The herald., 1898-09-17
Belts LAST BET MADE
STOLE MONEY AND LOST 1T AT
THE GAMBLING TABLE
The Criminal Episode in the Career OF
Former Angeleno in Mexico.
Threatened Suicide

There was a time when George u. Bets
was character in this city's financial ans
social circles. He is now branded as thief
and is a refugee from justice, all through
his love for the twirl Of the roulette wheel
and other pastimes which bring men TO all
that Is bitter, Gespairing and ruinous in life.
Mr. Belts. who is we'll connected in this
city and comes from a family of high stand
ing in the nation, commenced his dalliance
with the attractions that line the primrose
path that leads to Golgotha WREN he was
real estate agent and financier of this
city some three years ago. He commenced
his career under favorable auspices and
made some money and could have made
more, but 1t came too slow to meet his
requirements and he resprted to the science
of the touch. He practiced This with such
success that he had all Of its branches down
pat.
He could work the rush touch. the rough
and ready touch, the forgot my pocke.
book touch, the fellow disappointed me to-
day about some money touch The sick wife
touch; all Of them he reeled off exactly as
needed by the exigency of the minute or
The qualities of the good thing he had by
the coat lapel. One mistake that he made
was to monkey with checks when he hac
no money and to grow bi. careless about
clients money. His partners were grad
ually forced to leave him, and soon the
news came that he had left for Mexico.
His wife was left here, but soon after
wards he sent for her and she has since
been with him, according 20 the Mexican
papers, now being a matron in one Of the
81 he q
most worthy woman, one Of that kind who
seem fated to be burdened by husbands as
degraded as they are elevated in their
views. She has not lived with him since he
sought the lower levels Of his career, bu,
has sought to support herself
When Belts arrived in the City of Mex
leo he secured a position for time in The
business office of a newspaper there but
on account, it is said. of his awkwardness
with figures was obliged to give 1t up.
Since then he tried one thing after another,
until lately he has been a runner for the
Grand hotel. meeting trains and shouting
for guests On the 9th inst he went 10 the
depo, 10 meet the National railway train
from this country, and picked up as CUES
for his house an American, whom he took
;oJt the office and registered. The clerk was
away at the time, and the arrival took
Belts for the manager. as he was fairly
well dressed and talked very big. He took
nut a roll of bills from his pocket amount
ing to 1920 or s13O0, and remarking that NJ
did not like to carry so much money about
with him. asked that It be locked up in
The safe for him. Belts took the money
sealed 1t in an envelope and wrote the man 3
name on the back and pretended to put In
A place of safety. The traveller went to hts
room and Belts went outside, keeping the
money, and has not been seen since. Later
| in the afternoon Mr.. Drake, the manager
| of the hotel, received the following letter:
Mr.. Drake: I don't know what you Will
think Of me. BY the time this letter reaches
| YOU I will be beyond the reach of all aid.
| I do not know what to say, except that
must have been crazy for the time being.
When the money was given me by the
guest l lost every cent Of 1t at No. 12.''
No. - is a gambling house on the Street
of the Holy Spirit. He had played there
for a number of hours and had lost almost
every bet he made, most of which had beer
$50 each on the roulette board. Then he
| tried monte with the same luck hardl!
winning one time In twenty, and soon ht
was seleaned out, leaving the place with
but a few pieces of silver in his pocket. The
attendants said that he had played a crazy
game, making silly bets and taking tht
most desperate chances stalking his none.
recklessly or every spin of the ball.