The evening times., 1897-03-05
CAPITAL POKER SCANDAL.
Senator's and Representatives Ruin
ed at II Swell Club.

ed at a Swell Club.
swell poker club, located right down
in the hotel quarter of Washington. has
recently come into scandaIous disrepute
by reason OF the discovery that about
twenty Representatives and two or three
Senators have been running themselves
playing at the place. Several Congress
men have not only played in all the
money they had and all they could bor-
row, but have been spoutng the orders
on the sergea ut at arms for six, eight,
ten. and in at least two cases. twelve
months ahead, to obtain means with
which to feed the game. The game has
most voracious and Unsuitable Kitty
and the '-rake-off' runs from $500 to $500
o night, 1T is said This alone, cid DO
ker players say, will "eat up any crowd
of devoteeS If they stick TO the game long
enough, and that seems TO be the matter
with this club
The owners OF the club have the Il o.
Us" OF Congressman to the amount of
$50, 900. and have cleared $50. 900 besides
in the few months it has been in existence.
it is said. As near as can be learned.
only two men out of the scores who play
an old st. Louis gambler politician and
the other an official in one of the depart
nents, who is counted the-best poker
player in the capital. Texas, Missouri,
Kentucky, Tennessee, New York, Cali fornia.
Pennsylvania aud several other States have
contributed distinguished losers TO the
game, and one member from valley State
hasleft evidence OF indebtedness at the club
to the tune OF 81 500. This same individual,
whose term, by the way, expires March 4,
has struck Cabinet minister for 81. 600
and retiring Representative for $500. Not
satisfied with that, he is said to have Dor
ror ed money from a dozen or more of his
fellow wnenlbersonhisF f Februarypay Y acc sunt
Tie sergeant -at-arms is looking for real
pleasant tlue when the holders of the
paper assemble on the last day of the
alonth 70 realize thereon. The gentle
man In question has been reputed rich,
but parties who have been inQuiring into
background matters with view Of as
ccrtaining the value OF their collateral
find to their sorrow that he has only a
Ii fe interest in the income of much of the
property supposed to be lodged in his
name.
The end OF nearly every Congress un-
covers some ugly scandal OF this sort,
but it has been a good while since any,
thing SO glaring as this has come to
light. As for the poker club, that seems
to have been responsible for large share
of the unpleasantness. It is understood
that the attention OF the authorities has
been called to it, and it is likely to be put
under the ban in the near future, if it has
not been already.
The most industrious agents for the
poker club are the lobbyists, or '.parlia-
mentary commis who usually
make a living out OF legislation The spe-
cial interests which have been heretofore
giving them employment, having adopted
the policy of doing business direct with
Congressman the lobby crew is driven to
preying on Legislators. They have directed
the steps of many sportive member to
the portals of the club, for what considera-
ton is, of course, matter known only to
the principals Washin gton correspondents
Chicago Post.