Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-08
FEMALESP00R GAMBLERS
a GOTHAM CROOK EXCITED
OVER FAIRY TALES.

All the stories A bout Dives for Womer
Declared Mere Nonsense-Fsmoussa Say
lns ofthe Vanderbilts-COl. Tom OchtI
tree no Longer a Resident of tho Cow
boy State.
NEW YORK, Aug. IA man OF delicate
physique, pallid face ornamented by a long
silky moustache, and eyes that were
deep-set, leaden and lifeless, leaned
against the Gilsey House railing last
sigbt and talked about the various forms
Of gambling in New York. He was clad
In the most fashionable attire, and alb
sently dropped the ashes OF his cigar on
the sidewalk between the narrow tips OF
bis vanished boots as he ramoled on.
"Why don't the papers occasionally
Tell the truth about gambling herep he
asked, querulously.
He has the nervous manner OF an ha-
bitual invalid, and he acknowledged the
salutations of passing acquaintances
with quick, short mods, but without the
slightest variation in the stolid expression
of the face. He is easily at the head OF
the gambling fraternity of New York,
and is recognized as leader by nearly
ali the army of men here who make their
living 10y taking chances.
"Whenever pick up paper" he went
On, "something of transparently
tdiotic nature about the playing in New
York meets my eye. For instance: This
morning about when it was so close tnat
going to bed was out of the question, one
bf my dealers handed me a big Western
paper with three columns of stuff about
the female gambling bellies of New
York. 1t is paper that is known every
where in this country, and have no doubt
the men connected with it are nv enough,
but they print all that rot without chang
Ing hair. Three of the female gambling
places are described with tie greatest de-
tail. The most magnificent of them is
presided over by maJestic-looking
woman with great black eyes, snowy hair
ana all that. Uniformed servants who
etep softly and are all agility and deft-
ness, carry wine and Turkish cigarettes
around, and the chips and layout are
something wonderfully fine. The front Of
the house is brown stone, and 1t is in
Size and appointments a veritable palace.
The bellies in New York are supposed to
60 there and gamble in thousands. They
are all desperate players and the wine and
excitement of nigh play lead to many Gu
rious and high-spirited encounters. An
Dther place is described as connecting
with a prominent dry goods establish
ment, so that ladies shopping may slip
hnobserved through door and try their
luck on the spin OF the wheel or the turn
of card. What Internal rot all this is"
said the gambler, savagely.
His eye had lighted up, and he was
waving his hands eXcltedly. The face
that looked like stone over a card table,
no matter what amount of money was in
yOlved, grew flushed in the heat of his
uncalled-fOr Indignation. 1t was at an
hour that is peculiarly hushed during
in New York. Everything
but toe iangling horse cars come TO a
stop just before 7, and ali New York
dimes till just before 4. Then cabs
filed with theatre goers begin to rattle
by, and the uproar starts and does not
cease till dinner time the following day.
1t was so quiet there on upper Broadway
that the gamblers shrill and complaining
voice could be heard halfway to Fifth
avenue.
''Say, do know me biz or don't L ?'' he
asked, falling into his natural Fourth
ward slang information. "DO l know it,
tell me that?"
"Of course you do"
"Well, then, there amt a woman In
New York that kin run a gamblin' place
or handle card or plant chip. AS for
there bein' any female gamblin' places,
why it's too sickly lie to need contra.
dicti0n, an Pm an ass TO stand here
about it,"
He passed his handkerchief lightly
across his brow, and resumed in his
more punctilious manner-it was a WON
derful change:
sit only needs moments thought to
convince anyone that such places as are
described could not exist for many rea-
sons. Poor women couldn't visit them
and rich women wouldn't. Society peo-
pie gepall the card playing they want in
their own drawing rooms. There are not
only no professional places for women,
but there are also no women, professional
or amateur, who can play for a cent. 1
have never yet run across woman poker
player who amounted to a snap OF the
finger.
"There are no end OF deceptive stories
about this business. Take the limit OF
poker games as an instance. TIE play
ing in my place is as high as anywhere,
and l don't see $50 limit game in an
age. Five dollars limit is considered
spirited enough. Then as to the sums
lost, why, men don't go into games and
drop their thousands every night. Play
ers who win or lose $50 or 500 attract a
little attention, loss of $500 is spoken of,
duu scuSdblOu ls Created DY Inc man
who takes out or plays in thousand. And
yet you would think that the gilded youth
of New York thought nothing of dropping
into place and blowing in $40, 900 or $l5,-
600 just before going to bed every night.
As Tor the players, they are not stage
gamblers in evening dress and waxed
by any means. Among the
men around my table last night were a
Wholesale butcher, two saloon men. the
of a down town hotel, a real es-
tate lawer of some prominence and the
European buyer of a New York dry goods
house. They were most Of them bearded.
heavy and thick-set men, with no preien.
slons to style or dash. No one of them
Ost or won individually more than 5000.
The imagination OF the papers, you see,
las doomed the gambling business until
I is generally supposed TO be much more
gorgeous and joyful sort of a snap than
IL really is. I'd write history OF gam
bling in New York If had time, but then
IL wouldn't sell, for the actual facts are
as stupid. penurious ana commonplace
RS the facts about the retail grocery bust
ness"
He nodded sagely, lighted a fresh cigar
and drifted down Broadway.
AMOS j. CUMMINGS.
Ii.
AS books on the Vanderbllts continue