The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-05-09
GAMBLING AMONG WOMEN.
A NOVEL GAMBLING PLACE IN THE
METROPOLIS.
The Amusement Some New York So.
Ciety Ladies Indulge INA Club
House,, Exclusively for Women.

scrlpton OF gambling house engineered |
and patronized by females. Since then,
says the New York World the existence
of such Institutions in various other cities |
has been made known. The most promi |
nent and noteworthy of them all, how
ever, has been overlooked.
1t is located in a cozy, quiet-looking |
old mansion of the stately and monu
mental New York type and within two
blocks of the Brevoort house. To all |
outward appearances the place is
only one of the many resi-
dences of aristocratic elegance |
which line the street. All the windows |
are heavily curtained and face is seldom
seen there. Even at night it is rarely |
lighted in the front So quietly and un
obtrusively has the business of the estab-
lishment been carried on that, although
it has been in existence for months, its
real character has never been suspected.
The Droprietress of the house was origi-
nally the friend of the proprietor of one
of the most famous gambling houses in
this city. She quarreled with and left
him. Finding herself thrown on her own
resources and owner of vast colec-
ton of jewels, she determined
to profit by her experience. She hired
furnished house, the same in which she
now carries on her trade. and after in
structing two or three of her intimate
acouaintances in the mystery of dealing
and manipulating cards, began work
with their assistance. The place was cX-
tensivelv advertised as a Ladies' Club
House" and soon became quite popular,
the more so as no men were admitted.
Roulette and faro, as well as occasional
games of rouge-et-noir were at first dealt,
but the gaming soon resolved itself into
faro alone. Heavy playing has taken
place in this house. One lady is known
to have carried off over So, 600 as a re-
suit of a days lucky play. Another fe-
male won upon three days in succession
1890. The bank was so low at oGe
time that the proprietress contemplated
closing, and would have done so but for
the appearance of a creole gamestrcss,
fresh from New Orleans, who lost over
IS, 600 in money and jewels at "a sitting
and g replenished the nearly empty cot
fers. For the past few months the
"bank" is said to have enjoyed an al
most uneXampled run of luck, scarcely
ever losing.
For obvious reasons the games are all
confined to daylight. In order to obtain
admission it is necessary to have either
card from the proprietress or an introduce
ton from a frequenter. Regular habitues
have latch-leys which admit them into
the passage between the outer and inner
doors, both of which are always kept
closed. The inner door is guarded by
pretty young girl, whose orders are to
admit no stranger unprovided with the
proper credentials. The postotlce-box
of the proprietrcss is daily filled with APP
plications.
No gentleman, it is said, has been ad
mtted except in the basement where
groceries, wines, etc, are delivered.
The servants, of whom there are several,
are all females, as are also all the dealers,
case keepers, and attaches. The house
originally belonged to a wcll-known
millionaire, a former agent for one of the
great transatlantic steamship lines, from
whom its present owner rented it. Since
then she has purchased the building out
right 1t is furnished in the most lux
urious style throughout, nothing that
taste could suggest or money procure
beng absent.
The gambling is carried on in a back
drawingroom on the second floor. In
the first drawing room an elegant lunch is
always laid, with the most delicate and
costly wines. The upper floors are de-
voted to the use of the attaches of the es-
adjustment, who all reside on the prem
iscs. The proprietre,s is woman verg-
ing on mlddleagc, of commanding fig
ure, and very handsome. She dresses in
black, is famous among all her acquaint-
anccs for her love of pearls, which are
the only jewels she is known to wear, and
OF which she is reported to have the most
magnificent collection in the country.
One complete set in particular belonged
to the Empress Eugene, and the gems
which once queened it in the drawing
room of an empress now preside over the
fortunes of a game of faro. The eXecu-
tive corps arc all more or less cquivocally
famous and attractive, and are said to be
as skillfu and cool in all the traits and
tricks of their trade as veteran gambler.
The housekeeping is on the most eX-
travagant scale and is chiefly served by
two prominent Fulton market dealers
and n wine merchant who supplies the
principal clubs. All of these dealers
affirm that the consumption of the finer
] quality VI liltli WATTS la tAttGAlS llldL Vi
many of the clubs where male New York
finds such luxurious comfort
There are several other institutions for
like purpose scattered about this city
and Brooklyn. but they are on a far in
ferior scale, and their use is restricted
positively to elected members. In these
places only round games of cards are
played; even at that limited rate, how
ever, much money is lost and won. AS
to the incalculable wrong wrought, the
place of which we especially treat is in
| dubitably the worst. Women are pro-
verbally infatuated gamblers, and once
embarked on the sea of chance, with
their fates totally at the mercy of the
tickle goddess Fortune, or worse, with
the chance of the game dependent on
the honesty or dishonesty of an I'M
scrupulous dealer, the result may easily