McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-12-04
LoaDoN's GAMBLING CLUBS.
The Eaws.a Dead Lctter-How the
Clubs Are Conducted.

from the pest OF gambling houses. 80 a,
least the police would tell you, and so at
least the metropolitan magistrates pro-
fess to believe. AS matter of fact,
London is fairly honeycombed with
gambling-houses, although these temples
where the vOtaries of Dame Fortune are
wont to assemble are very different
places from the bar-rooms of New York,
Philadelphia and Chicago. Of all forms
of gambling, betting OH horse-racing
finds most favor with the average Eng
| lishman.
Tattersalls, at Albert Gate, is the
head center of the betting world. 1t is
hardly a club in the ordinary sense of
the word, as the ostensible purpose for
which the place was established was for
the sale of thoroughbred stock, hunters,
hacks and carriage-horses. For 100
years or more, l should say, the latter
| sails, from sire to son, have carried on
the business of disposing of horses here
by auction, and for many years this es-
adjustment in its own particular line
has been the finest in the world. On the
premises at Tattersalls is large and
well-appointed subscription-room, of
which all the leading members of the
turf, both owners and professional book
makers, are members.
Members of the Jockey club, and of
Whites, Brooks, Boobies, Guards and
the Travellers club are eligible for mem
bership, without being balloted for, but
individuals who do not happen to be on
1 the roll of these aristocratic establish
/; ments are only eligible for membership
! when their finances are known to be in
a tlourishing condition, and when their
| morale and standing on the turf are be-
yond cavil or question. Noblemen or
| gentlemen, owners of race-horseS, or
| identified with the sport of racing, have
little or no difficulty in gaining admis-
| sion, so long as they have never failed
| to meet their debts of honor on the turf,
| but the professional operator or book
maker must serve long apprenticeship
to his calling, and be pronounced on all
hands financially sound by his brothre
of the book and pencil, before he can
gain admission into this charmed circle
l.cre every Monday afternoon large
| gathering takes place, and just as the
prices of stocks and shares are ruled by
the current quotations in Wall street, SO
the market status of horses engaged for
coming races is iXed-that is to say, if
three to one be taken about horse win
ming any coming race, at Tattersalls on
| a Monday afternoon that price is pub
lished in all the papers and is the guide
for transactions between the public and
the bookmakers all over the country the
next day. Of course, TattersalIs, in as
far as subscription-room is concerned,
is neither more nor less than gambling
house conducted on colossal scale.
Every member of the room, however, is
IA man of honor, and all transactions are
conducted on this basis. When bet is
made, no matter how large it may be,
the hacker is never called upon to stake,
and hence as no money changes hands,
believe that as the law at present stands
it would be impossible to maintain any
action that might be commenced with
the view of breaking up this place, on
the ground that it was maintained
purely for gambling purposes.
1t is nothing uncommon for horse tC
be backed at Tattersalls in one after
noon to win $500, 900, and no doubt on
many occasions this sum has been
doubled with regard to the chance of
single animal. 1t is only fair to say
that as regards the professional element,
by which | mean the gambler or book
maker, there are far less defaulters in
than there are among the stock brokers
and robbers on the London stock eX-
change. Next to Tattersalls, in point of
importance as betting resort, stands
the Victoria club, in Wellington street,
Strand This is again used for no other
purpose besides gambling on horse-rac
ing during the summer, but during the
winter months, when there is no fat
racing to bet upon, and the frost often
interferes with the sports of steeple
chasing and hurdle racing, speculation
also goes on, on the game of billiards.
Although many members of the Vic
toria club also belong to Tattersalls, the
standing of the members is not nearly
Gate. Still none but responsible men
are permitted to become members, but
the professional element here largely
prevails and the upper crust of the turf
is but sparsely represented.
A step lower In the racing world Is
the Albert club, an unpretentious estab
Hshment in court off Fleet street, and
here the more respectable members OF
the smaller fry of professional betters,
with large numbers of business men and
tradesmen, make up the membership.
OF the minor clubs devoted to betting,
perhaps only the Beaufort, in Rathbone
place, is worth naming as really holding
any sort of standing in the racing world.
In addition to the clubs l have men
mentioned, there are possibly 100 rooms
in different parts of London dignltied by
the name of clubs and conducted in such
a manner that, although betting pro-
crosses from midday until midnight
therein, the police have no power t. in
terfere because in a humble way they
are conducted on exactly the same lines
with regard to membership and election
as the first lass clubs at the west end,