St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1884-01-19
The Gamblers Paradise.

Here the gambling houses are IL
censed. On Royal Street, within
stretch of two blocks, eighteen keno,
faro. or other games of chance flourish.
The police protect them. The proprie-
tors paw 800 n month for official toll
Grafton. The gamblers are not only
recognized, but they are patronized by
the police, who do not hesitate to play
keno, Spanish monte and other games
while wearing uniform and being sup
posedly on duty. Sunday afternoon,
on the corner of Custom-hOuse and
Franklin streets, it is common thing
to see policemen playing Spanish monte
with negroes and the lowest class of
whites. On Canal Street "A few blocks
from the station of the Louisville Il
Nashville Railroad, monte houses run
day and night. At two clock in the
morning the writer has seen member
Of the New Orleans police dealing the
game to a room crowded with co!ored
roustabouts. The officer was on duty
at the time. He has proprietary
interest in the game and his profits
from this disgraceful connection are
very large.
The money paid by licensed gamblers
in this city goes into municipal char
ity fund. This f,ndhas been increased
to such bulk that a hospital has been
erected and its current expenses are
supplied by the gamblers blood mon
ey. The gamblers of the town speak
of the institution as ''our hospital" and
when prominent sports from the North
visit their Louisiana brethren they are
taken to 'our hospital and gener-
ouslv entertained. The strong clutch
which gambling has on this community
is q remarkable feature of life here.
The largest keno establishment in the
world is on Royal Street. 1t will ac-
commodate in both departments nearly
1000 players. Sunday mornings at
nine o'clock the play begins and the
house runs through the week. FIRE.
quently the key is not turned in the
front door for a month. The profits
are enormous. The proprietors of the
game run no risk. They take fifteen
per cent. of the money invested in
keno. Their poker winnings are ten
per cent. In shOrt-card and dice games
they supply spectators with every ia
cility for losing lucre. The game is
about $500. 900 '.strong." and the chief
manager has not only great wealth, but
great political influence. His name is
Currie. He employs over forty men,
paving them an average of five dollars
q day. He possesses much executive
ability, is good talker and rules the
roughs who patronize him with rod of
iron. Men who will fight and shoot on
slight provocation have learned from
experience that Currie cannot be trified
with. Heis of slight build and swarthy
complexion. He sleeps in a luxurious
ly furnished apartment adjoining the
keno-rooms and is waited upon by a
| corps of black servants with honors
which would become royalty itself.
Shortly after daylight his carriage is
summoned, and he is driven to the re-
tirement of one of the most elegant
houses in New Orleans. A keno card
in Currie's place costs ten cents. With
500 cards out the holder of the lucky
one realizes $50, less $50. which goes
to the house rs commission. Royal
Street is honey-combed with gambling
hells. The entrances are made attract
i've, electric lights blaze above and be-
low, whisky and cigars are furnished
| patToHs WNucul Co>t, aut sunni o3'.su
lishments pay S75 for refreshments
which are gratuitously distributed every
twentv-four hours The weather is eX.
tremelv hot here; doors and windows
are rarely closed on Royal Street, and
parties walking through that thorough
fare at night may distinctly hear the
keno numbers called from dozen es
tablishments, the rattling of the balls
followed, after intervals, by a voca
salvo which proclaims "keno correct. VI
-New Orleans Cor. Chicago Herald.