The Portland daily press., 1895-08-14
sARAToaAs FAMOUS CLUB HOUSE
The Fortunes Made and Lost in 1t During
the Old Morrissey Days.
Cincinnati Enquirer. }


From the advent of Morrissey the char
acter of Saratoga underwent radical
change. The sedate old wealthy families,
who had themselves toiled down to the
Springs in the mornings and lived a life
of rare elegance, began to feel the new
order irksome to them. The newcomers
were eclipsing them in elegance. They
had not been brought up to the rapid
pace that was being set, and SO they
surrendered and left.
But the clubhouse is to be only a
memory. Many and many rout has
there been had and many fortune
passed across the tables. 1t catered to
the plunger. No picayune player or
'piker % was ever encouraged. No one
who wished to sit down was ever re-
fused, but the men to whom the loss of
$50 OF of $50 was of evident moment re-
ceived little cheer and no sympathy.
Both the house and the players viewed
him with disfavor that he felt, and
under which he usually retreated. Its
rules were strict, as such rules go. Its
officers were men of the world. Its
croupiers and bankers were business like
and silent, but always extremely cour-
teous. The doors swung open to you
whether you had come to witness the play
or to participate in it. Its cafe was the
best in the village; it's services beyond
criticism. Its prices in the cafe were in
keeping with the service and the meals
but its patrons did not mind that Its
Il- rifh Ivy fornCtTn6 nd ifc
floors were bedded with costly rugs and
carpets. In word, it was in all re-
spects, save that gambling was its chief
feature, conducted as are first-class clubs
1t was in reality the center of interest
in the village. Parties of men and
women dined in the cafe. and then,
through the open doors leading into the
parlors they could see the play go on.
Had John Morrissey been eager for
money for his own sake, he could have
amassed tremendous fortune from it,
He probably made less from it than its
present proprietors. For some years after
his death the house waned tri1e, until
his secretary, Eugene Wood, got a one
fifth interest in it, and then 1T doomed
again Politicians and horsemen and the
men who follow them began patronizing
it, and the game rolled high. The two
past seasons were, perhaps, the best and
most profitable in it's history. Charley
Fleischmann and his son Julius, the mil
lionaire Cincinnatians, were sinveterate
roulette players, and in one night alone
they are said to have left $26, 600 with the
house.
George Wheelock, the Western plunger,
was in the club that evening, and he, too,
was a loser Some said that his was SO
close to $35, 900 that the difference would
scarce pay his hotel bills for month. He
and Julius Flieschmapn met. The latter
had horse in the race the next day, and
he asked Wheelock what he would lay
against him. Six to one' "heelock
answered. for any amount.
Then 1 will take $4,000 of it, said
Fleischmann.
1t was agreed. The bet was $50, 900
against $4,000 Fleischmann chuckled
at the joke he had planned. He re-
turned to the club and found Wheelock.
''Well,' he said, ''Wheelock, guess I
have won my bet. 1 have just purchased
the other five horses in the race and I
fancy I'll win
Wheelock was amazed. There was no
doubt he had been caught but he stood it
so we'll that F'leischmann relieved him by
declaring that he would call the bet off.
Wheelock was jubilant. He said he felt
that luck had turned, and went back to
the table. At daybreak he had won back
about $40 600 of what he had lost at the
Gottfired Walbaum, president of the
Saratoga racing association, Murray
Kelar Of Of Hot Springs, Ark, and a mum
Der of others were out one night dining.
Walbaum wore dress suit. 1t came on
to rain very hard, and cab was called
to take them home On the way to his
cottage Walbaum said the night was so
bad that $40 was little enough to give the
coachman, The club house was on their
way home, and Walbaum suggested that
they stop there and win the $40 at the