Morning journal and courier., 1893-05-23
Monte Carlo Tricks and Ways.

lSt. James GaZette COrrespOnucncel
A typical row at the Casino comes In the
nick of time as postscript to the yearly
balance published by the keepers of the
notorious gambling den (something like
eight pounds dividend for every twenty
pound share); and take 1t as the earliest
opportunity of exhibiting a few of the
ways of the place. This is the official YER
sion of the row and its cause: Two play
ers had been caught experimenting, with
success, in simple and ingenious way of
"gtving the chance a chance" While one
of them was putting ffty franc notes on
squares or sixes," the other, standing
right behind the paying oroupiers, had
oontrived to slip two or three one thou
sand franc notes underneath the Fifty franc
one each time the ball had favored bis con-
federate's stake. The oroupiers, busy pay
ing and scooping the stakes, did not no.
tice the dodge at first, but, feeling that
there was something wrong, established q
watch, with the result that the culprits
were caught in the act. As matter of
course, payment was refused, words and
blows ensued, and, with the aid of the
chuckers-out, the men were elected and
arrested.
Well, anybody who knows the ins and
outs of the place will take this version
with several grains of salt. That Monte
Carlo swsrms with unprincipled ruffisns
nobody will deny; but the organization
of the partie precludes all possibility of
such childish tricks as the one above.
What with eight croupiers at every table,
the chef de psrtie, the inspectors, the de-
tectives, and the losing players, there are
two many eyes on each stake to admit even
Its probability. The cue of the situation
Is in the word feeling underlined above;
and what wish to imply here In all earn
est Is that nobody connected with the sd-
ministration of the Casino can admit a
| suggestion of heavy gains on the punter's
| side-they know better. Old Blanc, the
founder of the place, used to say: 81 will
give million to anybody who will prove
| certainty" and there is good deal more
In this saying than reference to the cal
| cul des probabilities.
The fact is that nobody 10 allowed to
win largely, and that In cases of e1traor-
| binary luck the administration knows
what precautions to take. First of all,
the Casino being In a way a club, card Of
| admittance Is necessary; this card must be
renewed every day, and may be refused to
| an unpleasant punter without giving him
| any reasons for IL. But there are other
ways of getting rid of obstinate winners;
there Is regular squad of agents provo
csteurs, whose mode of operation is very
simple; they pick quarrel over a stake
| with the man pointed out to them; and AZ
they are not In the least particular about
epithets or blows, whether taken or given
| Q row begins, q smiling inspector comes
| up with reinforcements, invites you polite
ly to come with him, and gets you out oi
the precincts of the place. There he ex
plains that, although he has no doubt yor
were in the right, tbs rule Of the place II
not to readmit those who have been tn.
cause of a row; and there you are.
Qusrrels about stakes are always plenh
full at Monte Carlo, and very often they
are genuine; in some cases, especially
when the stakes are email and on singl,
chances, the administration pays boil
claimants, and keeps an eye on them 1
unknown. For there is whole army o
ruined gamblers hanging round the place
known to everybody In 1t, and exercising
the profession of so-called ''orphan pick
ers" (oueilleurs d'orphelins). An "or
phan" Is q stake left by inexperienced no
vices about q minute longer than 1t eugh
to be, and kidnapped In the twinkling o
an eye by a cueilleur who has spotted hi
man. Croupiers and inspectors look witt
benevolent eye on those gresn-baizs pi
rates, snd generally side with them.