The morning times., 1896-01-12

through n brilliantly lighted vestibule an1
up flight OF handsomely carpeted stairs.
A pull at a silver bell knob on the right
brought a negro attendant, who scrutiniZed
the applicant through a latticcd door If
recognized the visitor was Instantly ad-
mitted TO "a magnificently furnished apart
meDt, elegantly equipped with all needed
parapherDalia. .!. e., srsr - ..t- o.,
Fine haugings graced the walls, costly
carpets covered Iithea floor, handsome
chandeliers lighted the scene, and heavy
curtains draped the windows, the latter
serving the double purpose of adding TO
the richness OF the surroundings, and, what
was more important, preventing the lights
from being seen from the outside.
SEDUCTIVE FARO GAME
And here it was, from evening until the
early dawn, go when you would. some one
| was engaged in tie fascinating game The
table and wines were free; no one obliged
| to play in return for the refreshment; tue
proprietor, a gentleman and entertaining
| gentleman, was quite sure that no guest
| would presume to partake II his hospitality
| without incurring the risk at the faro table
| White checks, 81; rcd checks, 50: blue
checks, S25; purple checks. 500; and a
| fair dealer to cope with, what more chuid
! ore ask? . ,71 ,,,,.-. %
The players of that day are said to have
| been for the most part men who had passed
| try, high in position and authority, and
many OF them charged with the handling or
| the funds OF the nation. Governors, Con-
sressmen. Officers, dressed IN the Diue ana
gold of the Army and Navy. were congre-
gated in this gilded palace almost nightly.
1t is stated to be an actual occurrence
that during a certain session or Congress
the proprietor of noted gambling house
received from the esergeaa;-at-a rms nearly
all of the salaries OF large proportion OF
the members of the lower house, upon
orders made payable to him BY the. men
who had been his Patrons and II was
not at all infTequent that the leaders OF the
day Were under obligation to this same
proprietor for temporary i6dns, i'll large
amounts, for which he held their II. o. |
U.s.
Some of the greatest men the country |
has ever produced were frequcnterS OF the |
Congressional |
PAPERS GOT AFTER IT.
So notorious did this fact become that |
the newspapers published long stories of |
the proceedings, and from one of them, OF |
date more than thirty years past, this |
extract is taken: 7..,....ss.
a single glance at the group around |
the faro table when game is geiRg, on |
viii reveal the character and, in many cases, |
the identity OF the persons pla yiHg'o Ii is
well dressed group ,aad well worth
sketch.
Here stands an .ex1 general OF the
Army, next to him Senator or the United |
States, bearded and tall, with n face CORFU
gated with wrinkles. the result of intense
study of knotty financial problems. No
man is better known than he. He holds in
his hands 4 stack of blue chips, worth
Il quarter OF a hundred dollars apiece.
He Wins well and loses better, and is |
warmly welcomed at the gaming tables.
Nis-l-vis. watching "A huge pile of
red chips, is another United States Sena-
tor. He halls from the far West, and this
is Il favorte resort of his after the evening
dinner party or caucus. He does not ex-
hibit the same stoicism OF his friend but
fiIshes and paies alternately through his
gray beard. as his money is doubled or
swept away by the turn of the cards -tN5 |
Ono OF the richest mining States on
the Pacific coast also has n representative
mere who Is Il desperate bettor. and who
always plays to win. His bald head fairly
glistens with satisfaction when he has n |
run Another Western and another Pacific
state watch the cards through Senatorial
'pcctacles but the bets they make are few
and far between.
HOUSE REPRESENTED ALSO.
The other end OF the Capitol is repre-
'ented more or less fully. Illinois has
.wo sons there, and New York, Pennsyl-
'anla. indiana, Ohio, Missouri and Mime |
'ota seldom fail of having one rnlore
representatives around the faro table
There were some, however to-ybom even
ne slight publicity given, their acts in
ne man room was too mhch and these |
IRE nderstood to have sought upper |
tories where there was no danger OF de- |
ection or intrusion.
On these occasions the game was gen
rally whist, eucher, or poker, and some
imes keno. A waiter was in constant ar
endance to bring up the drinks" and |
lso to give warning of the approach of an
intruder.
People from almost every department of
he government and business men known
A Washington as well as any OF the public
fficials, crowded the "CongressionaI,' Mt
IL hours OF the night. and bankers as well
S society men, hustled each other for a
lace about the seductive green-toD tables.
Visitors to the lower grade establishments 9
net monsters in masks. Dectntly dressed.
WITH the manners of u courtier, they were
Is base and as cruel as they We're trcacher-
'us and cowardly. The Mexican greascr
'ouia ''r nas Dos more quickly strike you down !
or less cause, than would these reckless I
abitues OF the low class gambling ,dcns. !
THEIR RULING PASSION
Inc Chinese pencfiant for fan-tan docs
ot exceed the feverish passion dispIaycd | 4;
y these professionals for the exercise ;
tneir So-called skill, and once inside | !
he victim was invited to play. His refusal :
1Variably brought an insult, often an as
ault, and the amount OF villainy prac-
ced was governed altogether by the
epth TO which the establishment had 7
esccDded in the scale OF ''respectabili;v. a
Such was the ra gefor gambling in WASH
nSton in an age that is so recent as that S
s remotcness may be measured by the t
pan of an ordinary life. z
1t is difficult now That thero ;s q
going on here is indlisputable. C
ut ike Joey Bags;ocs, it Is .'devilish y
y," and the humber of prurn;upnt r,en e
Tho indulge the passion is oomparnt:ve,v g
United. r
Inc owes and dcns are practically ex- n
net, and even the loDS-entlurcd ,Jackson s
ty nuisances are, for the present. ot
ast, reduced to totheminmum. rGoycrnor h
errail employs the propcr remedy a