National Republican., 1884-04-02
GAMING IN JAcKsoN,s DAYS.
or Woshington's Sporting
Characters in Times Long Gone.
Nc,o York Star

gesture the turn and style of sporting
veteran of the old school. 1t was during
Gen. Jackson's time that the British govern
ment was represented at Washington by q
descendant of Charles James Fox. Mr.. Fox
came to Washington during the first term of
Gen. Jaokson--indecd, think before that.
He was an inveterate gambler. His nights
were spent at faro and ecarte He was
solitary man, entertained but worry little, and
indeed, during the time ho remained at WASH
ington, tho legation was as solitary as him
self. 1t was currently reported that his losses
were heavy aud eventually he was recalled
to save scandal, it was said. He never went
to gambling-house, but Townley, who in
those days was the head of the profession,
used to go to tho legation, aud there spread
his faro and turned his roulette to consider
able profit
"Mr. Fox was, as l said, solitary man,
and his familiar figure on Pennsylvania
avenue, always alone, attracted attention--a
thin, delicate looking man. l don't remem-
Der ever seeing him speak to any one in his
walks. He won't little into society, though
admirably fitted to adorn it by his accom-
plishmonts and talents.
"Townley at that timo was regarded as q
millionaire. His family lived in handsome
STYLE and wero respected by those who came
III COulhCO WIN Lneun. inBre were very lew
turnouts' in Washington in those days. but
the handsomest was Townley's. He was
interested in house opposite Willard's
hotel, but his principal interests were in the
Virginia springs, moro especially in tho
White Sulphur.
"There was always at Washington foreign
game, whore the legations met, and play was
reported as worry heavy. AS j said before,
the gamblers of those days were quiet and
gentlemanly men, and unless you knew they
were professionals you would never recognize
them as such. 1t seems to mo there was no
law against it; surely none was enforced.
One of the heavy winnings that was tra-
ditional in the sporting world at the time
was that made by Col. P, who was sub
sequently tho builder of the capitol Ho was
at the time he made this winning cutting
stone at the arsenal, then being enlarged or
built Ono Saturday evening he came up
town with $40 in his pocket, and found him
self late in the night in faro bank kept by
man named Coolly. He asked friend to
put in with him and he consented, and they
had then 500 capital. With that they broke
the bank, and his friend drew out his share;
but Col. P went from house to houso--two
or three, forget which-and closed them.
His winnings amounted to some 100000 or
$4,000, and was the commencement of tho
large fortune he left at his death some five
years ago.
There was very eccentric man at that
time in the business at Washington-Col.
Jake Dixon. He kept faro bank on Sixth
street, and he was also turtle. having
large stable and training grounds, whereon
ia O beautiful square, embellished with flow
ers and a fountain-Eighth street and New
York avenue-then commons and slashes.
Dixon was wholly uneduoated, but was mar
velously shrewd and gifted with singular
powers of penetration and knowledge of
human nature. His house was great resort.
The race week in Washington was q holiday
week, and Colonel Jake was in his glory He
owned, among other horses, Industry, cele-
brated animal, and trained for all the owners of
that day. The Washington course was cele-
brated before the days of trotting horses.
"Numberless are the stories told on Jake
Dixon. He was a violent whig and hated a
jackson man. One morning he came down
as usual to his rooms. The colored man in
charge, another noted parsonage of that day,
was Charles MARVEL. The hltcNgcncor, by
which Dixon swore but couldn't read, was in
tho hands of Charles. Tho colonel coming
in said: Good morning, Charles! Good
morning colonel! ANY news this morning,
Charles? We'll, colonel, not much, only
they have cut off the head of the king Of the
French it was the abdication Of Charles).
The colonel most sympatheticaly mourns the
death of the French monarch. Poor fellow !!
poor fellow! he murmured as he limped
through the parlors, when sudden thought
came to him. Wheeling, ho says: WAS he q
jackson man, CharlesP Il believe he was.
colonel replied Charles. Served him right,
tho - - - swore the colonel.
ION another occasion the wings had won
some political victories, and he had como to
tho MteiLigencer Office to hear what Joe Gales
had to say Elatod at the news he reached
out, and, hailing friend waiting for him,
shouted: By -, we've got 'em from Spain
to Georgia extent of our political bound
aries in those DAYS. Poor Dixon! He died
long ago, leaving quitea fortune.
"Townley became reduced before his death,
losing andspending large fortune. Another
one of the most noted card players of tho
olden time was Maj. Bayley. He kept no
room for gambling, but was one of a coterie
who followed cards SO constantly as to be re-
ported as professional gamblers. The major
was man Of gentlemanly manners-very,
indeed And he was an oracle in all that
pertains to the table and the field. He was a
stickler for the code in both; and saying on
one occasion that nothing released man from
giving dinner to which he had issued invi-
tations, gentleman present remarked: But,
major he may de- That does not impair
my claim 10 the dinner. His executor must
give it, The ma or and three others of the
same style of old-timo gentlemen had gone
out to Bladensburg, about seven miles from
Washington, to have quiet, undisturbed
game of whist or brag-a great game in those
days, now never played. Poker has absorbed
it.
"Well, after a setting Of nearly three days,
one of tho gentlemen, an early sergeant-at-
arms of the senate, remem bered he had not
told his family of his inten ded absence, and,
feeling they might be uneasy, he suggested
going home. Tho major, in the most indig-
nant tones, and Jumping up from the table,
said: We'll, Mr.. c., I'll be - if will ever
play cards with you again. A man hardly
gets warm in his seat but you break the game
up. Poor old major l can see him now, a
very handsome man, dressing with the elabo-
ration of that day, ruIlled shirt and wrist
bands-dead long years ago, as are all those
knew in that far-away time. There were
many stories of the games INDUCED in by Mr..
Clay and others, but they never TO my knowl-
edge visited regular gambling houses. There
is suit yet pending in tho courts at Wash
amount lost at faro by a Maryland
member of congress. The defenso did not
succeed, | think as the notes were held by
respectable merchant, to whom they had been
passed in regular business. Tho gamblers of
Washington and Baltimore wero, at the time
/ speak OF. an entirely different class of men,
and thoir mode of life was o quiet one
John X. Simpson, of Baltimore was one of
the most gentlemanly men | ever met. He
was an older man than Pendleton, but tho
same style of man. His house was the resort
of the best class who patronizod them, and
he was in all his dealings unoxcoptional
Succeeding these came a younger and more
dashng race of sporting men, and thoy, too,
are gone | 500 one or two when l visit