Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-12

their earnings. and many a game is carried
on in the lanes, the players often becom-
ing so interested that they lose all thought
of the policeman until that worthy appears
in their midst and nabs couple OF the
players. White boys play the game, 100
but negroes Of all ages and sizes shoot
craps There is only one other game which
equals craps in fascination for them; ana
that is policy, and as policy Is more liable
to be interfered with by the pohce' craps
has all the advantage.
There are destinations about the game
peculiarly African. 1t is not without Its IN
tricacies The ordinary come seven, come
eleven" plan Of the game Is simple enough
hut there is a crowd around the players,
there may be q half dozen interested IN the
game and a dozen side bets. HOW they
manage to keep the run OF the game is a
mystery to the ordinary observer. but they
do so with unerring accuracy. Fights over
crap games are rare.
The expressions common to the game are
amusing. New dress for de baby" ex-
claims one "See my gal Sunday night.
exclaims another DE little number 2"
says one, as that unlucky number shows up.
Il eight YOU" says another, meaning that
he bets that number will not turn up again
before the lucky seven" And SO II goes
The city council of New Orleans has just
passed a law making the game of craps
illegal. 1t does not matter where II Is
played whether in the streets. in the club
or at home, craps is specially singled out
as the most depraved Of gambling games.
not tC be tolerated anywhere. The game,
according to writer in Harper's, is Of
New Orleans origin, and over a hundred
years old. Bernard de Marigny, who en-
tertained Louis Philippe when he came to
Louisiana. and who stood. seventy years
ago. as the head of the creole colony of the
state, as its wealthiest and most prominent
citiZen-he was entitled to call himself
marquis in French-was the inventor. or
father of CRAPS" and brought 1T in high
favor as the fashionable gambling of the
day. When he laid off his plantation, just
below the then city of New Orleans-it Is
now the third district, but was then the
Faubourg Marigny-and divided ii up into
lots. he named one of the principal streets
Craps" and explained that he did so be-
cause he had lost the money he received
from the lots on that street In this favorite
game Of his. 1t remained Craps street I'M
til a few years ago. when a protest was
raised against such disreputable name
for a very quiet and respectable street.
especially given to churches THE Craps
ularly bad. After Bernard Marigny's death
craps as a gambling game descended in the
social scale, and was finally monopolized
mainly by negroes and street gamins. Some
five or six years ago. however, some Chi
cagoaf 8, who happened to be on the levee
| in New Orleans. were struck by the game
as offering novelties to the jaded taste OF
| dice-players, and took it home with them
1t crept into favor at once in the west, and
craps now RACES from the Mississippi to
| the Pacific, and no well-regulated gambling
| house is without a craps room" But
while it has f1ourished elsewhere IL has
| been tabooed in its birthplace And now
not content with the ordinary laws agains,
| all gambling games, The council has de.
| clared craps especially prohibited and
not to be played for money even in ones
back bed room. with the blinds pulled down
| in front.