Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-07
sUiCIDEs OF GAMEsTERs.
Notable EpGIishmcn VINO Have Bean
DrIyen 10 Death by losses at Play.


London Telegraph
II is many years since the dreadful
words, "Suicide of an aristocratic gam
bier D." have met the eyes Of English
men in connection with tragedy of
which one of their own conpatriots was
the victim. Rarely, indeed, does such
q case as that Of Prince Melissano, who
destroyed himself in Paris on Tuesday
last, occur in this country. If, as
Froissart pronounced of our forefathers,
it be true that, as nation, "we take our
pleasures sadly" not less accurate is
the description given of our young pa
tricians bv the author of "Guy Living
stone,' when he said that they take
their punishment, whether it be applied
in the huntiDg-feld, at the gaming
table, or upon the race-coursc, With
stoicism and seeming philosophy which
are exhibited by no other class upon
earth. 1.-The town that is to say,
the manifold vices Of which urban life
in an Old and wealthy country where
civilization and luxury have attained
very high level is the parent-can show
its annual crop Of wrecked victims in
untailing abundance ; but they fade
away in the vast maOrity Of cases from
the front without shocking the nerves
or narrowing the feelings of those who
survive them IN the arduous race. The
colonies, or the south OF France, or
the vast continent Of North America,
or the mountains Of Syria and of
Sweden, where it is said that family
csn live in responsibility upon the mo.
dicum Of Gl00 a year, absorb the
IL lame ducks" whose history the once
famous wit, George Selwyn, proposed
but never had energy to write under
the title Of Chase aux Canards Boz
teaux." There is a book written by
an English visitor to Australia, who
records that in the days Of the gold
mania three weary trsmps were wsnd-
ing their way to the Bsllarst digging5.
BY chance the first sat down under a
spreading gum-tree to take shelter for
while from the beams Of the scOrch-
ing sun. AS he rested 10 was joined
by a comrade in misfortune, aud ere
they bad chatted for many inmates the
third wsyfarer hove in sight and took
his place by the side Of lis two ragged
predecessors. Surveying the sccne, one
Of the three, speaking aloud in that
sort of soliloquy which is known as
stage whisper, quoted line from Ho-
race, which his companions overheard.
The second Immediately finished the
stanza, and the third completed the
ode. Upon comparing notes they found
that, although they had not a boot
among them, they were all university
men, and had ruined themselves in each
case by some kind Of gambling-that
faint which, according 70 Mr. An
drew Steinmetz, is found in the blood
of every child, male or female, that is
born upon earth. In all probability
had the three wandering exiles been
Frencbmen, Spaniards, or italians, they
would, upon coming to the bottom of
the till, have found what they deem;d
their euthenasia IN friendly bullet.
In the tell.tale pages of Mr.. Raikes's
" Journal" published in 1857, there
is the record of three English suicides
occasioned by loss of fortune at play.
The first is the most bizarre Of the
three, as itrecites that " Prince Booth
by" formerly great friend of the
prince regent, made away with himself
because he was tired OF dressing and
undressing. Other men Of higher a.
tainments and character, and notably
De Quincy and Thackeray, found
shaving every morning to DO such
nuisance that the former gave il up aud
allowed his beard to grow, wbils the
latter made himself and his friends
miserable by his repinings over the
daily infection. In Prince Booth.
by's" case, however, ruined circum.
stances explained his self.destruction.
The second Of Mr.. Raikes's suicides is
still remembered by many who were
young men when Lord jerseys bay,
Middleton, won the Derby, just half
century since. Tho race says Mr..
Raikes, "hAs caused melancholy ca
tsstrophe. Ny old friend, Burksley
Craven, having lost sum SO much be-
yond his means Of acquittipg it that, in
1T OF desperation. be shot himself
through the head on tho following
J morning. Thus has our intimacy oil