, 1889-01-25
GAMBLING ON THE RAIL
LaTe Sums Lost by Poker Players on
Mestern bound Palace Car

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LATe Sums Lost by Poker Players on
Western Bound Palace Cars
Passengers on the Pullman cars
from tho cast to this city report that
unusually big gambling games have
been going on recently in west bound
cars. II appears that as tho moral
New Workers and Bostonians approach
the wild west their ideas of what is
right and proper take a back seat and
the freedom of the Rockies and the
Sierras gets into their hearts and re-
lakes their hold on their Sunday school
habits. Both on the Southern Pacific
and the Santa Fe this spread of gam
bling on tho rail is noticeable and has
been commented on quito severely by
some of the passengers-those, Of
course, who do not gamble.
81 was more than surprised by what
/ saw in the way of gambling on these
cars said one of these gentlemen re
Gently. you may say that gambling
goes on without stint in the Pullman
coaches, and large sums Of money are
lost and won daily"
But don't tho Pullman people en-
force their rules2' was asked.
"Oh, yes; the rules are just as strict
as ever and just as rigidly enforced, so
far as the Pullman company has any
official knowledge. l don't blame the
company any, although it might look
n little closer TO its employees. AS /
understand il, the book Of instructions
presented to each Pullman conductor
and porter is very explicit on this sub
Ject. When n porter sees any gam
bling going on he is supposed to put a
stop to 1t, referring to the rules of the
company, just tho same as he would if
a man were TO pull out n pipe in the
middle of n sleeping car and begin
blowing big clouds of tobacco smoke.
But he don't always do il, and a few
dollars in the way of n fec TO let the
gamblers alone in the enjoyment of
their little fun acts with a magic effect
sometimes, us you may be aware"
is there any professional gambling
Eyes, / am satisfied there is. A
young blood from New York of the
Berry Wall stripe told me last Sunday
that on the trip out from the cast he
had lost $1,000, and he was satisfied
that ho n been run against n profess
sional poker player. Tho fellow, who
Is n big man, with n smooth face,
cleaned him out OF all the spare cash
he had, and il was lucky for him that
he couldn't get hold of any more ready
money until he reached San Fran
cisco. He told me of two others who
had lost $13, 500 between them while
playing with the same man. / am told
that the big fellow has been working
tho Northern Pacific. He is up to ali
kinds of tricks, and can put up the
cards so MS TO take all tho cash on the
train if he can get it on the table"
Why, do they play with money on
the tablef' WINS asked.
That was only n figure of speech.
L should have told you that most of
tho playing was dono with chips.
Still, with n good sized limit, a good
deal OF money car pass from pocketto
pocket during the night"
This gentleman is only one of sew
eral who havo related what they saw
on tho palatial west bound trains re-
garding tho practice of gambling.
Many n tourist who contemplated a
long winter sojourn in California,
with n little run down into Mexico. had
to cut short his stay on account of a
scarcity Of funds from this cause, and
has got no nearer Mexico than Stock
ton.
TO what extent is gambling prac-
ticed in the west bound Pullman cars2r
the question put by this reporter
to many different railroad men of this
city.
Some would not admit that such a
thing as gamblingin uncle Georges"
coaches, rs George NJ. Pullman's
palaces on wheels arc known among
the railroad fraternity, was possible.
Others thought there might DO some
thing of the kind going on and a few
others were sure that there was. Pull
man Agent Meehan was sought, but
he WINS not in the city.
For heavens sake, don't mention
my name, said ono railroad agent;
but what you have learned about this
thing is all true. Twill venture to say
there is more gambling going on in
tho Pullman coaches today than there
vas before. Why, some of the
passengers get into the smoking apart
ments and gamble all night-gamble
until their feet get cold under the
table and their fingers get blue and
they get black in the faco from the
smoke they have inhaled. Some of
these rich old dodgers out for n good
time on n long trip always carry poker
chips, and they. play big games-noth-
ing small abouttheir limits. Pullman
can't help it; there can be no objec-
ton TO playing cards and keeping
count with poker chips, and that is all
that 1t passes for in the conscience of
tho well fed porter. San Francisco
Chronicle.
nnrpInr no--