Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-07
GOSSIP OF GAMBLERS
The Business Said Not 10 Flourish Here
As II Once Did.
THEIR uALCYON DAYS ARE OVER
stories of the sportinE-Men-No'"
HE Raids Made by the Poiice-How
Their Tables Are Folded ana h"r
ried Out of Sight. iI.4f.i,.ii

| the rockets OF the innocent INTO the''
usually plethoric Golfers. and some u
then, are Of more than ordinary interest
The history Of gambling in this city is
! n varied one, and the vicissitudes OF 'he
| genus gambler from time almost iinrhe-
mortal have been numerous ."itha''
| however. the men who obtain their i've
Iihood in this precarious fashion are
kind-hearted and generous SET anu
though they meet with many faiis anu
are ALWAYS ready TO stake their last DOL
! Low or even their lives, on the turn OF
card. they are as a rule free from care
and pass down the walkways OF Hie
in as happy frame OF mind as IL they
had been forever granted Immunity from
troubles and knew not OF vale OF tears
a decade ago gambling thfived IN TINS
city as IL was tabled TO nave done on the
great Mississippi river, and houses where
| tho wheel of fortune was nightly turned
abounded on almost every street ana cor
ner of the principal thoroughfares. Then
the gambler thrived and lived on the TAT
| Of the land: now there are but few resu
larly equipped establishments here, and
but few devotees OF the game, and these
are content with large streak OF Ieah
in their once fat living.
PALATIAL HOUSES OF THE PAST.
Many years ago. as the story-books 60.
the gamblers were unmolested, and had
for their cohorts some Of the most promi-
nent citizens OF this section. Everybody
knew where their houses were, ana nun
dreds visited them nightly, and passed
away a few merry hours da!lyins with the
Goddess Fortune in her most alluiihs cos
tune. The houses were then paiauaiIy
fitted out Immense chandeliers sned their
light over the radiant scenes cToupleI'
, moved about on all sides, ana iiom sup
per until the wee sma' hours the games
/ continued undated, and hundreds OF
dollars changed hands.
These were palmy days for the gam
blers, and they reaped rlch harvest Inv
faro-tahles. always several in number in
/ zach house, were continually well pa
tronized. and after 10 o'clock at night IL
WAS almost impossible for one desiring
to play TO find a vacant seat. Inc rou
lette-tables were equally as popular. ana
for hours and hours. as the little pan
rolled merrily around. dropping here ana
there into the slot. which brought fortune
/ or misfortune TO some one OF the many
who thronged around II and watched IT,
| procress with breathless interest, there
was hardly a sound to be heard, save the
clinking of the ball ana thu short gasps
of the lucky or unlucky player, a. the
little marble settled.
Those were about the only two games
played then, except, Of course, the great
short-card games OF poker and seven
mn. together with casino and whist. But
I'm those days thousands Of dollars We're
won and lost on the turn Of card or
on the movement Of the little roulette
ball
The percentage which came to the houses
was large, and they could well AFFORD TO
look after the comfort Of their guests
Magnificent supperS were served and the
banquet halls were always scenes OF
revelry, as each victim or fortunate one
met there after the game and recounted
his experience. while the others munched
away on choice viands and either swal-
lowed their losses and washed the whole
down with Ciquot or ate heartily with
their hearts full of Joy and their pockets
bullying with money won from the table
MANY CHANGES HAVE OCCURRED.
Since then great changes have taken
place in the gambling area. the houses
are fewer in number, the stakes p'ayei
for are comparatiyely low, and but few
sports remain to pstroniZe the game
This wholesale falling off in patronage
has decreased the profits Of the proprie-
tors proportionately. and as natural
sequence many have gone out of the
business The houses which once were
the haunts of the gamblers know them no
more and the large banquet-rooms, Whefe
such extravagant suppers were served
in the years gone by 20 all who came
without remuneration therefor, nave
closed their doors. and all the gambler OF
to-day who visits one OF the laro-banKs
obtains as a gratuiiy Is an occasional
/ drink, which is spGrngly handed around.
This chance was brought about by the
police. who had long been contemplating
raiding the places and capturing the
gamblers. They matured all OF their
plans in 1872, and then one night, By pre-
concerted arrangement, the houses IN
each of the three police districts were
bounced down upon simultaneously, before
! the gamblers had receive warning. and as
a consequence, the business, so far as this
city was concerned. was completely amt
! hiated for the nonce All or the gamblers
who were to be found--and their name
was iegion-we.e taken into custody. and
of the paraphernalia was captured and
] burned.
The raid was made under the direction
| OF Major John Poe. Jr., who was then ChIei
of Police. Details were made up at each
police station under Captains James VI.
| Tyler. Charles VI. Epps. and John Dis
ney. and Sergeants Il. +. Howard, Ma
I gistrate w. Hall Crew, and Clerk-of-the-
Police Board Wallace Washington, We're
also taken along. The sports were taken
unawares. and the capture was the largest
ever made. The police started from
the station-houses promptly at II O'Clock.
and before midnight every gambler in
the city was in the tolls.
FOUND EMPTY HOUSES.
That was the last raid Of any note In
this city. There have been raids made
| by the police on Individual houses ara
several times they have made simul'ane-
Gus raids on all the houses, but usually
warning has been in some manner con-
| veyed to the gamblers. and when the POI
| lice visited their houses they were found
! open and not even the vestige OF a table
or card LETT TO show that there had
| ever been such thing in existence as a
gambling house.
Many of the houses are equipped with
folding tables. and with false doors. and
| the paraphornalia can be folded up and
removed by two or three men within a
very few minutes. thus making 1t pos
sible for the sporting men to make their
escape, and, nt the same time secure
their tables and other paraphernalia from
damage and loss.
None of the tables are heavy or cum
bersome. but are constructed out OF light
material. and can, If necessary. be trans
| ported through window or door by
one man. In some cases houses are
equipped with tables that are in them
selves unique mechanical devices. A
gamblingroom may, at Il moments no.
tice. by the use OF springs and automatic
| appliances. be converted into bedroom.
with furniture complete. and though the
same furniture may remain. IL will be