Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-01-24
The Gambler's sure Fate


"Iook at me,n SAID a professional
gambler TO a New York San reporter.
"Three weeks ago | had $500 cash.
This morning, think have enough for
some chocolate and toast, but | am not
certain" and he forced down into his
pockets aud brought up jest 60 cent?.
81 know half dozen gamblers who
three years ago had each 100000 in
cash, and they are now dealing tor men
who cleaned them out aud bought ont
their establishments. In tho switching
around vi time the new prOpsietOrs will
be cleaned out by a new.set and their
oavs as bank dealers, unless they stave
off their predcament by turning
over the box in some other Eel
'ow's bank. l don't believe Though, that
there are dozen faro dealers IN Mes
York who have the price Of their break
fasts this morning. They get small
salaries, often drawing them ahead, aud
as soon as they are released from VOL x
they rush to rival bank and buck the
tiger with the usual disastrous result
that come to men with small money In
! their clothes.
"The same can be said OF the owners
of the banks themselves They visit Oue
another, and pride themselves on playing
an open and rapid game There Is no
criticism that professional gambler or
bank owner hates so much when he waits
rival establishments as to have It said
that he plays them, meaning the cards,
close to his chest or that his money hqs
string TO it. / seve known many oauk
owners who have sworn black Oaths that
they would not buck against the game
either in or out of their places. Tpey
are usually the oatbs of maiden pro
prietorship. It they have good run
of customers they scoop in the checks
pretty rapidly, let me tell you, and pretty
soon their osths begin to melt into "A
hungering desire to tackle the silver
plated boxes in other banks. | have
known only one bank owner In an xperi
euce of 20 years who kept his maid
oath over six months. II those SIX
months he coralled 100000, and It ~as
too much for him. He dropned IS COS
at one play and went on for week, a.
the end OF which ne hadn't cent of the
100000, aud had even gamble away a
three quarters share in his own bank
With sure fortune staring them IN the
face they chuck it into someone's e!
bank.
"Let me say here that the talk about
crooked fsro-bank dealers IL, TO gfea'
extent, 3osb. i know some of the crook
eldest box manipulators in the TOM, bu
there is no incentive for them to be DIS
| honest. The chances IN their favor art
enough, and although some, for mere
| love of il, would hks TO skin You, then
bosses are uny ielding in their commands
| that everything must be straight"
| According TO the expert the same mania
/ for gambling their rich winning away
exists among book makers or horse-rsc
ers, the owners of the horses VINO win blt
prizes, and good many Wsll-stres
/ brokers, and, in his opinion, 1t Is only
question of hours or days when they mus
all 20 broke. There does not seem 10 b'
one steedfgst thought or consideration
given to the rich commissions which, a
the end OF year, amount 70 big fortauer
| With any kind of a business, all ar
az dead sure OF fortunes - Vol
are that you Will have your break
fast this morning; but In the face Of thu
copper fastened fact, each one drops hi
fortuue ike a stone IN mil p nd, an
sees 10 distributed among tho ssmbliLi
fraternity as the rings are distribute
which the stone has set going upon n
ponds surface.
"The same can be said Of pIofessions
poker players and the owners of poke
rooms,n continued the professional on'
Swho by this time had reached IN all.niRh
drug shop and had spent 90 Of mis- 6
cents for smashing drink of brad
With a dash OF chloral in IL. They 4
J drcp every ceHt they make, -ooner q
later. know pokerrooms in New Yof
wnere the Kitty IN a single night ia
reached $500, and there are plenty NOR
where the kitty is steady $50 gu hon
All that the proprie'ors have to DO 10 l
sit around and see fortune coming