The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-03-20
j"BAC.. IIN:NEW YORK
Baceara, has a. last found shrine

Baccarat has at last found shrine
! in New York. It's votaries are not
yet as numerous as they are a Lon-
don and Paris, bat the game is an
insidious one, and we may yet see
in this country a repetition OF the
gam ling mania, which recently
reachet a climax in London. In a
quiet side street, not far from Bfoai-
way, is q house hich Is distlngr
uished from its neighbors only by the
gas Jet wnich dimly Eliminates its
veStIbuls until an early hour In the
morning, The house. is conducted
as proprietary club, and the vlsi-
tor, before ad mission, is obliged to
go through the preliminaries OF in
troduc ion and being enrolled as a
resident or nonresident memb9r
The dues are not heavy, and the
principal requisite for admission is
q willingness to tempt the tickle
god Jess and the means to make sa-
cridces to her. Once admitted
the visitor will find on the
frat floor nothing to indicate the
character of the so-called club, and
he will bs sadly disappointed
if he expects to find any of the gOr-
geousness in furni ure and decora
lion wnich caaracterizes the ira l.
tional gaming house. Or reaching
the second floor. however, the un'
mistakable click of ivory chips is
heard. Abouta table, shaped like
a figure eight are seated score or
more of players, and a mixed lot
they are. A Cuban Or two, three or
four Frenchmen and Italians, some
genuine Englishmen AID some
Englishmen, a pair OF dudes,
and a sprinkling Of Americans |
of the baser sort compose q
crowd which is denationalized |
and unified in the common desire to
capture the dealers money. The
intense stiffness, which is thought
to be necessary where heavy gamb-
ling is going on, is absent here, and,
although the stakes are quite heavy,
there is q continual current of ban
Ter and jest, English malediction
and French exultation-or vice
versa, as the luck may turn-tri>
am ph OH one side of the table and
on the other, all punctuated
With the dealers monotonous "No
more" and the occasional "Bac"
rom dealer or player. Atintervals
he bank is either broken or the
banker sees fit to retire
rom his onerous position.
The club attendant puts the
privilege up at auction, and his
Five hundred, once-five hundred,
wice-fve hundred three times. and
cid to Mr.. Blank" determines that
DR.. Blauk is TO place FIVE hundred
oIlars in money on the table to be
lsyed ag ainst the punters until it
exhausted or until he has dealt
trough three packs of cards. In
ne latter event the bank is sgain
uctioned off to the highest bidier.
Tothing but cash or counters re>
esmable by thu club is permitted
, be played for, and this has the
Ilutsry effect Of limiting players
, the amount they have with them
taking it impossible for rash players
, involve themselves or their bank
counts in ruin through the mo-
lehtary excitement of the game.
his is the only redeeming feature
Baccarat. Otherwise it is as per-
cious in it's effects as keno or any
her disreputable mode Of gam
ing. Novel writer's have thrown
halo Of distinction about it which
in no wise de:erves. Certain fea-
res of the game make 1t impossi-
g for it to be played under ordinary
and it has therefore
me to be regarded as almost exclu-
vely club game, but the recent
.posures in Paris chow that, I'm.
r the most favorable circum.
ances, it can be made the means
fashionable swindling, while ex.
card-players say that
lth the most trifiing collision it
splendid field for sharp
actice. It will be bad day for
ew York when Baccarat becomes
be more generally played.-Ths
'oderia Age.