The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-05-01
A SQUARE" GAMBLER.
WHAT HE SAYS IN vINDIcATIoN OF
HIS PROFESSION.
A Man OF Strictly Temperate Principles
Gamblers Who Are Downright
Thieves Comparison with
Stock Brokers.
Isan Francisco Call Interview

fSan Francisco Call Interview
This professional gambler was a man whose
magnificent physique, pleasant expression
and healthy complexion would attract at
tention where average men would pass I'M
noticed After the usual idiotic remarks
upon the weather, etc, the reporter ex-
planned his mission, and asked the card
champion whether he would smoke or drink,
or do both.
mo, thank you" was the unexpected re-
ply. II have not smoked for years and
have never taken an alcoholic drink In my
life. My weakness is milk, and will join
you in glass Of that, IL you don't object to
such mild tipple"
"Ah, that explains what have been puz-
cling over; your clear eyes and healthy skin,
mean. One scarcely expects 10 find such
features in a man who lives in the excite
ment and keeps the late hours that you must
do by the way, what are the gambling
hours in San Francisco"
From 10 a. IN. till 2. a. m, and these six
teen hours are divided into watches, as on
shipboard That Is to say, there are two
regular dealers in each house, who ere each
on deck eight hours a day, in four-hour
watches"
"If the question strikes you as being rude,
will apologize and pass it, but l would
really like TO know whether you regard your
business as one 10 bs proud OF, or other
wiser
A slight flush passed across the forehead
OF the gambler, and he hesitated a moment
before saying: at isn't exactly profession
that one feels like Boosting about, and still
Il Is by no means as bad as the religious
people seem to think. These last are always
confusing professional gamblers with pro-
fessional thieves which proves that the re-
Hgious people are unchristian and ignorant
There are certain card men and bunko
men, and men that work other sure things,
who call themselves and are called by the
public gamblers, but who are absolutely
nothing but thieves, and who can not asso-
ciate with the real gamblers, and are not
allowed TO enter square gambling-house.
We regulars only apply the name Of gam
bier to a man who sticks strictly TO the
legitimate chances Of the game, and ex-
perience proves that such a person is, III any
thing, more honest in ali his business
affairs than the average man who
moves In the highest social circles. A
game that starts with decent capital
and that Is honestly dealt Is sure to win in
the long run, and therefore 1t doesn't pay to
cheat, for you'll only spoil your market. II
kufuo Al ohSo EuoIVSooat eho1 ~ tao os@ ~
It's business, and square dealers have this
fact &c rubbed into them from the start that
they nsver lose sight of it. II you find that a
merchant gives you short weight you'll ne
patronize his establishment any more, and
just so with those Of the public who are fond
Of gaming. An individual having run Of
luck, win win from the bank, but as the
stakes are limited, and as the dealer is al
most always backed by a much larger capt.
tai than that held by any one Of the players,
and as the latter have TO do the guessing,
the odds In the game are In favor Of the
bank, and when it loses TO one it will win
from several Others
people will gamble, in some shape or
other, for the desire TO get money without
actually working for ii, and blind trust In
luck, are an invariable inheritance OF the
human race Circumstances made me q
professional gambler in my early youth, and
I would find IL almost impossible to do any
thing or TO get anything to do In any other
business, and SO stick TO the trade that has
given me and mine livelihood for so many
years. ! never deal brace nor cheat man
at short cards, and cannot only say that
am honest, but can defy any man to dis
cover even rumor Of my being dishonest
Your stock brokers deal In larger sums, and
are therefore courted by society, but there
are a very few among US regular gamblers
whose honesty will not stand In favorable
contrast with that Of a Gould, a Keene or q
Willard"
"May ask" said the journalist, chow IT
happens that you are so much better edu-
Gated than the majority Of your craftr
VI am not better educated than good
many of them and am wofully ignorant on
q great many topics, but am what is called
the black sheep Of respectable family, had
the luck Of good schooling in my youth, and
have been more or less fond Of reading ever
since.
II was ON the Comstock for a good many
years, and was there during the booming
times aft.r Crown Pint ami Belcher began
TO pour out wealth lr, III tneir lower levels
Every human being in that region took TO
gambling in one or more forms; the women
and even the children going In for stocks,
while the men used TO fill In all their spare
time with faro and poker. The same spirit
exists there yet, but the capital Is gone, and
only small risks can be taken instead Of
heavy onts In the flush days on the Com.
stock money was 30 plenty that people could
not believe dull time would ever come, and
IL they lost everything to-day were COM
forted by the thought that they would have
plenty OF chances to make a raise tomorrow.
Card gambling was the humor Of the hour,
and every man INDUCED in it, from the
Judge and the banker to the man who drove
. drilf In the mines. The most plentiful com
modify seemed to be coin, and $50 piece
then was thought to be scarcely more worth
keeping than q two-bit piece nowadays.
For years the pay-rolls Of the mines along
that lode ran from 100000 to 5000, 200 q
month, and faro banks ran twenty-five hours
out of the twenty -four. As a protection to
the banks the bets were usually limited to
SIS, but when man planked down capital
enough we would sometimes take the bride
OH, and have turned the cards for as high
a limit as $780, A crooked game couldn't
last there week, and the result was that
the gamblers all played dead ON the square;
while the hogging men might catch q fat
now and then, but shortly after such psr-
Torrance would find IL beneficial TO skip the