The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-10-01

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free trade were established throughout
its vast area and positive laws were laid
down to determine the future acquisi-
ton Of land or the African continent.
The first great step was taken to bring
the dark continent within the orbit of
civ;lization.-M. Y. Times.
SURE-THING GAMES.
How tive Gambling Fraternity Fleece In
nocents DESTROYS of Acquiring Wealth.
The devices by which the unsuspecting
are coaxed into parting with their coin
for the benefit of a few sharpers are SO
that it rarely happens that the
honest farmer or laborer upon whom
the gamblers decide to work aver parts
with their company without relinquish-
ing %two-thirds of his wealth. The nine
or ten-die case, coffee pot, chuck-aluck.
spindle-wheel, high-for-luck and a score
of others known as .'sure-thing games"
are utilized. They are apparently honest
games, where the player. if anything,
has more than an wen chance to win;
but in reality they are ''sure things"
where the player a not possibly do
anything but lose.
The cease" which is first on the list,
derives its name from the fact that it is
a glass showcase about three feet long
and two feet wide, with a depth of a
few inches. In it money prizes from
one dollar up to 5000, and sometimes
more, are stacked. and numbered from
No. 9 to No. 81. There are as many
blanks as there are winning numbers.
The highest prizes, however, are each
ticketed with one of the extreme num-
bers. The other prizes grow smaller as
they are marked with other numbers
running toward the twenties. From
No. 20 to Nos. 50, SO, and "a
there are no prizes, but the
blanks are distributed throughout the
case among the winning numbers in
such manner that the ordinary player
does not notice this fact. The game
keeper, two or three boosters" and a
dice-box containing nine dice complete
the running machinery of the game.
The ''sucker," as the innocent is termed,
| either drops in or is steered to see the
game. The keeper explains to him that
there are are as many winning as los
ing numbers, and the prizes u from
81 to 5000. By the payment of a half
dollar you are entitled to one shake out
of the box and to the prize that your
shake calls for. Shake nine aces or
nine skies, and you will win 5000" The
sucker hesitates to begin, not know
ing exactly how the game is conducted,
and it is at that moment that the ''boos-
tersn come into play. The dealer ex.
plains than any-number of players can
come in the game, and that each will be
paid the prize the shake calls for. One
of the boosters has this explained to
him as though he had not thoroughly
understood what had been said. Then
the force of boosters each invest fifty
cents. Anybody in the crowd of spec.
tators shakes out the dice, and the game
keeper counts each dice as he remove:
it from among the others-':3, 6 and ;
are IA, 10, %" and SO on finally an
nouncing the aggregate of all the dice,
That number is looked for in the case
and generally is a blank. The "boost
ers" continue investing. losing probabl.
three or four times, when one probabl,
invites the ''sucker," if he has not We
invested, to throw the dice. '.just fol
luck" The innocent is prevailed upor
to do the shaking for the crowd, ant
the game-keeper counts again, this tim
more rapidly, and in such q name
that he makes the total reach a prize
winning number. 1t is announced, an
all eyes are directed to the case to dis
cover it. The boosters" and game
keeper. however, refrain from an
nouncing that they have found tn
} winning number, and the intended
victim. whose interest is enlisted, is lei
to point out its location. When it
, found the prize is paid to each player
: and some one who is profuse in hi
l thanks t 0 the innocent for his luck,
r shake puts in an extra half-dollar TO
r his new friend. telling him to shake thi
: time for himself.
: The other "boosters" also tax
: another chance, and the sucker
; shakes out the dice. They are counte
rapidly, and the totals announced as
. conditional blank"
: What is thatp" is asked.
Gentlemen. there are fourteen col
( ditional numbers in the case" explain
: the game-keeper. ''Should you at an
: time throw one of these numbers yo
4 do not lose your money, but are entitle
to double your stake, and then shoul
e you throw a lucky number 1 will hay
to pay you as many times the amour
+ of the prize as you have invested hal
dollars" This strikes the innocent s
a very fair proposition, and he does n
consider where it will lead him to unit
: too late to save himself. Conditions
numbers are thrown repeatedly. an
< the stranger to save his stakes. keel
doubling his investment, which in
short time reaches the size of his purs
Sometimes the victim. becoming frigh
ened, decides to withdraw from II
e game, but he is told that he will TO
i felt his money by doing c. 1t is ais
: explained that should conditional nun
bers be shaken out a certain number
e times more, the player will be entitle
to the return of all his coin, less a hal
dollar, which the game takes as its pc
: centage. The ~game-keeper general
IS limits the number of conditional nun
beers to be shaken to arrive at this resu
s according to about what amount
IS believes the victim has in his posse
" sion. To coax the victim on Il
boosters tell him that he can not lose.
IS that all his money will be returned
'e him, and that. should he shake a wi
ming number, he will get as many tim
If the prize as he has invested half-dolla1
D. In the hope of getting back his co
the unfortunate man again risks
s money, which, by being doubled +
N peatedly, reaches probably into Il
" hundreds. About the time when {
5. his money is up the game keeper tel
m him: Nov, sir. you understand tn
IS there are two blank numbers upt
r which, should you be unfortuna
enough to fall. you will lose your emit
of stake" The player, frightened he
n out of his wits at his recklessne;
IN shakes the Ice. and they are count,
It. by the game keeper. A ''boostel
" picks up the dice as they are countt
81 and pushed away, and the total is a
tn nounced. being reached so rapidly tn
D. no one has had time to verify how &C