The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-17

these decent enjoynenss that make life
really worta living.
If anybody thinks ss hare exaggerated
the fatal results Of the gambling vice, let
him read the story Of Lloyd AspAnwalis oil
New York city. whose gambling habits
have broken up bis family. ruined his for.
tune. brought-him 20 jail on the charge OF
forging his brothers signature 20 note.
caused bis expulsion from the Union Club
and lost him al his friends. This man is
today but 5 years Of sge. he was bora
heir 20 one Of the soundest mercantile
houses Of New York city. that OF Rowland
& Aspinwa founded by the HoEiands IN
the last century and developed By Aspin-
walls father and grandfather, both of
whom we're eminent and respected ner-
chants. The firm az one time had
the largest trade on the Pacific
coast, and owned the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company. Young Lloyd
Asrinwall was married tn 1851 when he
vss . years old; he had then salary of
s. 800 q year as correspondent of the
house. and bis father made him an allow
ance Of e, 500 more. He says he was then
happy man. When his father died in
1886 he inherited his entire interest in the
business and 500 600 In cash. At once he
went into heavy specuIations. His in
terest in the firm paid him $4,000 year.
and his expenses amounted TO from $5o.-
600 20 s75,0o0 year. At times he had as
much as $4,000 balance to his credit.
Then from stock gambling. where ability as
well IS luck may possibly count for
something. Aspinwali went to the rou-
lette wheel, where there 10 nothing but
chance. with q certainty of absolute defeat
IN the end. In abont three years aud
half AspinwalI ran through $3.50, 900 play.
ing roulette. He lost $50. 90 at one sitting,
and the biggest coup he ever made was
5000 OF course, while this intense
passion for gambling possessed him HE
business began TO go 10 ruin. The note.
pnrporting 70 be Endorsed by his brother.
on which he was arrested for forgery was
given for q gambling debt. Suit was
brought against him and his brother. but
the brother questioned his Endorsement.
Aspinwaii says ii was n mistake In judy
ment on the brothers part-"he thought
he could obyiate the necessity for its pay
ment because IL was gambling debt: he
aid not want to pay the note himself aud
he wanted to save me from paying il. He
merely questioned his Endorsement; he
did not say il was not his" The holder
of the note arrested Aspinwail for
forgery. and on trial the brother of Aspin-
wall testified that 1t was not forgery, and
so secured his brothers release. There is
nothing peculiar in this case, except that
Aspinwall had large fortune 10 throw
away and o solid business TO ruin, while
the average victim of the gambling vice
has but small fortune TO squander and
small business to ruin. The case of
Aspin wall would attract no attention
were il not for the fact that he was very
rich young man born to great opportuni-
ties; man who came of excellent stock
and heir to solid business. The gambling
vice attacked him, and il made as short
work of him as it has made of hundreds
Of petty victims all over the country, who.
in proportion TO their means were just as
reckless 'buckers" of the local tiger" as
Aspinwall.
Alcoholism is q noisy vice; 1t walks in
shoes the clangor of whose irregular foot
steps vex the peaceful air. but the victim
of the gambling habit, like the morphine
fiend, walks in shoes that are shod with
wool. A noiseless vice, compared with
intemperance. it inficts quite as WIDE
spread ruin, for the sober scoundrels al
ways infiict the most widespread mischief,
because their sobriety invites confidence
and furnishes opportunity. The gambling
vice means Mr.. Rock and Mr. Pigeon
Mr.. Pigeon may die early an honest dupe.
but Mr.. Rock is bird of prey as long as
there are any pigeons in existence.
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