The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-15
GAMBLING IN RICHMOND
FACTS ABOUT THE DENS OF THIS
CITY BASED ON OBSERVATION.
Man Who Has Been In Them and Who
Has Seen How They are Conducted
Tells Of What He Knows.
To the Editor Of The Times.


known sporting man in the defense Of the
professional gambler
This article. while very interesting
reading TO the calm and dispassonate
reader yet to the hot-headed. impetuous
youth 1t is very misleading. and is well
calculated to teach such one to WOO the
tickle Goddess of Chance in some one Of
the many gambling dens which stand
with open doors in our very midst and
offer TO the seekers after excitement and
gain the means of satisfying their mad
desire.
1 have read Mr.. Pat Sheedy's article
very carefully and after considering 1t
have reached the conclusion that the en-
tire article, while apparently warning
to the youth OF our country against the
gambling vice, is really but huge adver-
tisement for the gambling fraternity
throughout the United States, as | under
stand the same article has appeared In
other Of the leading journals of the coun-
try.
AS Mr.. Sheedy very truly states, ne has
painted "the bright spots In the life OF
gambler" In euogtzlng the gambling
profession, he says In their ranks us 20
kind" that in comparison with
the general run of mankind they are as
white stones to a tray of off-colored dia-
monds filed with flaws" And In speak
ing OF three especially noted samesters
he says: These three men do more good
than any three men, be they Christians
or laymen. in this great universe"
II these were facts. TO lead the life OF
a gambler would be a most praiseworthy
ambition. But these are not facts. Mt
Sheedy has only pictured the bright SIDE
of the gamblers life. lauding reckless
ness under the alluring name OF nerve
and dash" and gliding smoothly and
artfuiiy over all reference 20 the evils
CONSEQUENT 10 a gamblers lawless life.
II is with the idea of presenting to the
readers of The Times a truthful and
unvarnished statement tbased on actual
observation Of gambling as II is con-
Quoted here In Richmond that this article
is written.
As is we'll known. all gambling Is pro-
scribed by the laws OF the common
wealth, and this in itself places both
those who run these deus and those who
frequent them in the attitude OF crimi-
nails. and makes them liable to the full
extent of the law Furnishing such oHense
by fine arid imprisonment
There are about ten gambling houses
in this city. and we give their location as
far as practicable, in order that they may
be Stunned. The principal ones are To-
Gated as follows.
No. eO7 cast Broad street, over shoe
store.
No. 3O7 north Seventh street, over barber
shop.
No. 7o4 east Broad street. over cigar
store.
No. sl3 1-2 Bank street over barber
shop.
Fourteenth and Franklin streets. over
drug store.
Next 10 corner Franklin and Governor
streets, over barber shop.
There are besides these number OF
poker rooms, policy shops. &c. In those
specified the principal games played are
faro roulette and German hazard. These
games. as far as the writer knows. may
or may not be conducted fairly, but that
is immaterial to our purpose, as In any
event the players in the long run are IN
yariably the losers and the dealers the
winners.
The players who patronlze these games
are mostly from the working CAESAR
tisans mechanics, clerks and laborers-
although nearly every profession and
vacation In life has representatives.
around the green board. ] have seen law
vers. doctors. State and Federal officials
here assembled. Here the society man
and the tough. old and young, De they
wealthy and influential, or only wage
workers or yagabonds, mingie indiscrimi-
nately. All who bring gold are welcome
here Night after night the unequal
battle between the players, heated by
excitement and drink. on the one side. ana
the cool and practiced professional on
a.. L. continued THE only sound 10
break the almost deathlike stiffness is the
labored breathing Of the players, the oec
casional cllnk OF glasses, or the click OF
the chips as they are raked in or paid
out by the dealer.
With the exception Of the last few days,
the outer doors OF these houses have al
ways stood enticlngly ajar, but TO gain
admittance to the inner portals you must
first be inspected through a peep-hole
cut in the door. by the trusty black, who
ever guards that entrance. III the inspec-
ton is satisfactory. you are admitted.
Bows, scarce sixteen years OF age, are
admitted, and the small gains which oc-
casionalIy come to them serve but as an
impetus 10 that mania for gambling,
which. when once thoroughly aroused.
knows no rest, and is never satiated until
1t has destroyed every noble feeling and
good impulse of its victim
/ n
and distorted countenance, wager away
the last dollar of his months salary at
a single sitting What must have been
the feelings OF that young man as he
wandered slowly homeward. empty
handed, in the mists OF the early morning
hours, his nervous system all but shat
tered, his brain Keeling, and his breath
redoient with the fiery fluid. which had
been so literally bestowed upon him. as
he squandered away his hard-earned
wages? Think OF the anxious mother, de-
pendent upon her boys earnings. as she
watches and waits for his return: and
then see him, as guilty and shame
faced quivering in every limb. he meets
her. What a meetingi And yet this Is
the work OF one of the best and nObiest
OF mankind" OF whom Mr.. Sheedy says:
II really feel honored that l am one OF
the guild"
Another scene. 1t was In the Governor
street dive, on a Sunday afternoon 0or
that is the busiest day for this game"
as IL Is the only one In the city that runs
on Sunday. that | beheld one Of the sad
dest and most pathetic scenes that II has
ever been my misfortune to witness.
Among the other players | noticed, upon
entering the room. an old man, apparently
about seventy years of age. His scanty
gray locks fell over n brow wrinkled and
parchment-like, from beneath which his
restless, dark eyes, though deep-sunken,
fairly glistened with excitement as they
followed each move of the dealer as he
slowly drew card after card from the
box. He was only betting few cents at
the time. but his whole soul seemed to
follow each play that he made. Loss
followed loss. and still the trembling
hands pushed out the checks upon the
board. | had quickly seen from his al