The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-28
LUCK AND NOTHING ELSE.

in New York and the rest in Philadelphia,
says the Philadelphia Times. He has been
for twenty years q self-confessed devotee
Of the game of faro, which he calls 1.-The
intellectual mans amusement" and says
the passion has cost him since he was TWEEN
ty years old 100000. Sitting at Boldts
Bellevue with Charley Kahn, the famous
gambler, enjoying a modest lunch, dysi,
who is of middle size and well dressed, and,
AZ his name indicates, OF Swiss origin
(though born in America), was in an ex-
ceptionally good humor. He had just re-
turned from a flying trip to New York,
whence III had come from John Days
game $500 winner. When asked how he re-
garded the game of faro, he replied. with a
twinkle in his eye:
.'Do you want me to write q book? This
would be compelled to do if ! told you all
know. Unlike poker, which il a game OF
skill, to my mind faro is blind luck, pure
and simple. l have known players to re-
duce the banks percentage in faro to al
most nothing by playing cautiously. with
their wits about them, n sticking chiefly
to cxse cards while Others OF less expsr-
fence. by dashinR their money on ten cards
at once ont Of the thirtsen in the ~lay-out.'
give the bank enormous advantages. The
cards are always cool. Not 50 the player.
Aristotle has said that every man has one
wild beast in him. and ] think every faro
gambler has two, and nine men out Of ten.
particularly if they are losing, lose their
heads. especially il they haye a passion for
drink in the same ratio with their passion
for the game.
sIn my opinion no proper stimate of the
banks advantage can be made. One thing
I saw deliberately, after twenty-five years
experience as a worshlpper OF the tickle
goddess of faro, that all regular players,
sooner OF later. are reduced to poverty,
while dealers and bankers. especially those
who do not play against their own game,
amass large fortunes. but, as is frequently
the case. they take their " medicine, and
some neighboring bank If the chances
were not seven to one IL favor of the house,
how could the higher order of faro looms
be so gorgeously furnished, for they are
luxurious palaces. with Madeira worth S25
a gallon and tbs ~costliest wines of France
sparkling upon their bufets. and among
the gamblers of the olden times at suppers
that Lucullus might envy. these costly
vinteges were grstuitously offered to play
ers. And men who gamble know to their
sorrow that all this is sustained by ths per-
certage of the game drawn in by the man
behind the table.
Every faro player has some system pecu-
LARRY his own. which he soiomnly believes
will beat the bank. Temporarily he may
realize his hopes, bat If he sticks to his
system he is sure TO fail. The truth is, the
game is based upon certain mathematical
principles which give it a percentage in fay-
or of the dealer, which no system or cum
ming method of play can eventually over
come.
''The most celebrated day game in New
York city Was at IL Ann street. It WAS run
A. an adjunct of the celebrated game at S15
-l---
ora and the gambling men who were en-
ploysd at night. Here l saw Tiernan, a cele-
bratsd Chicago gambler, now dead, win
&12.O 600, and then lose $4,000 inside OF two
hours. He did not put down at first a dol
lar. He told the dealer, which is often al
slider him 500 fiat foot on the high card
Tiernan won $1,000 IN tie high card
Oh the first deal. He then called the
turn 'ace-deuce' for $3.50. 1t came ace
deuce and he picked up another $1,000.
His luck for half an hour was extraordi-
nary. He had drawn ont Of the bank in
cash $4,000, and had $1,000 in blue chips
in front OF him. Fortune favored him no
longer. The next deal he lost 81, 800 on the
high card and in three deals the $4,000
be had won disappeared like the snow
fakes on the sod II was all blown in.'
my own success at the place was excep-
4ional. Not being q man of large capital,
and depending always upon my business.
which | s%eduiously tool care of outside of
my moments of pleasure. l never ventursd
more than 500 1t q single sitting. Among
the peculiaTities of this game is the belief,
founded on fact, that at times the cards
run in the same manner from New York to
San Francisco. For example, / won what
] never did before or since. $1,000 on
twenty-one st. aight bets to VIII on the
seven. This never happened to me again.
Had / possessed the courage of my convfc-
tirua fpr I felf a moral ceYfAlnfV that the
seven had taking On . winning run, ! could
have won a fortune. and / learned later ON
that at Baltimore, Washington, Richmond,
Atlanta. New Orleans, and even At jackson
vile the seven spot had been un~accountsbly
a winner all along the line. IN some places
As often as fifty times without a single
break. / cannot vOuch for this, but | be-
lieve it to be- true. | have Seen some big
gamblers so superstitious that they would
not play for a week, though eager to win
and willing to lose, If they would see the
sun in the morning rise over their left
shoulder, or see Il black cat Cross the street.
Perhaps ! was more cautious than the
majority of the habitues. Ii | won 500
made some excuse to leave the faro bank.
went over to the Astor house, took "a brzc-
err for my nerves. and either mailed or tel
egraphed to my better nalf' in Philadelphia
. h~undred-doliar bill. Needless to say,
never had any returns from that bill. And.
unlike a celebrated New York lawyer, when
Winning ! was never seiZed with paral5 sli
of the legs. The lawyer to whom l allude
has lost $4,000 in ten years at roulette ant
faro, 'reli2iously' spending one half Of his
income at his profession at the roulette
wheel and faro layout. Ii he could hav,
QUIT when winner he would now have 500.
OJ0 in bank.
My heaviest winning at No. IL was dur
ing the last month OF the existence of thi
resort. 1t Was an October day, and / an
never Hkeiy to forget 1t, as l made the high
est winnings in my Career as a sporting
man that lucky day. l felt as if / cOul
win the bank rolf itself, and SO told thu
dealer, who smiled a doubling smile. Th
limit WAS SO on q double card and $25 or
single. l asked the dealer TO put
marker on the ace for $50. 1t won. / the
placed a hundred in the square between tn
trey, four, ten and jack. 1t won. l WIZ
now 500 ahead. ! eoppered in the pot. !
WAS 500. By special dispensation l Wa