National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-08-09
GREEN CLOTH DECAY.
A Golden Slope Gambler Lamepts
the Decline OF Gambiina-Thoso
Times are Not Like other Days.

A Golden Slope Gambler Lamepts
the Decline OF Gambiing-Theso
Times are Not Like other Days.
San Francisco Chronicle,
professional gamblers Of high and low
degree nevor were in as tight lines az they
are now, and unless the tide soon turns
in their favor they will be forced to sban-
don the green cloth and seek other voca-
cations to secure even necessaries of
lifo."
Tho speaker was q veteran gambler, an
intelligent Englishman, known as
"Reddy," with probably as many aliases
as cat Is expected to have lives. For
tho past twenty years ho has lived by his
wits, making and squandering thousands
annually. Ho can play an honest game,
II circumstances compel him. but his aim
ever is to have the odds immoasureably
In his favor. He is an adept in dealing a
brace game Of faro, or in swindling ct
short cards, but the height of his am
bition is to transfer an innocent mans
money into his own pocket by means of
some confidence game. In the last named
role no may be classed as an expert.
81 have just returned TO the bay" con-
tinued the disconsolate sport, after q
two years. professional tour, playing
brief engagements at all the leading sport
ing centers in tho country. had hoped
to find things booming in San Francisco,
but tho hope was sadly blasted, for find
moro broken gamblers hero than found
in any other city, High rollers who only
few years ago squandered their hun
dreds weekly arc now glad to capture
enough to lodge In o 25 cent room and
subsist on beer lunch. Where one
gambler is in funds, fully ninoty-nine are
In distress"
other pointsp asked tho reporter.
"With very few exceptions, just as bad
for the fraternity. About two months
ago made tour on the Northern Pacific
road. From st. Paul to Helena did not
fnd single place whero the gambler
could mako any money. At Helena and
Butte there 10 considerable sport, but
controlled by q few mon. Then / won't
into tho Cgur d'Alene mining region in
company with several other sports, and
found that country dead fraud; there
were actually more gamblers there than
there were dollars, and our party had q
tough timo to get out of tho internal
country. / visited all the leading points
in Oregon and Washington territory
only to find business dull everywhere.
At Portland there are several lively far o
games, played wide open, but tho limit Ia
so small that an outsider can't make a
winning of any size. Then i took a
steamer for Frisco, expecting to make
some money on the passage. Again /
was disappointed. The only gambling n
board was at whist-a quarter q corner
for tho rubber. Tho degeneracy of the
times actually made mo sick. and took
to my berth and remained there until the
boat reached tho dock"
How fare the sports cast Of tho Rocky
mountainsp
"At Denver the game is lively and the
doors are wide open, but the bots are
small, and tho same Is true as to Salt
Lake, Tho glory Of tho gambling camps
in New Mexico and Arizona has departed,
and even slick gambler couldn't make
enough down there how to feed o COW.
At st. Louis and Kansas City, for years
the leading sporting centers Of the west
not single gambling house is open; in
fact, the laws Of Missouri make it felony
for any one to run O gambling game
within the limits Of the state. The same
severe law is in force In Tennessee, and
the chances arc that just such law will
DO enacted in most of the states inside O
the next few years. And when thi
change comes about there will BIO IN enc
to professional gambling, for even tn,
bravest gamester will throw up hi
hands II no sees that the door of tn,
penitentiary arc yawning for him. Or
tho Mississippi river, once noted
for its heavy games. there is very
little play, and on most of the boat
gambling is positively prohibited. Ii
Chicago, whore the heaviest games o
faro have been played of late, the mayo
has announced his firm determination Il
shut up every gambling house, and o
course no can accomplish the task If h,
means business. In Now York city gamb
ling is under tho ban, although faro game
are constantly run on the sly. In Phila
delphia there has been very little gaminI
for years, and ut Washington only "a few
faro games, and skin ones at that, are un
der Roadway. Boston and Providence arr
the only two paints in New England pa
trenized by professional gamesters, and q
both the betting is very tame. Through
out the southern states there Is very iittl
betting at faro, and at the favorite gam,
(poker) the stakes are light. In New Or
leans gambling Is licensed, and in tho win
ter months the betting is very lively, blu
not $40 piece Is wagered on the greer
cloth now whore thousand was tel
years ago. The fact Is that gambling il
public houses 10 rapidly on tho decliu
throughout the whole coun try, and tn
signs of the times indicates death to tn
green cloth AZ no far distant day"