The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-23
GAMBLING AT SARATOGA.
A Negro and an Indian Who Manage
Large Hotels Successfully

come 10 saratoga Win q va 'V'JJ VI ODJSCO'
in view. Some come for business, others
for pleasure. Those here for business are
the proprietors of the large ard small no.
tells, the keepers of stores in the hotel
buildings, the gamblers, horsemen, bunco
sharps, pick-pJ ckets and ordinary thieves.
The respectable gamblers are permitted
to remain in this village and attend to their
business. The bunco men, pick pockets aud
ordinary thieves do not tarry long. AS
general thing they fiud their occupations
gone with a SuddenneSs that is surprising
to them. The large hotels have in their
employ men who are well acquainted with
these robbers They are quickly com
planned of to the police and seat adrltt,
The respectable gamblers are so ord rly
that the religious visitors to Saratoga
would never believe for a moment that
there is anything like gambling going on
here.
The popular gambling resort is known as
the Saratoga club house, and is probably the
finest institution of its kind in this country.
1t is a large and spacious building, elegantly
furnished and has beautiful grounds an
army of servants and one of the finest din
ing halls in Saratoga, and that is saying
great deal. The gambling hall itself is, of
course, the most elaborate feature OF the
building.
The property is owned by Albert Spencer,
who looks more like retired merchant with
fixed religious views than anything else.
He bears striking resemblance to Gen.
Grant when the latter was strong and
healthy, and has some of the manners OF
that great warrior. He is quiet and soci-
able, but never bombastic and coarse. he
has been used to good things all his life and
believes THAT everybody should llye as he
does.
No;+bor nol,oo,ioc,e +bo uoH,,ar bO,,ca
Hotel Brunswick nor any of the most fash
Ionably clubs or hotels of New York have
anything like the silver and china ware that
he displays in his dining room. 1t was all
made expressly for him and is Of the highest
order of workmanship.
From pretty little pond on the grounds
tiny trout are scooped up and served on
solid silver trays. The men who visit this
club house can we'll afford to pay for all
they get and leave few thousand dollars
behind them as memento of their visit
1t is not a resort for dry goods clerks and
men who wager IS on the races. 1t is
frequented by millionalres as well as men
who have only paltry 100000 a year in
come.
The servants are quiet and discreet colored
men who take good care not to let strangers
enter the club house, and the gentlemen
who preside at the various tables in the
large gambling hall are among the hand
soonest and most expert in their line of bust
ness in the country.
Ladies frequently visit the club house and
dine there, but are not permitted the privi-
lege of entering the gambling hall and thus
are debarred from seeing their husbands
and Sweethearts losing large sums of money
on the turn of card.
Mr.. Spencer has made the race track
property the best in America. The races
will begin on the oath inst. and continue I'M
til Aug. 80 The first race of the day is at
II 80 in the morning and the last race is
finished at 2:30 in the afternoon, giving Wis
itors ample opportunity to go to their hO-
tells and eat dinner.
The ladies are, of course, the majority of
persons on the grand stand, and some of the
finest equipages in the United States are
seen standing in the field while the races are
in progress.
OF course everybody goes to Saratoga
lake and stops at the famous Moons hotel
This hotel stands on the crest of a hill over
looking the lake, and there are be .uti-
full little pagodas all over the grounds
where ladies and gentlemen may drink
champagne and eat Saratoga chips. There
are steamboats,, rowbOatS and yachts enough
for everybody.
Hiram S. Thomas, the handsome colored
man who was formerly the head waiter of the
Grand Union, is now proprietor Of this ho-
tel and has considerably improved this place
in every way. Mr. Thomas is known to
thousands of persons from Maine to Cali
fornia, and from Chicago to New Orleans
He is man of education and has a fine
family. All of his sons, with the exception
Of one who is mere boy, have been edu-
Gated at college and have great futures be-
fore them.
James Riley, the famous oarsmen, is the
proprietor of smaller hotel within a short
distance from Moons, and about four miles
further down the lake is the White Sulphur
Springs Park hotel, whse there is an op-
portunity for bathing and splendid chance
for fishing.
There is another famous resort where such
men as the late President Arthur, Cen
Grant and many governors and United
States senators have eaten fish and game,
and is known as George Crum's Mr.
Crum is an Indian, and is the happy pos
SCISSOR of two wives who, it is strange to
say, live in perfect harmony and accord
Though there is supposed to be law against
bigamy in the state of New York it does
not seem to apply to Indians, and everybody
considers that Mr.. Crum is entitled to as
many wives as he desires.
There are a number of splendid parks in
Saratoga The first and most aristocratic is
that owned by eX-Judge Henry Hilton and
is known as Woodlawn. Judge Hilton has
a cas- lie for himself and castles for his sons
and daughters in this park. There are
thirtyfour miles of carriage drive here:
magnificent trees are in abundance and
some very costly and curiously wrought
statuary attracts the eye. On one of the
walls of the castle are two figures which
look like china dolls of immense size. These
are said to have cost "a fortune and the
judge would not part with them for half
Of Saratoga. Everybody excepting ped
dlers are allowed to pass through this park
and the judge invites military organiza-
tions to parade there and gives the most
gorgeous receptions to his friends He is a
bigger man than the president of the vii
lage by a long sight, and owns more prop
erty than any other man in Saratoga He
has charge of all of the late Alexander Stew
arts property, part of which is the Grand
Union hotel.
The judge thought that he would like to
own hotel of his own and he built the
Windsor, the most luxurious establishment
in this state. He has never found any pro-
fit in this hotel, and never expects TO-. A
large number Of his friends, notably the
judges of the court of appeals, are annually
invited TO take apartments there and enjoy
themselves to the best of their ability at his
expense. These judges have large families
who accompany them, and the daughters
generally have number of young lady
friends living in various parts of the state
who go with them to this MOTEL. The Judges
bring their horses and carriages and stow
them away in tho Windsor stables. The
hotel is under the management of John NJ