The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-03-12
THE GAMBLER,
How His Presence in a Community De-
vastates 1t.

vastateS 1t.
The gamblers of New York have led a
precariOus and on the whole a yretcbed
existence for two or three years past.
These places have been raided bv both
the public and private police. and when
ever the attitude of the law is decided
toward them they read the handwriting
on the wall and take holiday. Per-
hap5 the least self-Satisfied countepanaes
to be seen around our hotels and public
resorts are the old gamblers who lone
had complete immunity, and to this daS
preserve little hold on the police and
even the police justices. Cases are NOT
infrequent of gamblers sitting on our
minor benches or being clerks of the
courts. Hence 4 certain latent sym
pathv IN the prosecution Of these men
and even on their being surprised. The
best thing the gambler can do to satisfy
himself IS to get out of the business al
together. The Occasional funds of
money he raises by his dangerous and
outlawed trade hardly ever Stav bv him.
and good deal of it goes to the police
and lawyers and other arasiteS who
hold vice to be their naturSl banker and
side patron. Our hotels sre also often
indifferent to the presence. of the Gam
bling community right ;mong their
guests. and it seems to me to be n Door
thing to do with a guest no comes to
town with money which he might other
wise spend in the proper Office of hospi-
tally. to allow him to be tlkcn in hand
h. Z, L.
to some place in the uei@hborhood
where he can be picked c.can and has
to draw his cheek. more o.. less uncer-
tain, to pay his bill and get speedily out
of town.
sufficient number of gamblers VIII
dcvastate any territory or the globe.
Long Island CITY, though / is the can
itai of a county and with the seat of
justice, has been kept bqck notwith-
standing long-wtted men Ike Eliphalet
Mott thought it had such admirable op-
portuaitics that Il half Z century AFRO or
more they made investments there for
the benefit of Union COlle,e and other
trusts. The gamblers fond it Il con-
venient spot to halt betwe,n the rows
of tracks ana the city. nd in Il littIc
while the whole city goI crnment be-
came the creature of gaml lers. DEAL
cations began. violence vas not I'M
common, and the tone OF that suburb
began TO grow lower. Th IRE IS hardly
an old racing-track on Lolg Island or
in the general vicinity o. New York
which has not collapsed and lett behind
it 4 long pile of old bJard fences and
some Old hotel over which fate and
ghosts seem to hover L'hcre are at
least two such courses on Long Island.
and in every old CITY their yesti~es are to
be seen; and the Elysian Fields in Uo-
bOken seem never TO have recovered
from the gamblers visitation there half
a century ago. In truth. there can be
no occupation SO unworthy of right
thinking man as TO live by temptation
and advantage, refusing work, being in
perpetual watch for men of means or
youths with legacieS or prospects. and
thus corrupting at the fountains OF
society lives meant to be fully lived out
with credit and composure. \ man
who expects to play this kind of Il game
and be Il permanently happy man is
fortifying his wretched conscience with
apparent examples in regular life which
he will find on investigation he has
never understood y. Tribune.