The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-02-22
WHERE EQUIET GAMES GO ON.
THE MODERN POKER. ROOM AND HOW
1T is RUN.
The Police Give a Good Deal of Trouble,
Even When the "Club" Has Literary
Name and Library of Four Volumes.

sports as tnlngS OF long-pasJ era, ana
one would hardly think that even poker
was now played to any extent except for
the occasional reports of raids on quiet poker
rooms which appear in the paper. rAn innocent
HERALD man, desiring to ascertain for himself
just what kind of resort poker establish
ment of the present day really was, secured
the chaperonage of a local sporting man, who
volunteered to steer him. Together they re-
paired to quiet street, pausing at last before
large white doorway, facing upon the street
next to gided palace of liquid vice, and, bid
ding the reporter follow, the sporting man led
the way back through dimly-lighted hall and to
a staircase, which they ascended. Arriving at
the second floor, the sport stopped before an
other door and gave the bell-pull vigorous
wrench. Instantly small portion of the door,
which innocently posed as an ornament, was re-
moved and an inquiring eye gaZed out Evil
IDENTIFY recognizing oBe-half of the combination
the eye was suddenly obscured by the orna-
ment falling back into its customary place, and
the door was flung open by n tall, lathy kind of
man with q closely cropped head and tremen-
dous smile, who gave them a hearty welcome.
The room into which they were ushered was
large and handsomely furnished. In one cor
ner stood heavy safe, from which an assistant
was removing stacks of celluloid counters. In
the centre Of this room and Immediately under
a blazing chandelier half a dozen men and
youths sat at table playing "auction pitch"
The man who had opened the door was one of
the proprietors Of this so-called "club.''
''That is auction PITCH" said the proprietor,
sand is about the mildest form of game you
will see played in this establishment 1t is
played generally by those who have not the
money to sit in the games of poker, but who
feel that they must gamble, or life is without
charm They play for very small stakes, per-
haps five or ten cents game. Now and then
one of them will win enough to buy stack of
chips for poker, and he will drop out, generally
to return within a few minutes without sou,
to borrow enough to begin auction pitch
again"
The sporting man having informed the pro-
prietor that the reporter was anxious to look
about the place, he conducted them to an ad-
joining room, furnished with huge, unwieldy
buffet glistening with decanters and glasses.
Here blazing fire was heaped upon the hearth,
about which couple of men were seated, with
their chairs tilted back, smoking.
This room in turn opened upon one twice as
large as the first to which they were admitted;
and here again bell was set jingling and an
ornament on the door swung back by some one
on the other side before they were allowed to
enter. The rattle of counters greeted their ears
as they followed their conductor and they found
two great tables surrounded by busy players,
who, in their intentness on the cards, were very
quiet and seldom spoke. They glanced up as
the trio entered, but Immediately gave their en-
tire attention to the game
''How," asked the reporter as the club man
brought chairs to him and his friend and bade
them sit before comfortable, cheerful fire,
''how do you manage to elude the vigilance of
the police 2''
''Well,' he replied candidly, 'swe sometimes
do not escape them, and our doors are burst
open and our places raided. In the beginning we
procure clubs license, just the same as if we
were organizing a literary society, in fact we do
organize as literary club, Incorporating with
the necessary officers and members, who, as
you will naturally infer, are fellows interested
in our plans or anxious to gamble. 1t is always
easy to secure the proper number of people.
After our papers are made out we have but to
open, secure the services of one or two we'll
known gamblers, who will engage to play and
also to bring other players, buy few books for
the literary purposes, get our furniture, and we
are prepared for business. We manage our af-
fairs in manner similar to legitimate clubs,
except that we are not allowed to sell drinks,
nor to charge for our suppers, which we serve
every night about 10 or 10:30 o'clock OF
course, there must be some remuneration for
ourselves, as we are not in the business for
amusement SO certain percentage is 'tolled'
from each pot or at some certain stage or con-
dition of the game. This constitutes our earn
ings. No game in which layout is required,
such as faro or roulette, is played in this house.
or any other, to my knowledge in Washington
Poker is by far the most popular game. There
are very few professional gamblers in Wash
ington."
HWe frequently hear of big Congressional
games do any of them ever take place in your
club?'
''No. The day of the Congressional game of
poker has passed, as far as the gambing-rooms
are concerned. The Senator or Representative
who nowadays amuses himself with a little
game is a wary fish, and confines himself mostly
to the privacy of his own house or to some Sc
cluded room in a hotel where he is in no danger
of interruption. They seem to think the clubs
will give them too much publicity; besides,
they do not wish to become intimate with Gov
ernment employees, who might seek to make
acquaintance formed at the poker table a
means of importuning for advancement or
patronage"
''Newspaper men," said THE HERALD man,
shave widespread reputation as poker play
ers. Do you find many OF them at your tables?''
mo-" his informant replied, 81 do not.
am aware of the common report about their
poker SKILL but have seen very little of it dur
| ing my long experience in this city. There are
two or three newspaper men who come here.
| guess that, like the Congressman, they shut
| themselves up in seclusion when fortune is to
| be tempted
show are other professions represented?"
"Well think the lawyers lead. There are
several who visit our club; and very shrewd
players they are, too. Next to the lawyers come
| the physicians; and sitting at that table there to
your left are two lawyers and two physicians,
| the fifth man beng-would you believe it?--a
| college instructor. That is the only professor
have ever seen gambling. He does not come
| often, and seldom plays for more than al
| hour.o
''The greatest popularity have noticed about
| the Washington gambler is his thinness and
meagreness of body. Very seldom you find
| downright fat man among the gaming men here
| But think you Will find this the case in many
aff 1xrfa sr ii