The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-03-14
AGAINST GAMBLING.
John Phillip Quinn, the Noted OK
Gambler, Made an
ELOQUENT and CONVINCING APPEAL
Against tho Gambling Evil at the
First Baptist church-A Fair Sized
Audience Listens With Great Atteu-
tiou-IIc Speaks Again Tonight.

now being prosecuted throughout the
country, arrived in the city yesterday
afternoon in his private car "Roanoke,"
from Parkersbura, where he preached
the latter part OF last week.
Last night Mr.. Quinn lecturod at the
First Baptist church, Twelfth and By
ron streets. IIo was greeted by only a
fair sized audience, composed mostly OF
ladies and gentlemen, not OF the class
that is the most fruitful field for him
to address. However, a part Of his lee
ture was devoted to social gambling,
including progressive euchre and whist,
now such a fad. The young man who
CANDLES occasionally and the inveterate
gambler, were not to be reached in a
church ediice. 1t is hoped that Mr..
Quinn will give an out OF door lecture
from his car platform tomorrow even.
ing, lilo would no doubt have u large
audience.
Tho meeting was opened with prayer,
after which Rev. o. S. Palmer, who is
Mr.. Quinn's Co.worker. said he wanted
to say n few words in regard to the OBJ
iect OF the anti.gambling crusade with
which he is identified, "When Mr..
Quinn was released from the prison to
which he was sent for u crime which he
did not commit, no was q converted
man, and began collecting facts about
this great curse, gambling, which came
to tho public in "Fools OF Fortune"
filling a place in literature not covered
by any other book, treating OF every
form OF gambling from the stock OK
change form to that practiced in the
parlors OF many homes"
"After the book was published he was
induced, through the efforts OF many
good men and women, to 20 before the
public and speak. This he did, and has
continued to the present day. Many
people hesitate about approving OF the
use OF gambling devices and instru.
ments in connection with the lectures,
but us a minister in Wilmington, Del,
said: 1T may seem out OF place TO some
of you to sec gambling implements in
the pulpit, | confess. | was much pre-
iudiced against this kind Of a lecture
myself until l heard Mr.. Quinn. l
heartily endorse him now, and what
ever may DO said in regard to any other
gambling devices, / can truthiully say
here Is u set that is just as truly conse-
Grated to the service Of God us any part
Of this church, and their mission is the
eame-to save souls So ! rejoice that
these gambling implements have been
sliced, to be hurled like Gattling guns
at this curse"
He then said until recently there has
been no organization to suppress gamb.
ling, but that now there is in existence
the Anti-Gambling Association, with
headquarters at Chicago, which is o.
ganizing state and local bodies all over
the country.
He also said that though possibly
meme in tho audience had aver held rail-
soad stock, they had q chance now to
4ako stock in tho car "Roanoke," which
had been consecrated to the crusade.
Mr.. eUrNN's LECTURE
Mr., Palmer then introduced the
speaker OF the evening, Mr.. John
Phillip Quinn, who spoke earnestly for
over an hour, receiving the earnest at
tention and appreciation OF the audience.
.1hls subject" said the lecturer, ''is
one that concerns the welfare OF every
family, youth, parent, wife, mother and
tho generations vet to come, l shall
not offer you q moral homily, but tho
hard results OF twenty-five years life as
q gamester, crowned by fourteen
months OF the hard life in a state pris.
on, for a crime l did not commit,
thank God. am before you filled with
the zeal.of a high purpose to unveil tho
shame and deprayity Of q shameful life,
which l can only look back upon with
sorrow, TO aid in the protection Of the
young men OF this country, from the
degradation that falls to every gam
bier"
Mr.. Quinn's voice was very hoarso
and he explained by saying that he was
just from Parkersburg. THAT town is
the worst for its size | ever saw. The
gamblers and the saloon keepers hold
supreme sway there"
A considerable portion OF tho lecture
was OF social gambling, which he de-
nounCed in unmeasurcd terms.
"How did | become u gambIor2 Born
on a farm in Missouri, Ihad a Christian
mother, but 4 sporting father, who
played cards and bet on horse races. l
began early TO play penny ante poker
in the haylofts with neighbors' boys.
Tho result was that five out OF six OF
those boys became professional gam
blers. Friends, il you could take tho
evidence OF every gambler in this city,
you would find that 90 per cent OF them
first learned to gamble at home. Tho
parlors are the stopping stone to tho
gambling bells. Homo gambling Is
making us q nation OF gamblers. | soon
sought wider fields, and became n pro-
fcssional gambler, its fascination tear
ing me away from homo early in life"
Ho gave d number Of instances Of boys
who learned to play cards at home, be-
coming professional gamblers. mo
young man ever steps from n home Of
purity to a den Of vice. You must play
tho first game before you can become q
gambler, would rather sec u son un-
der the sod than see him become n
gambler. I never know u gambler who
wanted his son 10 became q gamester,
but the son almost invariably follows in
tho footsteps OF the parent. Progressive
ouchro and whistarG the stopping stones
in a wrong direction"
"An ounce Of prevention Is worth q
pound OF cure. Once n devoteo Of this
curse, 1t holds u terrible fascination,
and l couldn't stop until l wal a con.
vGrled man."
lilo gavo examples Of tricks with cards,
including faro dealing, showing how
tho "suckor" Is beaten out OF his money.
lilo showed wonderful dOxterlty, saying,
81 don't believe there Is another man In
tho world who can deal them as fast us
lido"
Speaking Of tho honor Of gambling,
hn ontd nAfony nf than an az hovns