The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-06-07

One VINO aNOWS himself To nave been
a gambler, and to have had much Oh
portunity to study the morals of the
business, thus gives the results of his
deductions on the question. He writes.
1t is very generally believed that pro-
fessional gamblers have q high standard
of honor among themselves. How or
where this fable originated is a mvs-
terry; certainly not in the ranks of The
| fraternity, for more suspicious BODY
of men can not be found. The state
ment that So-and-so's word is his bond
and that he is las square as die" is
one often quoted on the outside; but the
bond in use on the inside invariably
takes the form of collateral security,
and the square as die part of the
statement is covered by q strict adhe-
renee to the principle just so long as
the return overbalances the outlay.
The kings in the profession are forced
by their position to live closer to the
virtuous standard, but fall from the
throne would be instantly followed by
the abandonment of the assumed virtue.
The fact is, that gambling is democrat
izing to the last degree, and no man
can follow it without having his best
sensibilities blunted. Gambling. being
Legitimate and ostracized by society,
is only adopted as business by men
dead to moral sense of right and
wrong. The gambler knows no society
above the level of that found in his own
club-room, the best part of which will
shun him in the light of day. A care
full analysis of my own case, and that
of my colleagues, has confirmed me in
the belief that the two chief component
parts that go to make up the profess
sional gambler are cupidity and lazi-
ness. These two characteristics pre-
dominating result in the complete
decentralization of the man.
The devotees of the gambling table
are drawn from every stratum of soci-
ETY., the very mingling Of which is in
itself demoralizing. A man who enters
a gambling room meets on level of
equality crime in every form. The
burglar, pic4pocket, sneak-thief, and
confidence operator, and the bank clerk
and merchant, all meet at the same
table and enjoy the same privileges.
There is not robbery or murder COM
mitted that is not discussed in all its de-
tails in the gambling-room; and in
majority of cases, where the crime is
a local one the perpetrator is personally
known. There is not a gambler in this
city who would hesitate to purchase an
article because he knew that it was
stolen property, and many of them do
not hesitate to 60 astepfurther, and use
the gopher (safe) for the planting
(hiding) of light "swag" (plunder) for
some of the mob, who has pulled a
good trick Committed a robbery)
and Let me say in this connection, that
many Ginger" (thief) owes his being
'pinched" (arrested) to the kind
'oifice" of his friend the gambler. The
claim is often made that many gam
blers do ga square business" that they
give every man a fair chance to win
their money, and only expect in return
an even chance; but the fact is, this is
pure fiction.
A ''squarely dealt" (?) game has i'm
mense advantages over the PLAYERS in
three things-the ''splits," the capital
it is played on, and last, but not least,
an expert to deal the cards. 1t would
be impossible to compute the value OF
the percentage derived from the
splits as in ''square game" no two
deals will run alike. But of every
bet affected by split fifty per cent.
goes to the game. An expert dealer
can "trip the deck for splits and it is
the trick most practiced, because it re-
quires least skill in manipulating the
cards. The second advantage is grad
uated by each player. Say, for ex-
ample, eight players are in front of the
table, and jointly "show up (produce)
S400. The games capital, being 81
900, is increased to 50, 400-by the sale
of chips. Now, if one man were to
play the whole $500, the game would
have the advantage of him in the ratio
of six to one in betting capital. Then,
as the limit allowed by the game is 500
on double cards and $50 on single
cards, or cases, the actual advantage is
twenty-four to one,-on the supposition
that the limit is bet every time, which
is never done by suckers, 'and but
seldom by professionals. The fact is,
the $500 is divided between eight play,
ers, with an average capital of $5C
each, while all are playing against
81, 400. The reader can figure the aver.
age Tor himself. l will only state that,
with an average dealer 81, 900 string"
(capitaD, and daily front of S40O
divided between eight players, there is
not a game in Boston working twenty
seven days a month that would not
quit winner $500 twelve months in
the year. But that which in my esti-
nation is the. strongest evidence that
the assumed virtue and honor of the
gambling fraternity are a sham, and
have no solid foundation in fact, is the
fact that 'brace" games are allowed to
flourish. Every gambler knows just
where these games are located, and is
perfectly acquainted with the mana
gers. If their own games We're honest,
they would combine and crush out the
"brace'' games. 1t would be for their
interest to do so. But the fact is, the
only difference between a brace
game and an ordinary game of faro is,
that the aforementioned is like the man.
eating shark, which swallows at one
gulp everything that falls into his
mouth; while the latter is an ordinary
bottle-nose which devours its victim
piecemeal.
To sum the whole matter up: A bust
ness that is illegitimate in itself and
draws to its support criminals from
pVnrv walk in orina p1uct ~, ;ts fooo