St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-19
THE GAMBLER.
The Devastation he has Created in Neac
York.

York.
From the New York Tribune.
The gam blers of New York have led pre-
carious, and on the whole wretchcd, exist
ence for two or three years past. Their
places have been raided by both the public
and private police, and whenever the atti-
tude of the law is decided toward them they
read the handwriting on the wall and take
holiday. Perhaps the least satisfied coun-
tenances to be seen around our hotels and
public resorts are the old gamblers, who long
had complete immunity, and to this day pre-
serve little hold on the police and even the
police justices. Cases are not iDfrequent
of gam blers sitting on our minor benches or
being clerks of the courts. Hence u GER
tain latent sympathy in the prosecution OF
these men, and even on their being sur
prised. The best thing the gambler eau do
to satisfy himself is to get out of the bust
ness altogether. The occasional funds Of
money he raises by his dangerous and out
lawed trade hardly ever stay by him, and a
good deal of it goes to the police aud the
lawyers and other parasites who hold vice to
be their natural banker and side patron. Our
the gam bling community right among their
guests, and 1t seems to me to be poor thing
TO do with guest who comes to town with
money which he might otherwise spend in
the proper Office OF hospitality to allow him 10
be taken in hand by some gamblers roper
in and escorted to some place in the neigh
! borhood where he can be picked clean and
has to draw his check, more or less uncer-
tain, to pay his bill and get speedily out Of
town.
A sufficient number Of gamblers will de-
vastate any territory on the globe. Long
Island City, though it is the capital Of
county and with the seat Of justice. has been
kept back Notwithstanding long-witted men
like Eliphalet Mott thought 1t had such adj
mrable opportunities that half century or
more ago they made investments there for
the benefit Of Union college and other trusts.
The gamblers found 1t convenient spot TO
halt between the rows Of tracks and the city,
aud in a little while the whole city govern
ment became the creature Of gamblers. De-
falcatioUs began, violence was not uncoul-
mon aud the tone Of that suburb began to
grow lower There ia hardly au old racing
track on Long Island or in the general
vicinity Of New York which has not collapsed
and left behind it long pile Of old board
fences and some old hotel over which fate
and ghosts seem TO hover. There are ut
least two such courses on Long Island, and
in every old city their vestlges are to be seen;
and the Elysian fields in Hoboken seem
never 10 have recovered from the gamblers
visitation there half a century ago. In truth
there can be no occupation 50 unworthy Of a
right-thinking man as to live By temptation
and advantage, refusing work; being il per-
petual watch for men Of means or youths
with legacies or prospects, and thus corrupt
ing at the fountains Of society lives meant
TO be fully lived out with credit and com
posure. A man who expects 10 play tbia
kind Of game and ne permanently happy
man is terrifying his wretched conscience
with apparent exam pies in regular life which
be viii find On investigation be has never
understood.