wrong of it. He is bg-hearted,
posed his gambling he would scorn to do it.
The chief Of the fire department sells pool
tickets across the counter, 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
probationary with their brothers and try
to plump winner. Men make princely for
tunes In a few years. Milt. Young an obscure
grocery keeper at Henderson, KY, got hold Of
self magnificent stock farm near Lexington
the famous McGrathiana-and is worth any,
where from $500, 900 to $500. 900, and has sta
bic full of flyers. His horses always lost at the
rignt Time ana won at the right time. "YOu
oughtnt to blame the horses" said turfman
to me, 'they didn't have anything to do with
it."
The license that is given other kinds of gamb-
ling makes Louisville the paradise for the ''cal-
culatOrs Of chances" as Bret Harte calls them.
All the fines that are imposed are freely remit
ted by the governor. Faro banks are almost as
responsible as national banks, and have quite as
much capital backing them. Winnings and
losngs are made at single sitting that would
make ones head swim. Waddell well-knOwn
gambler in the south. won $40, 600 in two hours.
Major Hughes lost 50 900 on the turn of q card.
half-drunken party went into 5th street
bank few nights ago and closed the bank up
for the night, winning everything in the safe.