Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-04-11
THE PRINCE OF GAMBLERS.
ENDING HIS EVENTFUL CAREER By
BECOMING a 5IoHK.
A Man who Invaded European
Gambling Bens with Wonderful
Success--HEeeting E1is Waterloo.

SHccess--5Eeeting EEis Waterloo.
To follow Garcia, the prince of gam
blers, who has become a Trappist monk,
in his trips through Germany, spoken of
at the time by all the European press, to
relate all the victories he there gained,
would be an impossibility. Garcia
marche1 from success to success in all
the banks of Germany; from Homburg
to Weisbaden; from Weisbaden to Baden
it was one series of triumphs. The bank
at Homburg, which was then the most
powerful, changed its rules in honor Of
Garcia, raising the limit of the stake from
81, 400 to $12, 600. This was the begin
ming of a desperate contest between the
bank and Garcia who replied to this
challenge by each time stalking the limit
of $12, 900.
In few days Garcia won from the
bank $500, COO Such a success had not
been seen since the establishment of the
German banks. Until then it was rare
thing for bank to break; it was phenom-
cnal if it occurred once in a year. Three
days successfully NJ. Garcia broke the
bank at Homburg, the richest and most
solid in all Germany These triumphs so
rapidly obtained caused a great sensation.
The shareholders of the bank hastily
called a meeting, and voted an immediate
increase of capital.
The bankers and capitalists Of Frank
fort speculated in the shares, which for
the first time fell twenty per cent. in one
day The late N. Blanc, The wcii-known
capitalist who was aftorward the proprie-
tor of the gambling dcns at Monaco, was
at that time the manager of the bank at
Homburg. He raised several million
francs to continue the contest with Gar
cha. This gigantic struggle went on with
an unexampled perseverance and intengi-
ty. Garcia attacked the bank with great
vigor. He played with drafts for 81, 400
on the Bank of France which M. Blanc
had had expressly sent him from Paris to
facilitate the payments. The winnings
and losings in the course of a day fright
ened even those who had no pecuniary
interest in them. The parlors of the kur-
saal were thronged with thousands Of peo-
pie comingfrom Frankfort and all other cit
les on purpose to see Garcia play and to ad
mire his GOODNESS. AS to the sharehold-
ers who for the most part were bankers,
they abandoned their Offices to 90 to the
kursaal. For the first time they expert
enced emotions as if they themselves were
gambling, and not without good reason
the shares more and more declined in
value.
One day Garcia had been playing
against the bank for several hours, Luck
turned against him to such a degree that
he lost very large sum and was on the
point of succumbing. He suddenly left
the parlor. They thought he had gone
for good, vanquished, and the share
holders were congratulating themselves.
1t was only a skillful vancouver on his
part. He had gone to Frankfort to ask
for reinforcements. He telegraphed to
Paris, received $40, 900, and with them
returned to the charge. 1t was already
night when he re-entered the gaming
hail. The play was to stop at 1 o'clock.
At that hour Garcia had not only won
back his losses but had gained $4,000
more, The next day Garcia began the
attack on the bank at an early hour at
noon nothing was left Of it; he had cap
tured all, and the servants of the kurSaaI,
in full livery, marched behind him, car
rying the sacks of money which a short
time ago had belonged to the bank, and
of which Garcia was now the owner
When he left the parlors great crowd
awaited him and gave him an ovation.
While these triumpls were taking place
at Homburg, Wiesbaden, jealous Of her
rival, and wishing to attract the sensa-
ton which reiened in that city, suddenly
raised the limit of her stakes. The news
papers pompously announced that the
banks at Wiesbaden could not be broken,
and that it would permit any kind of
play. 1t was sort of challenge thrown
at Garcia's head. 1t was not to remain
unanswered.
One dav when it was least expected
Garcia appeared in the kursaal at Wies-
baden with an enormous capital, and in
few hours broke the bank, winning
500, 900 in single sitting This occur
renee produced an extraordinary excite
ment among the shareholders, and a sort
of riot was imminent. They met and
bitterly reproached the management for
having changed the rules of the bank,
and thus cast an imprudent challenge at
this redoubtable champion. The danger
had to be removed at any price; they
| parleyed with Garcia, surrendered, and
signed treaty of peace with conditions
humiliating to the management.
Garcia was then at the apogee of his
fame and fortune. The thousand voices
Of the press spread his name through the
two hemispheres. By an irony OF fate,
it was at the very moment when every
body called him Garcia, the invincible,
that he was to fall.
His star was eclipsed at Baden. He
had gone to that city in the month of
September, at the brilliant time of the
races; he had no intention of playing
there. The rules of the bank, the low
limit of the stakes, had always kept him
away from the kursaal of that city. Duke
de Morny happened to be in Baden. Like
great lord eager for an excitement, he
wanted to get himself the pleasure of
seeing the bank broke. Heurgcd Garcia
to play; all the person Il his retinue
joined their request to his Garcia re-
sisted for some days, but finally con-
sented at the persuayions of so many H.
lustrious personages. He played, but the
vein was exhausted. Luck, his protect
ing goddess, abandoned him. and with a
smile on his lips, he lost the millions he
had so of-handedly gained
Thus fell Garcia. Baden was his
Waterloo. - Nea0 York World.