The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-07
FARO.
Something About the Early History of the
Gane-Its Career in New York.

Gsme-Its Career in New York.
New York Commercial Advertiser.
'Have you any idea by whom or when the
game of faro was invented" asked a reporter for
the Commercial Advertiser, q few days ago,
while talking with Charles Dunn, the well known
gambler. The question was asked in the course
of a conversation abOut gaming in general, and
particularly about the prevalence of 1t in the
city. Dunn had previously said that there was
more gambling going on at present, within the
precincts of the devoted city, than at any other
time in its history.
We'll, that is question" replied Dunn, cross
ing his legs with a grunt of supreme comfort,
and lighting another cigar. Faro my boy, dates
back to the inventors of almost all the games
that require thought 1t was invented, l have
heard, by the Pharaohs, after they had got tired
of playing chess and backgammon, and all the
other innocent little games which brought them
so much enjoyment. But the new invention
was the ruination of the Pharaohs, for they
gambed so much that finally the shepherd
kings went for them and pulverized them, as we
say nova days; so faro was temporarily forgot
ten, The Ptolemys revived it, and then it
crossed over into Italy. where Mosaics in the
ruins of Pompeii have been found representing
two players deeply absorbed in the primitive
game. No, I'm not joking. never joke about
any such serious matter as faro. But, honestly,
no one knows when the game was really invent
ed. 1t was one of these things which partook
of the nature of TOpsy, and Simply Crowd
1.-The earliest record we have of the game is in
considerable popularity in Italy and France. 1
am inclined to believe that it is of Italian origin.
From the Italian we get the parlee, which is
used in the game now, and means to let the stake
lie and double. The Italian original is paroli.
70 make paroli, as it was originally called,
player was required to bend one corner of the
preferred card over. 1t always his right to
withdraw bet after the time when he had won
his first stake, but previously to that he had to
let his money remain. AT that time there were
no lay-outs.' Every player had his own pack
and made his bets on tho cards that he him
self turned. When he he simply showed
his card to the dealer and he was
paid. A century ago no box was used The
dealer dealt out his hands, and so great
chance of showing most of the cards. The box
is great protection against the inquisitive, and
it is really the only protection the player has
against any possible manipulation on the part of
the dealer. If faro was dealt out OF hand as it
was in former times, there would be decided
number of shootings in this poce-ridden city.
tit is hard to say when faro was introduced into
this country The probabilities are that it was
played in England long before any one ever
dreamed of colonizing the new world We know
that it was played in Virginia long before the
Revolution. The old planters were not chary
about betting their slaves on the turn of "a card,
and had none of the Puritan narrow mindeduess
which kept faro out of New England. The game
was played at that time without box, the play
ers chose their cards from their own decks, and
had ample opportunity to manipulate 1t as they
pleased. They got no benefit from a split-that
is, when two cards of a like denomination are
turned up and the stakes are equally divided be-
tween the player and the bank. They didn't
even have the advantage of a cue box to check
off the cards that had been dealt OF course,
there was rash betting in consequence, and ma
nipulation was common on the part of the bank
and of the player, and you may be sure both
took advantage of their chances to the best of
their ability"
Have there been any recent changes in the
gamep
81 should think so. And they all have had a
tendency to make the game much fairer than it
was originally. Thirty years ago L remember
that it was the rule that if a man put bet down
on the table he was compelled to leave it there
until he had lost or won its equivalent. Now he
is able to change his bets as many times as he
chooses. AT that time there wasn't any such
thing as copper now man can copper the ace
and bet that it will lose and still win on losing
card Then there is considerable difference in
the way faro is played in the West If
puts his chips at the corner of the king heading
to the duee, in this city, the bet takes in the
king and the duce only; but out West
such bet would mean the king, queen
ace and duce. Checks have only been
used during the last fifty years
Previous to the ivory disks which represent so
much money, coin was used, and oftentimes the
faro table would be strewn with gold and silver
as the game went on. The first time faro was
played publicly in New FORK was i'll 1927. 1t
increased to an alarming extent until 1884 be-
fore the great fire, when that ala,nty left the
city almost without money. The distress of the
following two or three years almost killed the
game, but as business revived and money again
became became plenty, faro arose from the
ashes asst were and resumed its sway In about
1910 the Legislature passed a bill declaring faro
to be illegal gambling, and thenceforth when
ever man wanted to buck the tigar' he had to
do it on the sly. Virginia took action forbiddng
the game in the last century In 1850 she passed
a law requiring the subjects of the King to re-
frain from playing the game of faro The pen
alties for breaking this old law very severe,
including heavy fines and a long term OF impris