St. Landry democrat., 1884-03-15
"A NLigTlty Gambler.
n. 0. mes-Democrat.

! N. o. Times-Democrat.
The most famous of modern gam
blers, Garcia, has entered a convent OF
Trappist monks; and the announce
ment of his final retirement from the
world has evoked quite number Oi
curious biographies in all the leading
foreign Journals. Garcia's career was
of the most romantic kind there were
incidents in it not less marvellous than
in Merimee's well-knoWn version of La
/ Dame dW PiQue. For brief period
Garcia's astounding successes startled
| plet form, were sold by thousands. A
complete history of his triumphs would
| fill a volume; but a few incidents will
suffice to give fair idea of the ''streak''
| he struck.
No other man ever broke so many
banks. His name had already become
a terror i'll gambling centres when he
first appeared at Hamburger. The IA
nous Kursaal of that city,-then the
wealthiest establishment Of its kind in
all Germany changed its rules in
honor or in terror of his advent, and
elevated the maximum of single stakes
from $2400 to $4,000. Garcia respond
ed to this defiance by stalking the maxi
mum on every venture. The fight last
ed some time. In a few days Garcia
had cleared 100000, and in three sue
cesslve sittings broke the Hamburger
bank as many times. The stockholders
borrowed several millions to continue
the fight with; and Garcia commenced
to lose heavily for awhile. But his Won
derful luck soon returned, and in three
days more the bank was completely
broken. Garcia retired in triumph, fol-
lowed by a long retinue of servants
loaded down with bags of coin and bum
dies OF bank notes..
Welsbaden was astOnished soon after
by visit from Garcia, who attacked it's
celebrated bank with an enormous can
ltal, and commenced by winning $780,
600 at single sitting. So terrified be-
came the stockholders that at a hasty
meeting, it was determined rather to
compromise with Garcia at any reasona-
Ole terms than to continue the struggle.
Ihe administration ransomed the es-
adjustment; but the conditions were
IN the extreme.
HNTSGdt after hUrSGGI shared the fate
OF the Hamburger establishments, and !
Garcia commenced a triumphal tour of |
Italy, France and England. He be-
lIeved in his luck as Napoleon believed
In his star, and the idea of retiring upon
his gigantic winnings never occurred to
him. He flung his money here and /
there with absurd generosity. The /
cabman who drove him from one street T
TO another received perhaps $500 for his
rec the servant who blacked his boots /
might have hoped to receive as much as
Sl0O and not have been disappointed.
w orttlless men and cunning women
gathered about this human gold mine t
snd exploded 1T to the utmost of their
Lblllty. Had Garcia only been as rich
Is our own "COal-Oil Johnny" he would
'00ner have shared the latter's fate;
)uC MS store seemed inexhaustible. In
s1haustlble 1T really was not - bad
tastes been of an artistic OF
eflned description he might easily have
pent bis millions in gratifying them 4
,ut his pleasures were not Of the most !.
osSiy Or delicate sort. Ill-luck was
low in coming upon him but when it +
Id come, 1T was the advent of light
ing. Garcia had always disliked the L
dea OF playing at Baden, although his &
.O0d fortune had commenced there.
he rules OF the bank were close, the
Maximum OF stakes low. But Garcia
appened to meet at Baden the Due de
lorny, who urged him to play merely
OF the pleasure OF seeing him break !
ne bank! Flattery from such source
Vercame the prudence or perhaps the
1perstItlon OF Garcia; and he sat down
smash the Rursaal But the Aatrsa0E
TODD firm. Fortune, as if resenting !
le attack OF her protege upon the es-
abllshment that first gave him fame,
tteriy deserted him. Day after day Z
he gamblers gold poured into the cof- :
'rs OF the bank. He refused to believe :
MS Ill-luck; he had been as nearly G
ilned many times before, and had won 8
spite OF all at last. He lost his mil =
ons % with smile--a smile that never ]
It ms llps until the last cent of his g
ealth had been raked in. And then !,
borrowed from the KuTSaGL the few =
nls necessary to pay his way to Paris. y
IA Il Farls he soon began to starve. z
.neneVer he could borrow money he g
leu ms luck but luck once lost does q
,C readily return. Still, one more 2
Ireak. was reserved for him. He de- 3
.ted himself to baccarat, and began to e
N regularly. Attention once more y
nGered upon him; and he obtained
g elat1,ee to private gambling parties
lere large sums were staked. He fl
On heayily, and seemed again in fair q
" 70 become qichissinae, when he v