Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-07-31
GAMBLING ON VESSELS.
How Tourists BeGuile tho Tedious Trip
from America to Europe.

from America to Europe.
Transatlantic gamblers, according to
recent developments, are following
their profession with regularity and
profit. Two young men, who claim to
belong to one of the BEST families in
Chicago, called last evening On we'll
known steamship agent aid claimed
that they had been feeced out of more
than $1,000 by two professional gam
bling sharps while crossing the ocean.
The complaint was useless.
1--WE can do nothing for you, and are
very sorry that you gamb]ed. All we
can do to prevent gambling on our
teamships is DONE We wouldn't sell
ticket to professional gambler if we
knew it,"
That. in substance, is what was told
the young men by the steamship agent,
and the former were forced to tele-
graph home for money to get to Chi
cago.
From all accounts this is a more
common occurrence than most per-
sons imagine. One of the best-known
steamship men in this city said of the
gambling for big and little stakes
which is carried on while crossing the
ocean: Il don't believe, frankly, that
any large steamship crosses the At
lantic now without more or less gam
bling going on on board. l don't
want my name mentioned but, only a
70 .toir
edge, a clubman of this city was feeced
out of ga eco between Queenstown and
New York. He was what is known as
a man Of the world, and a cosmopoli-
tan who would willingly give another
S4, 900 rather than have his losses
made public. He thrashed one of the
gamblers just outside of Sandy Hook,
and the matter was hushed up for fear
of scandal"
Mr.. Gibson, of the Guion line, frank
ly admitted that only last week he had
refused to sell tickets to a pair of
sleek-looking gamblers who brought
letters Of introduction from promi-
nent politician asking for the best
staterooms in the ship.
''It's impossible to tell gamblers
from honest men," said Mr.. Gibson;
''but the regulations on ship-board
should always be strict regarding
games where money is played for with
cards."
Much of the gambling is done in
private staterooms, where it is free
from the intrusion incident to exciting
games in the gentlemen's saloons. 1t
is in their staterooms that professional
high-sea sharpers fleece young men
whose fortune is greater than their
knowledge Of cards.
Occasionally, however, the bitter is
bitten, as will be shown by the follow
ing story, told by clerk employed by
large steamship line:
ga few days ago. said he. ga young
man, apparently none too bright, came
in and bought first-class ticket. He
was going to the Paris exposition.
After [ had sold him a ticket he
told me that on his way over a few
weeks ago two gamblers had in
weighed him and two friends into a
friendly game of poker. They started in
early in the evening and played till
close upon midnight. All three young
men won large sums of money and de-
cided to stop. The gamblers bemoaned
their loses. but agreed to renew the
game the next day. Two Of the young
men went back and resumed the
friendly game. The other quietly re-
manned on deck with lady acquaint-
ance. He did not gamble for the rest
of the voyage. but was obliged to loan
his friends money for cab hire when
the steamer arrived in port"
Poker is the most popular game on
steamships, although it is related that
a gambler quite recently tried to start
game of faro in his state-room while
the vessel was in mid-ocean. Gambling
among Storage passengers, as well SIS
the occupants of the first cabins, is
| also quite common, but far less disas-
trous. The professional gambler never
invades the steerage. Y. Com
| mercial Advertiser.