The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-03

love FOR GAMING.
Poolroom Fiends Who Play Combination



Poolroom Ffends Who Piay Combination
Sratcr;s.
The passion for gambling is far
etronger than the love of sport You
can take paper and pencil and prove to
a man that he can not possibly win,
vet he will turn round and invest his
money with absolute confidence of sue
cess. Such man will not pay one
dollar and fifty cents for admission to
a track to see race so long as there is
place where he can hear a garbled
description Of the race and have the
opportunity to bet that one dollar and
atty cents. Such man is the player
of combinations. He becomes what
the poolroom lounger calls the con-
bination fend. His small capital in
vested on a single horse would yield
but few dollars if the animal
proved winner. and what good
would i've or six dollars do
him! He studies the papers, the records,
the guide and the betting during the
morning hours, probably in bed and at
100 o'clock HES him to the poolroom,
where be stands before the blackboard
half an hour at a time, noting the
changes in the odds. Finally he makes
up his mind to play certain combina-
ton. He selected four horses as sure
things. and the ticket writer is asked
what he will lay against them straight,
place and one-two-three. After some
figuring the price is marked on a piece
of paper. say two hundred to one The
''fiend" thinks it all over, talks with
half a dozen acquaintance about the
chances of the several selections. and
decides to risk one dollar, half of his
capital, playing the combination
straight.
The horses being in different races.
some at Gutenberg and some at
Gloucester, he waits around till the re-
suits are marked up. A ring is made
around the winner, while the second
and third horses are marked with nu-
merals. His first selection wins and
he begins to feel good He is already
counting his money. BY and by the
second selection has a ring drawn
around his name, and there remain but
two more to win to carry his combina-
ton through. The fourth is cinch.
one of the rock-ribbed, steel-plated.
neutrality-suspicious. cinches, guaran-
teed not to rip He will win sure. If
the third will only go through the
"fend" will be in clover.
At last the third gets home win
ner. and the delight of the ''fend"
knows 10 bounds. The combination is
safe now and he exhibits it with a large
degree OF pride to anyone who comes
In his way. All regard him as the
luckiest of men, and their Souls burn
with envy. Then They're off .!r'
The description of the race is called
out, an" gather around to hear.
The finish is close between three. one
of which No 4 of the s'fiend's'' COM
bination. The decision arrives in due
time - No. 4 is second. The Door
fellow goes out and curses his
luck, the judge, the horse, the
jockey, the trainer, the owner, the
track, the day, the poolroom, the
combination and even life itself With |
4 part of his remaining capital he takes |
/ drink, then goes to dive to recoup
It poker, penny ante, five cents limit.
All the night is wasted in the mean lit
lie game, and when the morning breaks |
ne finds himself in possession of three |
dollars and fifty cents. He has PLAYED |
hem right up to his breast" and rises |
rom the table worn out in mind and |
body. Breakfast ,seventy-five cents, a |
,igar and sunday cocktails seventy-five
,ents more, leaving the ''fend" with
.wo dollars for the pool-room.
The poolroom gets it in the course of |
lime and the ''iend' has to make a |
to get through the night.
And so it goes. 1T is the life of a dog. |
No, it is far worse. There is no hope !
or such man. He is on his way to
or worse-he may turn a
hief
The writer can take you to a score of
,ool-rooms in the city and show You a
hundred men who belong to the cate
rory of pool-room ''ficnds" The city
S full of them They abound They
,egin as boys. who bet their ten-cent
,ieces in combination with the ten-cent
pieces of their comrades. and they 90
IN till the passion becomes too strong
o resist.
The main thing is how to do away
With the betting temptationin the city.
nd to confine the evil to the race
rack. Betting is bad enough any
where. but if it is to go on let it be con-
med
If it were not for the pool-rooms Gut
enburg could not keep its gates open.
Nobody is going over there in such
FEATHER as has prevailed these ten
avs But so long as there is betting
= the city, and so hong as the pool
ooms pay the track for the returas,
Ist so long will the cesspool of racing
e protita bic venture.
Lord Beaconstield was right The turf
the greatest engine of national de-
loraliza tion.-N. y. Tribune.
No Fiu!Se.
JuGge-How did you happen to strike
he complaining witness?