The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-28

came monte, PLAYED with small, thin Next
can cards, somewhat too tightly squeezed
in the hand of the dealer to relieve the
game Of a suspicion of fraud. Twenty
one, roulette and lansquenet were popular
with noyices and 'chubbers," as timid
PLAYERS were called, but faro was the
gamblers game, and the one at which the
great stakes in every locality were lost and
won.
In addition TO the gambling houses in
which were played legitimate banking
games, lower and more disreputable halls
were to be founed in all the prominent
cities and towns Of the State, where, in
connection with faro and monte table,
various rascaliy gambling schemes for
fleeing the Cnwary were in vogue. There
faro was played with false boxes, monte
with waXed cards, and roulette with ap-
plignceS for secretly raising and lowering
mum bers on the wheel at the pleasure Of
the manipulation. At other tables French
monte. prick-i-the-loop cup-and-h ball and
dice games were presented, with adroit
"capperS" clad as miners 10 lure the ver-
dant nto their tolls. They were not games
of chance. They were simply methods of
robbery, and every dollar wagered was
lost.
The four games last mentioned were fire.
quently displayed on open verandas. side
walks and street corners. and the opera
tlons of their disguised stool. pigeons were
highly amusing TO those who unde rstoOd
their meaning. Many of these trcksiers
were from Australia. and were denomi-
mated Sydney ducks"
Nearly all professional gamblers were
expert short-card players; that is, they
were skilled in other than banking games,
and they seldom declined an invitation TO
take a hand ID game Of poker when the
betting limit was high enough TO render
the sitting respectable in the estimation of
the fraternity. Many gamblers devoted
themselves almost exclusively to short
card playing. with occasional dashes at
the banking games. When more profita-
bic adversaries could not be found they
played with each other. frequently for
heavy stakes.
There was also class of petty gamblers
Known as check-guerrilas and sharks
They were generally worthless young vag-
abonds who had abandoned honest labor
and subsisted upon what they were able
TO pick up in and around the gambling
houses. Their highest ambition was to be
recognized as sports" and they dressed
gaudilv when their means permitted,
talked loudly Of their losses and winnings
and aped the pecuiarities Of the profess
sional gambler. They hung around the
gambling tables. borrowing small sums
from the lucky, clubbing" when they
lad money, appropriating the stakes of
drunken PLAYERS whenever the opportunity
offered, and engaging liz short-card games
with novices. As rule they graduated in
tie end as Professional thieves instead Of
gamblers, and drifted to the gallowS or
penitentlary.
H.
Thus far / have written OF early gam
bling in California with almost especial
reference to its development and methods
~ the larger mining towns of the interior.
IN connection with ii, similar scenes and
conditions, augmented in proportions ami
multiplied in numbers. were met with in
San francisco. Sacramento, Storkton and
Marysyllle; but it was in the first two of
~, cites named that the gamblers held
their highest revels and engrossed the
greatest popular attention.
In sacramento. gambling houses occu.
pleo prominent places on both sides OF ]
street ana part OF X. from the water front
10 Seventh street, and the sidewalks were
lDcnmbered with the tables OF three-card-
monte sharps and stands OF other swim
ding games. From II O'Clock in the day
until past midnight the street gamblers
piied their rascally arts along the crowded
thoroughfares. with noisy offers 10 tet
Two, four or six ounces" that no gentle
man could "tutn the deuce" or find the