The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-03-14


mons, and on the top should set the cross OF
the son Of God, over them all the gambler
would leap, like roe over the rocks, on
his way to perdition.
Again. this sin works ruin by killing in
dustry. A man used to reapiDg scores or
hundreds or thousands of dollars from the
gaming table will not be content with sIo,y
work He will say, 'What is the use of
trying to make these fifty dollars in my
store when can get five times that in half
an hour down at 'Billy's?'" You never
knew confirmed gambler who was indus
trious. The men given to this vice spend
their time, not actively engaged in the
game, in idleness or intoxication or sleep,
or in corrupting new victims. This sin has
dulled the carpenters saw and cut the
band of the factory wheel, sunk the cargo,
broken the teeth of the farmers harrow
and sent a strange lightning to shatter the
battery of the philosopher. The very first
idea in gaming is at war with all the in
dustries of society.
This crime is getting its lever under
many a mercantile house in our great
cities. and before long down will come tho
great establishment, crushing reputation,
home, comfort and immortal souls. How
it diverts and sinks capital may be inferred
from some authentic statement before us
The ten gaming houses that once were
authorized in Paris passed through the
banks, yearly, three hundred and twenty
five millions of francs. Where does all the
money come from? The whole world is
robbedl What is most sad, there are no
consultations for the loss and suffering en-
tailed by gaming. If men fail in lawful
business, God pities and society commiser-
ates; but where in the Bible or in society
is there any consolation for the gambler?
From what tree of the forest oozes there
balm that can soothe the gamester's S
heart? In that bottle where God keeps the
tears of his children are there any tears of
the gambler? Do the winds that come to
kiss the faded cheek of sickness, and to
cool the heated brow of the laborer, whis-
per hope and cheer to the emaciated victim
of the game of hazards When an honest
man is in trouble he has sympathy. Poor
fellowi' they say. But do gamblers come
to weep at the agonies of the gambler
In Northumberland was one of the finest
estates in England. Mr.. Porter owned it,
and in a year gambled it all away HAY
ing lost the last acre of the estate, he came
down from the saloon and got into his car
riage; went back, put up his horses and car
riage and town house and played. He threw
and lost. He started home, and in aside alley
met a friend from whom he borrowed ten
guineas; went back to the saloon and be-
fore a great while had won twenty thous-
and pounds. He died at last a beggar in
st. Giles. How many gamblers felt sorry
for Mr.. Porter? Who consoled him on the
loss of his estate? What gambler sub
scribed to put a stone over the poor man IS
grave? Not one!
GAMBLING THE CAUSE OF OTHER CRIMES
furthermore, this sin is the source of un.
counted dishonesties. The game of hazar rd
itself is often a game of cheat How many
tricks and deceptions in the dealing of the
cardsl The opponents hand is ofttimes
found out by fraud. Cards are marked
SO that they may be designated from the
back. Expert gamesters have their ac
completes, and one wink may decide the
game The dice have been found loaded
with platina, SO that ''tioublets" come up
every time These dice are introduced by
the gamblers, unobserved by honest men
who have come into the play; AMI this nc
counts for the fact that ninety mine out OF
a hundred who gamble, however wealthy
they began, at the end are found to be
poor, miserable, ragged wretcbes, that
would not now b.. allowed to sit on the
doorstep of the house that they once
owned. In g gambling house in San Fran
cisco young man having just come from
the mines deposited large sum upon the
ace, and won twenty-five Thousand dollars
But the tide turns. Intense excitement
comes upon the countenances of all. Slow
! ly the cards went forth. Every eye is fixed
Not sound is heard until the ace is re
! vealed favorable to the bank. There are
shouts of "Foul!'' rFoulp' but the keepers
of the table produce their pistols and the
uproar is silenced and the bank has Won
ninety-five thousand dollars. Do you cal
! this game of chance? There is no chance
about it.
| But these dishonesties in the carrying. OF
of the game are nothing when compared
with the frauds which are committed in
order to get money to go on with the ne
| farious work. Gambling with its greedy
| hand has snatched away the widows mite
and the portion of the orphans; has sold
the daughters virtue to get the means tc
! continue the game; has written the counter
felt signature, emptied the bankers money
vault and welded the assassin's dagger
| There is no ,iepth of meanneSs to which il
| will not stop. There is no cruelty at which
it is appalled,. There is no warning of GoC
| that it will not dare. Merciless, unappeas
able, fiercer and wilder it blinds, it hard
ems, it rends, it blasts, it crushes, it damns
1t has peopled our prisons and lunatit
asylums. How many railroad agents anC
cashiers and trustees of funds it has driver
| to disgrace, incarceration and suicide! Wit
ness years ago a cashier of railroad who
stole one hundred and three thousand dol
lars to carry on his gaming practices. Wit
ness forty Thousand dollars stolen from
BROOKLYN bank within the memory of many
of you, and the one hundred and eight.
Thousand dollars taken from Wall stree
insurance company for the same purpose
These are only illustrations on large seal
of the robberies every day committed TO
the purpose of carrying out the designs o
gamblers. Hundreds of thousands of dol
lars every year leak out without observa
ton from the merchants till into th
gambling hell. Aman in London keepin,
one of these gambling houses boasted tina
he had ruined nobleman day; but if al
the saloons of this land were to speak ou
they might utter a more infamous boast
for they have destroyed a Thousand nobl
men a year.