New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-22
PARIS CLUBS ALARMED.
THEIR PRESIDENTS CALLED TO ACCOUNT
BY THE AUTHORITIES-AUTEU
DOOMED.

very severe lecture with regard to the scandals
| that have taken place at their card tables Of
late. The Project pointed out to them that
the law forbidding gambling was not alto
gether dead letter. and that while he did not
propose to enforce il in every particular yet
that he determined to avail himself Of
certain of its provisions for the purpose of put
ting stop to a number Of glaring abuses, cal
culated to bring the entire club system here
into disreputc. The matters to which he made
specific objection were the custom that pre-
walls here of farming out the gambling tables
to a syndicate Of more or less respectable
croupiers who. in return for the privilege not
only pay the entire staff Of club servants. as
we'll as a considerable portion Of the house
rent but also furnish n daily house dinner at
an altogether nominal rate. Indeed, the ma
jorty Of the Partisan clubs their existence
to this kind Of arrangement, since the French
man is at heart not n clubman. in the true
sense of the word. and looks to his club. not
for social intercourse and associations. as In
New-York. nor for his meals and comforts as
in London, but merely for the excitement OF
baccarat and other games Of hazard. The
Project Of Police moreover. minated that the
practice now in vogue Of loaning money to the
players when they had lost. in order to enable
them to continue their play could no longer
be permitted to the lessces OF the tables and
he concluded by notifying the presidents of
some Of our most fashionable clubs that they
must take immediate steps to rid their estab-
lishments of the presence Of certain gamblers
whose reputation for fair play was open to
question. How necessary was this admonition
NAV be gathered from the fact that only last
spring the Cerce dc In Rue Royalc, which is
perhaps the most chic of Partisan clubs was
nal
who had been elected under the happest aus
pices. but who after swindling a number Of the
members turned out to be one Of the clevcrest
and most celebrated sharps known to the in
ternational police
In connection with this matter II may be
stated that an interesting controversy has
arisen between the Government ANA certain
manufacturers with regard TO playing cards
Some time ago a Il. Trevac. lawyer OF Bor-
deaux and a man OF the name Of AuZ"rlc Tor
merry a foreman in the playing-card manuiac-
tory Of Grimaud ct Gle. formed a partnership
10 work n process for converting old playing
cards into new. Two establishments were s't
I'D at Bordeaux and Tortoise. ana en-
couraged by the results the partners opened
third factory here shortly arcrward. Great sue
cess attended their venture cafe and wine
shop keepers being charged only cents Tor
cleaning and renovating a pack three times.
In France every new package Of cards Is obliged
by law 10 10 cnvclopci In a covering bearing a
Government stamp. and hcicc il VIII asfonish
no one - hear that the Treasury claims that.
during the last twelve months. it has sustained
loss Of nearly 100000 francs by reason Of
this new Industry With view u putting "A
stop thereto thc Government has closed the
three factories. impounded the plant ana the
material found. and begun proceedings
against the cnterprisng firm. which. however.
after consulting the best legal authorities on the
subject. has decided 10 fight the case. The
whole question seems to turn on whether tn"
cleaned ana renovated cards are sold or not.
# sales can be proved. then tho Treasury IS In
the right. and can claim penalties Of 1000 francs
from the firm rs wei, rs from the trndor for
each pack Of cards sold. Pat II there Is 30
evidence Of sale. which alone constitutes an In
fraction II the statute prescribing that each
pack Of paying-car1s sold ahal bc cnvelop"d
In a wrapper bearing a revenue stamp then ~
Government viii fra its"if ~ fault. afd means
will have TO be taken by some now law not only
10 preserve the Treasury from further loss in
this respect. bat n the sam" time FOR SAFE
guarding The pubic. who's" interests ar" now
protected b. the Government band around the
pack showing that the cards have not been
tempered with.
Although nearly a quarter 81 n century has
ola ped since Baron Haussmann was forced by
the overthrow OF the Imperial regime To- surren-
der his Gespotc sway over this metropolis yet
the process 81 IIaussmannizing Paris f. still
in progress and the speculative builder 81 the
third Republic proceeds on his way quite I'M
disturbed rs those who re hand in glove with ,
the Baron during the r'ignsof MAJ oIeon III
There Is this difference however. that whcrea
Baron Haussmann's operations were subordi-
nated to his proclaimed intention Of making
Paris so splendid and beautiful city that II
should be nhabitablc by any person having
an income Of less than $4,000 year. 10 con-
sidcrations save those Of money getting cVcrcis"
any influence upon the builders OF the present
day. Baron IIaussmann razei 10 the ground
many ancient landmarks and yoTcIablc relics
Of bygonc ages for the purpose Of making way
for magnificent buildings Of architectural beauty |
and for the construction Of bOulcvards which |
have achieved "A worldwide fame. The changes
that are now In progress are. however. Of Il |
more vandal character. and none Of them is |
exciting more dissatisfaction than the project |
Of converting tn, beautiful suburb Of Autcuil. !
with all It's charmingly artistic features, its |
dainty gardens, IT'S shady trees. into a series Of
streets full Of tall tenement houses and garish |
ste res. Auteuil nesiles at the foot Of the hill |
Of Passy the right bank Of the Seine. be |
tween Boulainvilli"rs and the Bois De }ouogne |
1t is quarter full Of charmingly balanced lights |
and shadows. fresh and tranquil and infinitely |
dear to lovers Of rcposc It's streets gravclled
like the path Of "A garden. It's houses and villas |
are fantastic and picturesque creations, many |
Of which seem to have been built from the de- |
signs of theatrical scene painters and each Of |
which stands in its more or less small garden.
1t was not without reason that Marie Joseph |
Chenier in his poem the "Promenade" speaks OF |
Auteuil as the home Of the poets. Racine
Eoileau. Mocrc and Chapelle all lived at
Auteuil. On part Of the site Of Moliere's garden
was erected "A handsome mansion called the
Hotel Prasn which was the scene years ago
Of "A dreadful catastrophe. The I'rinccssc de
Carignan was writing at n table by the hrcsdc
in her boudoir spark fell on her dress; in Il