News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-10-09
A GAMBLERS STORY.
AN INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED IN HIS
TWENTY YEARS. EXPERIENCE.
Father who was Determined that His
Young son should not be Led Away by
Bad Men.

A Father who was Determined that His
: Young son should not be Led Away by
Bad Men.
During the last twenty years." said
New York gambler to a reporter, 81
have seen enough to enable me to write
book with the title, what Know
About Gambling There is one occur
renee, however, that L witnessed in
New York faro bank which I shall not
forget as long as l live. 1t must have
happened about the year '6S or so, at
least it was during the time when the
iron bridge spanned Broadway at Full
ton street. The game 1 speak OF was
located IN building not more than one
hundred feet distant from the bridge. 1t
was what is called Square game, and
had good run of custom. It was pat
ronlzed principally by large number
OF young clerks. was acquainted with
young man who frequented the place.
he alone urged me to accompany him
thither. Ny curiosity having become
somewhat excited I one day consented
to go with him to the faro bank, and in
his company passed, for the first time,
between those doors over which might
have aptly been written the lines Dante
inscribed over the gates of his hell.
That first visit to gambling house was
the commencement of career which
has resulted in misfortune and disgrace
to myself and in misery and grief to
every other member of my family. 1t
made of me a professional gambler, for
although the Blind Goddess of Chance
from the very beginning showered her
gifts ON me by nomeans profusely, l did
not possess sufficient moral strength to
retrace my steps.
"Among the regular customers of the
game l have spoken of above, there was
a young man who held position in his
| fathers office, n prominent downtown
merchant. Although he was neither a
cool nor a lucky player, and, like N.Y.
self, rarely left the table a winner, he
still continued to frequent the gaming
table for no other purpose than to ap-
| pease an Unsuitable appetite. Thus the
young player naturally lost considerable
money, and his father, having discov-
cred his haunts, sent word to the pro-
prietors of the game, forbidding them
| to admit his son in the future. But the
parties thus cautioned failed to pay any
attention to this notice, and the young
man continued coming.
zone afternoon, about five o'clock,
while he was sitting at the table play
| ing; the bell rang, and the negro SER
want admitted a tall, venerable looking
gentleman, whose hair was as white as
snow. He stepped up to the table,
placed his right hand upon the young
mans shoulder, and, addressing himself |
to the dealer, said:
This young man is my son. I have
cautioned you not to admit him, but you
have not needed my warning. I now
give you notice that if you let him play
here after this you do so at your peril
"The dealer looked at the speaker
with an insolent contemptuous ex-
preston, and said, sneeripgly:
"I don't care whether you are the |
father of any of my players or not.
That young man looks as if he were
twenty-one, and 1 guess he is able to |
attend to his own business.
''Then, turning TO the negro, he said: |
John, show this gentleman to the |
door, And again he looked at the new
conner in derisive and sneering way.
"But he had made his reckoning with |
out his host. The old gentleman drew
himself up to his full height, and, while |
clear voice:
"'Ah, Mr.. Dealer, you know very well
that what / have been saying is no !
laughing matter, and though only one
man has blown out his brains in your
room and spoiled your handsome carpet
with his blood, you have not the less
cruelty assassinated dozen more With
your devilish game even though you
H., ~
more of your victims have become sui. !
cides in consequence of your hellish OPP
erations? L dare say you do not care to
know. You are very Jolly fellow. ] |
have no doubt, and you drive fast horses |
in the Park. Your plate il magnificent, |
and 1 am told, the dinners which you |
set forth to the patrons of your house
every afternoon of the week are good,
but if you could have the power of the
clairvoyant bestowed upon you reckon
you would never laugh, or race, or
drink more. Everywhere around you
you would see accusing ghosts pointing
at you-ghosts that would not only ar
raign you for their murder but for the
infinite legacy of evils they bequeathed
to the living at their death, through
your cause. Mothers, wives and sisters
starving; girls pacing YEARLY the pave
ments of the city at night, bidding for
dishonor; BOYS, born to lead a better
life, thieving in the streets because their
father lost his money at yonr table, Mr.
Dealer All sir, there is many a man
that likes to make money and spend it as
well as you, but he would not traffic in
hearts and lives and honors, even could
he thereby acquire all the riches OF
the world and live in the very midst of
gold. When man pulls out a roll of !
bills and hands it to you to be changed
into chips; you know not but the happi-
ness of his entire family is wrapped up
IN that greasy bundle. declare | would
rather never have lived than have regis
tered against me the quantity of curses
that have been heaped upon your head,
you cruel, remorseless assassin When
see you in the street, sleek and we'll
dressed, driving a splendid turnout, l
hate you, and were it not for the laws
of the land and of conscience, would
put bullet through you without delay.
| hear the groans of breaking hearts in
the roll of your wheels; see the death
warrant of thousand honors written in
every wrinkle of your abominable, smil-
ing countenance, confound you Why
are you at large? We chain up tigers
and lions. Is there, can there be more ,
ferocious, bloodthirsty beast than you {
are q
Z. sit might be reasonably supposed that {
the affair wound up in a rather unpIeas-
ant way for the bold speaker. Such was :
not the case, however. I am inclined to
think that the fact of luckless player :
having committed suicide in that very
room, and in the presence of the dealer
70 whom the old gentleman administered
his lecture, had something to do with
making the former feel little weak in
he knee. This affair-which the old
gentleman alluded to-had occurred but +
short time previous, and had been =
,iven great deal of publicity in the =
newspapers. While he spoke everybody !
n the room kept perfectly quiet. You =
night have heard pin drop. The fear ,
ess speaker was not again given the hint =
o leave. The dealer did not utter one =
Eord in reply. He finished the deal, =
nd rose from the chair. which was at L
nee occupied by one of his assistants, =
nd the game went on as though nothing Z
lad happened. In the meantime the =
id gentleman had left in company with p
lis son.
THE dealer took seat in a corner, u
nd for an hour did not stir. He seemed a
o be absorbed in deep thought. On n
he first day of the following month he 81
rev out his interest in the game, and h
ltted up saloon in elegant style on Il
broadway. in the neighborhood of Il
-wenty-tifth street. / remember well rc