Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-16
A CONVERTED GAMBLER.
Mr.. John y. Quinn. Talk I'm the Y. M. C. A.
Gymnasium.

wHAr FLsTISa CARDS BsoroHr hin TO AND WHAT
Will m THE RESULT TO ALL WHO s.aH1r-
SONS PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF TIE
TRcxs rHE TRADE
large and attentive audience greeted Mr.
John ?. Quinn. the converted gambler, in the
gymnasium Of the Y. NJ. c. A yesterday after
noon The regular sunday afternoon meeting
Of the association had been held an hour before
the arrival Of the ex-gAmbler, and long before
his arrival every seat In the gymnasium WA
flsd. There not even standing room Ief,
When he was ready TO begin his part Of the
services Secretary Pugh Of the Y NJ c. A
vss In charge Of the meeting
Mr. orISS's TALK.
"fsthers and sons" said Mr. Quinn as he
stepped forward on the platform, 'our subject
this afternoon Is gambling. and ii il question
that concerns the happiness Of your families
now a. we'll a. your happiness in the life to
come an here TO tel you some Of the hard
and concrete results ef twenty five years sxpe-
r,enes AL professional confidence man and
gambler, which experience led me to prison,
although was entirely innocent OF the charge
upon which Was sent / am going TO show
you this afternoon the results Of the trickeriss
and frauds of the professional gambler and con-
hdence man, and IL you are not convinced OF
prOroHslOnal n
chance Of winning. then no persuasion In the
world any talk will convince ron.
81 intend 10 draw back the curtain and ex-
hibit life Of degradation and shame, which
necessarily goes with that Of professional
gambler Ny past life has been sad and
Illuminating. bu, am ready to tell you of it
IN the hope that II may touch some heart, for 1
have doubts that there are some here today
Who might profit by change IN their course Of
life, and will say that there Is nothing more
sa.fn than
gambling
MS EARLY LIVE.
my trade has been one requiring more judg-
ment than eloquence for never had much in
the vsy Of education. / was q farmers boy.
raised on q ranch IN Missouri, and received the
FIRST gambling education ever had at home,
where we we're allowed to play cards. Having
learned to play at home | concluded that I
would 60 s~ay from home 70 play and so did.
One day l bridsd fathers horse and went off,
turning up at Atchison. Kan The second day
vas there met . gentleman who asked me
out for q walk in the morning BE wanted me
10 take q constitutional in order that nv break
fast you'd be ENJOYED and my appetite in
creased went with him and when returned
i had neither money nor appetite. He had
PLAYED q confidence game on me and was
broke. Then / wanted to return home and so
vent TO the railroad Office and asked the agent
for pass
n
why should give you a pass?' he asked
me ard told him I vas broke.
What broke your he asked, and told him
gambling. Then he asked me my occupation
and told him I was a farmer.
We'll, said he. II / were to come to your
farm and ask You to hitch up vour horse and
take me 10 the next town, would you do it?' /
told him didn't know, but If were going his
vay and he were To ask for a ride | would say
yes. He thought was very frank in my state
msnts and 80 he sent me home"
The speaker then told his hearers that his
father had six sons and four Of them turned
out &C. be gamblers.
Fathers" he said. eff you permit cards in
your house you viii have to take the couse-
quence-. Throw them out Of your houses.
They can do no good and there is not single
argument In their favor. Fathers, don't let il
be said that yon taught your boy his first game
Of cards."
oTvISS PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATIONS.
He then gave some practical illustrations to
show tina, gamblers have everything their own
way and tina, II was impossible for an outsider
or person green at the business to win
Picking up q vel -shuffied deck OF cards he
said be could tel them easily by looking at
their backs a. BY looking at their faces. and he
proved the truth Of his assertion. holding the
fsee. 10 the audience and calling them withou;
the slightest hesitation.
Then he showed what the gamblers call q
west hold out BY this a poker hand calcu-
lated 20 win Is concealed beneath the vest and
By working a wire with the foot the cards ap-
pear between the two buttons fastening the
garment. and the x mbler ellis his hand
Mr.. Quinn then related pathetic story Of
gambler who ended his days on the scafIold
His sife remained true TO him and she had
given him dose OF poison with the under |
stand ng that 81 particular minute he was to
take the poison AMI she was 70 Kill herself The
woman, he said. performed her part but the |
man, the gambler coward and murderer, did |
not cheat the gallOSss. When he appeared on
The sc.ffold be steppcd forward and addressing
the crowd. ssid; do you where stand to-
day. Remember that gambling and whisky
va. the cause % IL. and hope that all present
viii promise never to touch card or drink
whisky "a / ne a. he NAV live"
The condemned mans boy he said was there
to'bid his father gooi-bye, and they Rugged and
Kissed each other ami finally the boy had TO be
torn away IN order that the Law might take its
course. and when he cried, ''Oh. let me STAY
with my papa nearly ten thousand persons
were moved to tears.
DIAL BOX EXHIBIT.
Picking up . small nickel box Mr.. Quinn
proceeded TO give another practical illustration.
This, he said. ia the most gigantic gambling
and swindiiny scheme in the world II is an
innocent looking metallic box. but il has as
much hne workings In u a. French clock IL
b impossible for any one except the dsxler to
win and there Is no use in trying your luck
against H."
He referred 20 "faro bank and added that
every Institution had Its ''cappers," plug
ger- and 'ropers, who went out and brought
In victims. The partner in the game would
play his money and win and the poor innocent
mar you'd be led into losing hi- money.
He then put the cards in the box and pro-
eeeded 10 run genuine faro bank. minus the
money CONSIDERATION.
roulette wheel was next produced and the
sudisneo would cal! either red or black but
they never called right
There's no Use IN your trying to guess IT, -
be said. ''for N you call red II can't come that
color and II you call black IL IL bound to come
Rod"
How Is IL done?" shoated boy in the audi
ence.
Right there" said the speaker THAT is a
hor-s Of another color. | am here TO show you
the results and not how IL Is done am no.
here 20 teach you how to do it, but TO have YOU
understand the folly of trying TO win at these
thieving games. and keep you from that de-
grading path which leads only 10 destruction"
oAxEIrSo IN TEE SEcEssARIEs on LIFE
Mr.. Quinn then spoke of the washburn bill
pending before Congress- He said that gam