Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-08-20

at the gaming IoO'SS
to ascertain the best time TO oper-
ate, When he finally became seated at
a table where thousands were being
staked he gave the sign to the orloeo
attendant and called for fresh PACK OF
cards. The attendant skillfully changed
the pack given him for the table at
which the swindler was seated. Of
course. the scheme secured o big pile,
but II was not through the ordinary
methods employed by gaming tricKsters
to mark the cards.
He always wore glasses when about
the gambling house, On the prepared
cards which the brbed attendant handed
him were series Of dots and dashes SO
small that
reflection WAS ABSOLUTELY IMPos-
sIBLE.
But to the swinder these signs were
like the tick Of the telegraph key to the
teleprapher, and as easily read, though
not discernible by the naked eye Inc
glasses worn by the swindler were mag
nifying glasses. So it can be readily
seen that the minute dots and dashes on
the back OF the card enabled the rogue
TO know exactly what cards his oppon-
eots held, and hence his success.
There is not to-day gambling house
or race track pool room operated IN
New York. Repeated raids OF this class
Of resorts by my efficient assistants
have broken them up In most ellec-
tive manner. But gambling at the
race tracks is securing great
hold on the people, not so much So
though, as in France, nation that Is
abandoning its proverbial thrift Tor the
hazards of speculation. The trench'
asa nation. were very free from the
gambling passion before the revolution,
but since then, l learn from Partisan
notice officials who recently visited me,
a great change has taken place.
Horse racing has undergone great
extension, but by no means in the same
proportion that betting on horse races
has increased. 1t is the bookmaker'
not the Jockey, who has done the mis-
chief. Formerly the French never oet
on horses except at the race course
they went to enjoy the spectacle. NOW
most Of the betting goes on In cares ana
wine shops, and the measures taken oy
the government of late years to reduce
evils arising from this state OF things
are well known. But when betting is
concerned there is always way OF out
thanking tho law, and the number OF
nersons belonging to the working class
who spend all the time they can steal
from their regular employment at the
house of the sporting GAZETTEER and mar
troquett increase
RATHER THAN DIMINIsHEs.
The GAZETTEER himself, although his
business is is keep out Of danger and to
make as much as he can from others
who are drawn into it, is sometimes en-
tangled in the same meshes with his
customers, or allows the shrewdest OF
them to vlctimize him. This was the
case with the man Coupe, as told by a
cable dispatch recently. He kept a
small cafe and wine shop In the rue de
la Glaciere, whose extensive falth In
tips brought him TO the brink OF ruin.
Like q Monte Carlo gambler broken
down In health and credit, he saw no
solution but death; and having brought
his wife to the same way OF thinking,
he shot her, his two children and him
self. II is this horrible affair that has
made the betting nuisance In Paris
again a subject Of public discussion.
The government has been asked to
take measures still more draconian,i
order to put 1t down: but experience
has proved that when people have fallen
into bad habits they are not to be
brought back 10 the straight path OF
virtue by legislation. The truth Is that
the same class of people who formerly
were content to toll year after year,
DENYING themselves all luxuries and
putting by every franc in order to
secure for themselves little independ-
epce. now find either that the struggle
is too severe and hopeless or that their
resolution is not equal to so prolonged
an effort All are casting about to IND
| short cuts to fortune; Not all In
! France, but in the United States as
WE'LL" and the conclusion to which most
OF them come is that there Is no short
cut 10 this much desired goal except
gambling, either Of the frank and open
kind or disguised by phraseology that
| gives it a more respectable color.
BUT ENOUGH AS TO Gambling.
There has been quite number OF
new weapons used by criminals brought
me recently, but the most dangerous OF
| all is the gimlet knife. 1t is a weapon
so dangerous that its manufacture is
! forbidden by law. This is the smallest
fighting knife used by the people on
] this earth and one OF the most deadly.
In length the knife is hardly longer
than a long gimiet, so that II can read
lily be concealed inside the waistband OF
! the trousers. The handle is not set on
! parallel with the blade, as Is an ordin-
~ knife, but at right angles like that
! OF a gimlet, hence the name. The ham
die is grasped with the blade between
the second and third fingers, the upper
part of the blade being drawn
| down to shank so as 10 pre-
| vent cutting the fingers while the
| knife Is so held. The blade when In
position represents merely an extension
! OF the axis arm and is not held at
right angles to the arm as the villain In
| the play holds his knife. The oIade is
made OF the best steel, Is doubled
| edged for two thirds Of its length ana
is as keen as a razor. II Is not dagger
| pointed, but has stronger FORMATION
| OF a rounding point. The blade i:
short but long enough TO inhict fatal
wound. and so strong aud keen that II
will divide a rib under powerful bio"
or cut through any garment Ike 50
much paper. The peculiar position OF
the handle leaves nothing Tor an ad'
yersary TO grasp ct except the blade
so that II is impossible for the Weilder
Of the knife to be disSrmed; the more
so as the handle curves In at the end,
giving the fingers better hold upon
Tbere has also been added to our
| ..i1.ntinn Of deadly MeapOps the regu-