Omaha daily bee., 1883-06-14
Enormous Rents Paid by Gam.
bling Houses.
$40, 900 p Year for a Two.
Story Frame Building.
Judge Almond's Court Tho Vigil
anoo Committee speoula-
ton I'm Ratiens.

The old town was the drowsiest, qui-
etest, dreamlest place ON the coast.
1t was 80 far away from the Wild tur-
moils Of the mining camps that scarce
ly a ripple from the centers of excite.
ment stirred the waters of Its shining
day. o OCCASIONALLY Q little coasting
steamer, with asthmotic groans and
much plashing, came pounding up to
the dock with late San Francisco pa
pers, and 1t may be two or three Off
GERS returning from o months Siege In
the boisterous bedlam of q city enter.
ed by way of the Golden Horn. Some.
times one OF the Pacific mail and
steamships line would round into port
for an hour or two, loaded and orammed
With people for ths mines, then after
the blue film of smoke from her chin.
neys had vanished upon the f%ar-off
horizon line, the inhabitants OF San
Diego would return to their ~listless &C
cupations and o dead quiet followed.
My little Office was situated on the
plaza and was the only edifce of the
kind In the town, the others were of
adobe. Immediately In front was q
tall flagstaff from which the American
flag Hoated when there was 81 fiji ,ient
breeze to move Its starry folds. As l
sat there on the occasion referred to,
I was startled int consciousness Of
something new and strange by q ire
mendous cheer, Immediately followed
by two more, given with . heartiness
and zest altogether foreign to the
sleepy denizens OF San Diego. /
rushed to the door, and clustered
about the flagstaff were six or eight
men, the rsggedest, h%airest, dirtiest,
most tattered and woe begone looking
-retches that 1 ever laid eyes on
With hats In their hands, their arms
waving and their feet flying, they
were executing a wild dance around
the pole and underneath the f,g of
country. o. investigation 1 found
them to DO q party of Americans who
had been ship wreoked on the peninsu
lar OF Lswer California, and had trav'
eIed through that arid, desolate re
gion along the coast until they reached
San Diego, aud their bsrbaric enthu-
siasm was caused by the sight of the
old flag and q prospect Of a tqlsre
meal, of which they had not partsken
for weeks. l sent them down in the
surf to DO scrubbed and secured, de-
tailed the post barber to trim their
shaggy names, dressed them through
out with soldler clothes, and fl:d
them to the very eyes with army ra-
lions. After tbs procssu Of transfor-
nation had been completed ]
discovered among them u chap by the
name Of Williams, who had been one
of Gen. Scott's escort during the cam
psign on the City of Mexico. He wat
one of the gamblers who ha' mndo q
virtas of necensitY and volunteered
for the war rather than BIO sent to the
rear when the Mexican capital lay as q
prize before us.
In due time l sent them on to San
Francisco and accounted for the food,
clothing and transportation furnished
them as assistance rendered to dit
tressed Americans, and l doubt II ever
q more correct return were made to
the qaartormaster's department In
Washington. A couple of months
after 1 was walking along n of the
streets Of San Francisco, when I wal
suddenly seized by q man dressed In
sumptuous apparel, q ponderous watch
fob pendant from q massive gold chain,
. diamonds blazing from his shirt front,
and about him an air Of abundance
denohng Q plentitude of luore. Ate,
e~xtrioating myself from his besr.like
hug I found that 1t was Williams, one
OF the starved wretohes OF San Diego
Upon inquiry ~ to the cause of this
transformation from tho grub of q few
weeks before to the gorgeous butterfly
of the present, he babe me follow,
We entered . large adobe building,
the doors of which were open wide,
and passed down an aisle between two
rows of faro tables, about which
were excited crowds. Ga n side
was q band Of music, and about the
tables were scores of cxtravagant-
" dressed women, many of them
dealing faro, others chatting with the
pon-plsy ers. At the extremity of thu
large apartment were two or thres
small rooms, one Of which We entered
In this was a faro table, the wal
lavishly furnished, as much so as 1T
diminutive size would admit. At one
side was q good.sized safe. William
unlocked the door and disclosed bag
of gold dust and glittering piles O
'slugs'-$50 pieces, If octsgon shape
issued for convenience In the absonc
of United States coin. He said, 8
, have made all this since l arrived Il
San Francisco. There Is probabl
$50. 600 In that safe. You found m
! naked and hungry, fed, clothed an
sent me on my way. Great fortune
: are made here every week In res
estate. am no business man, 9
there Is no use in my making q dive |
that direction. l beg of you to TAX
4 "a mach Of that money "a You desire
take 1t all II you require 1t. Invest
.. and IL the venture Ia ELL ,cessful retur
p as much of the sum advanced as yo
ID see fit. II II is lost neither OF us wi
be much the worse off, as l shall pr
badly lose 1t In gambling by th.t time
OF course, 1 declined the off'r, al
- Williams seemed considerably hurt
the refusal. This occurrence was q
}. ter the city had become
IN A MEASURE CIVILIZED,
and the gambling mania had te
a.. certain extent subsidized. In l849,
? this WAS almost tho sole amusement
he populsce, and successful gamble
were among the richest, most talent
TO and Influential citizens of the tow
'de Every bAr.room displayed Its attr'
y lions of monte, faro, roulette or rou
ct noir, and merchants, lawyers, q