The morning call., 1893-04-16
2l2|;;>
W MURPHY BUILDING, +
Market and Jones Streets.
WON AND LOST.
Some Experiences of Billy Deutsch,
Who Is Now Penniless.


st. Louis Globe Democrat
A few years ago everybody knew Billy
Deutsch. the man who was the talk of
Paris and New York, and the star handler
of cards and coin the world over. The man
about town recalls him when he came back
TO New York from Paris with his horses
his carriages and his money. The wonder-
full clothes he then wore are supplanted by
suit of black, the mustache droops hope
lessly, the black eyes have lost their fire and
the face is thin and pale. The money, too,
was distinctive feature of the old figure.
1t is almost stranger TO the present. For
six weeks Deutsch has been III in the En-
pire Sanltarium at 103 West F0rty-seventh
street. New York. He is suffering from
phthlsis, and his physicians say that an i'm
mediate change OF climate is his one hope
OF prolonging his life. He complains that
many of his friends seem to have forgotten
that they are using money he lent them, for
only four have answered his letters remind
Ing them of their Indebtedness TO him. Two
OF the Tour merely said they were sorry for
him.
Il was born In the old First Ward" he
said, "forty-e ght years ago. In 1873 | went
into the theatrical business with my cousin,
Maurice Grau. stayed with him for two
years, when | bought The Mighty Dollar
l ran the play for five years. Then / got
out and went to Europe again, with more
than S125,0O0 clear profit. 1t was in 1884,
while In Paris, that l Lad an inspiration
that could win at baccarat. / felt this
inspiration because my small stakes invari-
ably brought me large winnings. began
to RISK all my winnings, playing the dealers
money and taking out my own after the first
winning. Luck was with me. won every
time l played. In three months l won
$4,000. With that money / travelled
through Europe. | took my horses and SER
wants with me, buying everything In sight.
One night in Vienna | bought half the
seating space in music-hall Then l in
ylted the whole house to drink with me.
Ihey drank; paid S2S00 for my fun. l
got BACK To Paris in the spring of 1885 on
borrowed money. An American had rail-
road scheme, ana | floated $40 600, 600 worth
of bonds of the railroad. My commission
put me- on my feet. l gambled again and
lost my money.
"On July % 1885, went into the Franco
American Club with $50. all had. got
dinner, and with the remaining $50 | tried
my cDance at the game In an hour / lost
every penny. just as l quit Lorillard
spencer, John Garcia and another man
came IN. We sat down to a game Of whist.
won 80 francs from them, playing on
credit. owed for drinks and cigars and
threw down 10-franc piece. l put the
3-iranc piece change in my overcoat pocket
L Threw down the remaining 90 francs on
the table and lost 1t. / went out, broke, to
go nome. In buttoning up nv pvereOat l
lelt piece OF money in my side pocket. IL
was 5-franc piece. j went and threw 1t on
the table; won let 1t lie; won again. Some
times would let two deals go by. Every
time played l won, and generally played
my whole pile. l quit $4,000 winner /
salied Tor America and got here on Septem-
Der 10, 1885. brought my horses, carriages
ana servants with me. l lived at the Hoff-
man House and stayed here until November
II. brought over with me about S600 900
and took back 100000. / lost tie difference
In wall street and on friends. l was broke
again in France in less than six months. /
owe In Paris now about 100000 francs.
Gambling is disease. the hardest in the
world to cure, harder than consumption"