Morning journal and courier., 1883-06-22
Gambling in Kentucky.
How the Daring Blue Grass GnmesteI
 Pile Up Their Money.

| How the Daring Blue Grass Gamester Pile Up Their Money.
 [Louisville tKy.) Letter to Philadelphia Press.l
 ! Probably there is no State in the UnioI k where gambling of all kinds is carried on al ! openly and as generally as it is in Kentucky ! and in no city has the mania for gaming sucf ! 8 hold on the puc ic mind as it has in Louis vile. Every body gambles here. The cen ! tral part of the city is one vast faro bank For three squares on Fifth avenue and fol I four squares on Jefferson street nearly every house is filled with keno rooms and faro
 banks. The law is dead letter, for thu gamblers are greater than the law; theJ I make the law. This city has now become tht horse center of the State, and here are collect ! ed all the big ''sports" of Kentucky ! From February until October and November pools are sold in half dozen places for sums ! ranging from 25 cents to S., 900 and $5, 1000. The vast amount of money that changes hands in single year also is appalling; l \ was talking the other day with Eat Dick Watts, ,one of the proprietors of the Turf Ex- change and the figures he gave of the firms dealings, including orders by telegraph, French mutuals and pool selling, were for ' last year between SC, ,000, ,000 and $7,000,000. Compare this with the dealings of any of the I national banks or any of the great mercantile l houses of the country and see how few sur pass it. The amount of betting going on at tho races each day is simply amazing. On Derby day no less than $200,0oo changed hands on the ground alone, and all this in cash. It wasn't a very good day for betting either.
 The winnings that some of these gamblers make is enough to take ones breath away. In one race alone M. Jack Chinn, the owner of Leonatus, won 1885, GOO. He is the famous friend of Phil Thompson, and was his
 stanchest supporter in all the troubles that
 arose from Thompson's unfortunate shooting affair. He is desperate better, and one
 night last summer, the story runs, that in a
 big poker game with some Blue Grass race men he won $I5, ,O00. Ex Governor McCreary
 was at this time talking of running for Con
 gress against Thompson. Chinn heard of it
 and, skipping 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 typical Kentucky gambler, handsome,
 broad -shSuldered, liberal to fault and
 knows how to use a pistol. He once faced
 mob of thirty Republicans at Harrodsburg,
 who were threatening to kill any enemy of
 Colonel 'BiIr' 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 pis-
 tols were out. Chinn instantly drew his own,
 leveled 1t 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 bat
 tie was only prevented by mutual friends
 settling the dispute. He carries himself
 iauntily, never picks quarrel and never
 shuns one that is forced on him. brave,
 reckless dashing fellow is Jack Chinn, and
 a good specimen of the Blue Grass gambler.
 He owns Leonatus and several other good
 horses. has fine farm in the heart of the
 Blue Grass, and is willing to bet $l0,000 on three aces.
 Another man here named Keegin won $4O,- 900 on Lida Stanhope and 1t scarcely raised a ripple. In the same race pool was sold for $4,O0O. This is considered moderate pet ting. The very children in the streets buy pool tickets. On one side of Third street you can see men in kid gloves wagering their thousands at the Turf" and across the way bootblacks and newsboys bet 25 cents on the 'tDerby."
 The Judge of our Circuit Court buys pools and no one thinks wrong of it. He IS big hearted honest gentleman, and if public sen- tinent opposed 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 auction ! eer during the races The Governor ot 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 Q winner. Men make princely fortunes in few years. Milt. Young, an obscure grocery keeper at Tender son, Ky, got hold of good horse and after two years bought himself magnificent stock farm near Lexington-the famous McGrath, iana,-and is worth anywhere from $20O, 900 | to $500. 900, and has stable full of flyers. His horses always lost at the right time and won at the right time. "You oughtn't to blame the horses, ? said turfman to me. sthey didn't have anything to do with it."
 The license that is given other kinds of gambling makes Louisville the paradise for the sscalculators of chances as Bret Hart calls them All the fines that are imposed are freely remitted by the Governor. Faro banks are almost as responsible national banks, and have quite as much capital back ing them Winnings and iosings are made at a single sitting that would make ones head swim Waddell, well known gambler 1n the South, won $1O, 600 in two hours. Major | Hughes lost $3, GOO on the turn ot card. A half drunken party went into Fifth street 1 bank nights ago and closed the bank up l for the night, winning everything In the safe'