Morning journal and courier., 1884-07-25
MONTE CARLO,s DEN OF EVIL.

MONTE CARLOS DEN OF EVIL.
 Opinions Drawn From Twenty-Five
 Years' 'Res1dence-PrOfits the Concern
 Makes-EnormOus Sums at Stake There-WOmen Who Are Very Sirens.
 Letter From Dr. J. H. Bennett to the Pail Mall Gazette.
 Public attention has been forcibly directed for the last few years to the Monte Carlo gambling establishment at Monaco, and to the growing evils which it's existence entails. Of late the feeling of aversion, not to say horror which it occasions has become so general in every country throughout Europe, both with the governed and the governing bodies, that I cannot but think that its days are numbered Both Europe and America have become fully awakened to the fact that the gambling house is 8 blot on modern so- ciety, and that it's great and yearly increas- ing prosperity scatters ruin and desolation over the earth. The acknowledged profits of the concern are 1000, ,000f LOT nearly e700,- 900. No person living has probably seen more than have of the Monte Carlo gam bling establishment for have resided in it's immediate vicinity (Mentone) for twenty-five winters, and consequently no one is better qualified to speak of its moral and social in l took refuge on the Genoese Riviera in 1859, i'll unto death, thereby saved life, and have returned to it in the winter ever since On my first arrival the gambling house was in it's infancy, established at Monaco itself, un- der the patronage of the prince, and attract ed but little notice. It was g. very small and insignificant concern. When the gaming es Gablishment at Homburg was closed, M. Blanc, it's head, bought up the Monaco busi- ness, obtaining from the prince 8 long lease
 with all kinds of privileges, which were, of
 course, largely paid for. Bringing to the
 matter great experience and masterly mind, M Blanc's success has been stupendous What much aided him was the fact that the 4 closure of Homburg was followed by that of | all the gambling houses in Europe, so that gamblers of all nationalities, men and wo-
 men, have been thrown into his clutches. Year by year the area of the pernicious infu- ence of Monte Carlo has increased, in ever
 widening circles, until it is now felt all over
 the world, in Europe, Asia, Africa and Amer ica.
 Its enormous influence for evil is best un- derstood by 8 simple calculation, which I owe to a professional gambler. As the chances of the table are 1 in 36 in favor of the bank, to gain annually nearly 970O, 1000, which it professes to do Q7, 7,0O0, ,000f), e24, 800, 900 must have been staked on it's tables, must have been won and lost. The banks e700, 900 profit is it's royalty-at the rate of 1 in 36-on this enormous amount of money, which must, therefore, have been played, lost and won. If the 17,000, ,000f. are the profits after deducting the very heavy expen- ses incurred by the establishment, as I be- 1ieve is the case, the amount actually played must be much greater. It is this fact of the gambler dealing with large masses of money that partly accounts for the strange fascina- tion exercised by gambling. A careful play CT, who begins with, say, e1 ,000 capital, may how fuCr rod 4n hn 7.iT Of chances, e36, 900 before he loses his capital If he play long enough, the bank royalty of in 36 is sure to swallow up his capital, and
 then he has had all the emotion of having
 been alternately successful or the reverse, rich or poor. He regrets when he has at last lost his initial capital that he did not stop when successful, which he never does, VOWS that be will be more prudent next time, and in order to have the chance sells, borrows, raises money anyhow. Often he loses all feeling of honor and probity, and, after risk ing his last shilling, plays his wife's dowry his daughters fortune, his employers money
 to end, may be, by suicide.
 These facts entirely destroy the argument constantly brought forward by the patrons of public gambling-namely, that gaming tables are more straightforward, fairer, than private club gambling, and that, as the latter is al- lowed, a fortiori should the former. At a public gaming table the bank royalty must
 
 enough to have risked their capital thirty-six times, even if the playing is carried on hon estIy, if such a term can be used in connec- tion with gambling hell, however splendid ly yelled by music, flowers and architectural splendor. Regular gamblers find this out in the long run, and learn to avoid the public establishment Having, however, been cor rupted by and inoculated with the love of gambling, they resort to gaming clubs al ready established or form them. This is the explanation of the nest, the brood, of gam bling clubs, casinos, SGc., which rise up, as at Nice, in the proximity of public gambling establishment. They proceed from it, are created by it, would not exist without it. There are many vital differences between the two. At clubs an introduction of some kind or other is necessary; at gambling houses it is not necessary. At Monte Carlo they go through the form of demanding a card, but it is a mere form; anyone's card does, and no respectfully dressed persons are refused be they the most disreputable people in Europe, men or women-whether they are natives or not of the department of the Apes Mari times. The latter are only nominal1y forbid den to enter. Every day you see there scores of loose women, only one degree above the streets. How could the business of the place go on if only respectable strangers were ad- mitted2
 Again. at clubs men only are admitted to the playing rooms At Monte Carlo often every fourth player is woman; and such women! Hundreds of the demi-monde flock here in winter from every capital in Europe to allure and entangle well-to-do young men, who are always found present in great num- bers. Truly they represent the sirens of old, and are infinitely more dangerous, often ruin ing entirely those whom they circumvent ! The women are not all, however, of this class Husbands often thoughtlessly encourage their wives or daughters to risk a few fve-franc pieces, or napoleons, on the table, and thus inoculate them with the gambling frenzy. It is principally to attract these really respecta- ble people, to lead them by slow degrees to the gaming tables, that every possible allure ment and inducement is offered to all, to travellers and to residents, with the most un- bounded iberality. A magnificent band of seventy y-fve musicians discourses sweet mu- sic every afternoon and evening. Theatrical and operatic performances are offered weekly at nominal prices, at which the leading celeb rities-of the day take part The gardens are perhaps the finest in southern Europe; the reading room is one of the best supplied with periodical literature; and all are open