Bismarck weekly tribune., 1888-12-07

tfaue, duu CONSIDER Cfe cneaLln& necessary
part of it.
But about my Investigations into the
gamblers tricks Yes, ! was coming to that;
only give me time. concluded that the
only way, was to get on the INSIDE as it
were, and began to cultivate the acquaint-
ance of man who had run a game at one
time, but was then taking a rest. He knew
that ] had gambled considerably, for had
lost many dollars at his place, and when I in
timated to him that wanted to purchase an
outfit and start house on my own account,
he said he was just the man to put me through
q place where all kinds Of gambling para
phernalia, and especially those for sure
things or trick games, were manufactured.
Imade an engagement with him and met
him a week later. After cautioning me to
be very careful, he took me to the top floor
of a large building, where we found an ex-
tensive manufacturing establishment, and
introduced me to the man in charge In this
room were countless numbers of chips, cards,
deal boxes, faro and roulette layouts, red
and black, hazard, sweat, keno and all con-
ceivable kinds of gambling devices The
room was large, and everywhere the eye
wandered 1t rested upon gambling imple-
ments of some kind.
THE DOUBLE DEAL BOX.
"The man handed me price list of ar
ticles and then showed me his trick faro deal
boxes, made Of German silver. He also
showed me an article by which the cards
were cut for the box, and then putting the
cards in the box, showed me how, as the
cards were cut in certain way, the dealer
could always tell the next card to the one on
top. He then showed me what they call the
double deal box-that is, q box out of which
two cards instead of one can be taken at
once, and the players cannot discover the
trick. These are what are called sanded
cards, and stick together, requiring certain
amount of pressure to force them apart. He
also showed me circular containing fac
:simile Of the backs of eight different sets of
marked cards, which he said were new de-
signs. These were about No. 20 on the list,
showing that they manufactured that num-
Der Of differently marked packs of cards.
For these new designs he asked $1.5O pack
He then gave me an estimate of what a faro
lay out would cost, and figured it up to about
ninety-one dollars.
Talking in a general way, he said the
business was worth $4,000 year, as they
dealt with parties all over the country and in
Europe, but they did not want it known that
they manufactured implements for cheating
or trick games. They did their business en-
tirely through the mail, and no one, as rule,
was permitted in the room Ny friend, the
ex-dealer, said that the proprietor Travelled,
selling the gambling devices in the west and
southwest, and disposed Of great many.
"He then explained the trick cards to me
and showed how man could always win
with them In "a game, when it was his deal
or edge he could tell the next card that was
going to be dealt, and could have thus virtu-
ally SIX cards to the other players five. One
Of the packs, upon which he particularly
prided himself as beyond detection, was a
card marked with avery fine brush. bought
this pack and showed the cards to number
Of persons, who declared the marks to be be-
yond detection by any one not acquainted
with them. The ink used for marking was
such that it could not spoil the glaze on the
cards, and the marks consisted of few more
veins in one leaf than in another, and in the
bunch OF leaves was combination. The in
itiated gambler could read this combination
across q wide table and tell the cards his ad-
versary held in his hand
THE 'scoAT HOLD OUT"
"The device which was next shown me was
declared to be the perfection and acme Of all
devices. He called it coat hold out It is
Q contrivance BY which, in a game Of poker,
from one to three cards can be held up the
sleeve until they can be used to advantage.
This clamp or spring In the sleeve is worked
from the knees While the knees are kept
pressed together the cards are held, and when
the knees are separated the cards drop down
in the hand for use To accomplish this trick
without the possibility Of detection it is well
to wear large cuffs, that can be Sid down
partially over the hand to cover the cards
falling down from the sleeve. For this con-
trivance he wanted $50. He also informed
me that he had ring hold out and a vest
hold out, but these ] did not see. Then he
I showed me what hecalled reaectors, which
Z consisted Of mirrors set in silver dollars and
!, hfty-cent pieces, and by a dexterous and
4 proper use Of them the skin gambler can tell
I the cards held BY the other players. For
these he wanted go apiece. Many other de-
\ vices for the use Of the skin gambler In
swindling his victims were shown me, and I
thought that twas little wonder that / had
lost SO much when ] was oneof these victims
.I promised to decide in few days upon
I the articles would purchase and left the
place. It is unnecessary to state that I did
not go back again. With the pointers had
gained it was comparatively easy for me to
\ detect the use Of the swindling devices in the
many gamessI visited for some time after
that found some Of the tricks at every
place, and was not long in, coming to thecon-
clusion that all gambling was more or less
crooked and much Of it more. did not give
mp gambling for some time, however, for
wanted to be sure Of ii and associated with
many professional caad sharps when out on
trips to observe their tricks All appeared
( gentlemanly and obliging that is, those I
\ went with, but it seemed impossible for them
i to help cheating when they had the cards IN
their hands @i.l
Did ever see the marked cards used out
side Of regular gambling housesi I should
say have Many times IN private parties
have ! seen an otherwise reputable man
+ swindling his friends With them = Philadal.
phis Bulletin.