The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-29
ELECTRICITY IN GAMBLING.
Devices to Which Profess
sional Players Resort.
From the Electrical Review

Apropos of the recent exposition in one
Of our daily papers of the maner Of
dishonesty winning races through the
agency of the electric current, we may re-
call several of the ingeniously contrived
cheating devices used by gamblers.
sharpers and others for the purpose Of
carry ng on their nefa ious traffic. Among
the deeIces secured by the police during
a recent raid on a New York gambling
establishment there was one device for
stopping the passage of a marble at q
certain point, which could be changed at
the viii and discretion of the operator in
charge Each compartment was regularly
numbered and had underneath IL a small
secreted electro-magnet. the wires from
which were 50 connected with spring con-
tact points placed under a footboard,
which in turn was situated and hidden on
the floor, that the bali could be arrested
in progress at any point.
Here, though, was apparently diff
Guilty in connection with its successful
operation. While IL is true that the ball
could be stopped, the suddenness of the
stop would Immediately attract the sus-
piclons of the players 1t was evident
that the stoppage must be performed
gradually so as to appear natural. A
quick glance at the wheel showed the
operator which compartment was the
uDSb IIOuLdUlb OtlG lDE MIN. ne Dali
slowed up, stopped and he gathered in his
ill-gotten gains.
TO AVERT SUSPICION.
The gradual slowing up was produced
by successive mum Der of weak impulses
sent through the adjoining electro-mag-
nets, thus retarding the progress of the
ball, which was composed of an inner
sphere of soft iron. surrounded by
highly polished celluloid coating. Great
skill on the part OF the operator was, Of
course, required TO avoid detection. But
the men who worked this scheme felt so
sure that discovery was impossible that
their very holiness and audacity fur
thered their work. Murder, however,
will out, and the secret was finally laid
bare TO a curious crowd.
Another device that attracted consid-
cradle attention was planned TO deceive
the most inquiring. A table was devised,
the top Of which contained a number of
squares laid off similar to a chess board.
Immediately above the center of the
board was suspended light metallic ball
by cans of slender silken thread A
compound mechanical motion at the top
of a triangular framework placed imme-
dlately over the center OF the board
caused the silk thread TO take a rather
erratic course. On the boards were
placed q number of statuettes somewhat
similar to chessmen, but all of appoxi-
mately the same hight. The suspended
ball was started on its erratic course
while the table was slowly revolved.
AN INGENIOUS ADVANCEMENT.
Bets were then made as 10 which par
ticular piece would remain erect when all
the Others were knocked down. Piece by
piece they dropped until but one remained,
and this one, Of course, was declared the
prize winner. The game was even more
hoo tksNaFf I'D
but If anything, it was more ingenious.
The way in which it was made "a sure
Thing for its possessors was as follows:
Underneath each individual so uare was
rather strong electromagnet, all the
north poles pointing upwards Each
magnet was separately controlled in an
ad dining room, signal being commune
Gated 10 the operator by any Of the well
known systems common with so-called
second sight" performers. Inside of
the light suspended ball was a compound
permanent magnet with the north
pole pointing uownwards. Each marker,
which described as some
what similar TO a chessman was loaded
with piece Of soft iron passing through
its axis The pieces for as many players
as were present were placed upon the
board The operator then. according to
his discretion, selected the piece which
he desired TO remain till the last. The
signal was given ana the ball was started.
OF course the piece left till the last was
the one selected. and time after time were
his wages OF cheating gathered in. Nor
did the crowd OF fools diminish
Current from a few cells of battery
being sent through the electromagnetic
energized it, nor,h pole uppermost. The
piece was held rather securely against
the board, and even If the light ball did
knock against it, the force Of the blow
was not sufficient to dislodge it from its
position.