The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-01
BROKE MONTE CARLO
CHARLES L. WELLS TELLS HOW HE
CLEVERLY DID THE
TRICK
HIS CAPITAL WAS $4,000


Francs or Maximum Stakes of
100000 Francs-Advises Players
Not to Think of the Monetary
Issue, but Concentrate All Atten-
ton on How to Win the Game.
By Charles Wells
l have not got a penny in the world.
but hope to have fortune OF at least
couple Of hundred thousand pounds
within a year.
l have perfected a new system, by
which can be absolutely sure of win
ming
l will tell you the way in which broke
the bank before. To begin with, had a
capital of $4,000 used to bet on runs"
or Series as they call them in French.
l bet the minimum stakes of 5000 francs
or the maximum stakes of 10000 francs
With luck against me bet the minimum
stakes. By following this system 1 took
On one occasion all the one hundred and
all the one thousand-franc bank notes
supplied to the trente ct quarante table,
and the croup1ers had to pay one deal in
small notes and gold pieces, until the
cashier brought another $4,000 for the
table,
l insured myself against the banks odd
chance, or "refait," by setting aside a
special fund of 1 per cent on my stakes.
This cost me $1,000 day. I sent my win
nings home to London.
An important part of my new system is
a method Of rapid calculation A weak
QYt IF Mo DIV
culation.
A month ago I was in jail. A month
from now I shall be courted by lords and
ladies.
1t Is true that one needs money to gam
bic at Monte Carlo, and that have none
just now; but no man who has shown my
success in winning at the tables will long
want for hacker l am willing to divide
my winnings for a certain period with
any man who will finance me. 1 should
be very glad to have some rich American
enter into partnership with me, for 1 feel
very kindly toward America. believe
that 1 should be better appreciated in
your country than here.
I have little doubt, however, that I
shall find financier. My previous sue
cess and even the disagreeable expert
ence through which 1 have lately passed
will only serve as an advertisement.
Then, you must remember that 1 have
system which will be much more sue
cessful than any of my old ones.
I can assure you that l have worked
out the details of my system SO that win
ming at roulette becomes mathematical
certainty.
For the benefit of young players who
may think Of trying their luck at Monte
Carlo I will give a few words OF advice
which 1t would be well for them to heed
in their play:
L. Keep perfectly cool.
2. Throw down your e10O or e200 as
the case may be as if you were throwing
down a farthing.
8. Don't think of the monetary Issue.
Concentrate all your attention how
you are to win the game
4. Have no friends. Relatives at hand
are fatal to your interests. ~
8. Play from noon to midnight for a
week Then take a fortnight's rest
whether you have lost or won.
Mind you, 1 am not advising any young
man to try to earn a living at Monte
Carlo. But by following my rules he may
not be so badly off as he would other
wise be.
Gambling. they call 1t. call it hard
work.
When I have won another fortune 1
shall buy yacht finer than the one l
music hall, which I shall manage myself
as a pastime and where I shall have the
best French talent. l have not made up
my mind where it will be. 1t may be in
Paris, New York or London.
AS to my conviction and Imprisonment,
I swear now, as I have always done, that
I was innocent. My conviction was the
work of enemies, to whom 1 had refused
a share in my schemes. L shall still
prove that many of my inventions were
valuable. I intend to write a book about
my life.
I shall very likely go to America after
have been to Monte Carlo. America has
always charmed me. I should certainly
get more justice there than here.
Wells is one of the most extraordinary
characters in Europe. With money
coined out of airy promises he went to
Monte Carlo and won a great fortune.
Wells phenomenal winning began IN
1891. In July of that year he is said to
have won 100000 and in the following
November $4,000 more. On one night in
November, he broke the bank five times
and won $4,000 Casino frequenters gave
him the name of "BonEe-Chance" Wells.
Good Luck Wells, that means.
He bought a magnificent steam yacht Of
1000 tons, the Palais Royal, for 100000.
This was much less than it's original cost
He was in full enjoyment OF his lightly
earned fortune when he was arrested for
swindling and sent to Portland prison
The Journal correspondent found Wells
in a small house in Battersea, poor
southwestern suburb of London. In spite
of his reverses and his recent stay of six
years in Jail he looked well and cheerful.
He is sixty-two years old, but looks
much younger. He neither smokes nor
drinks.
Wells only friend at the present mo-
ment is young niece, upon whom he is
entirely dependent, and who was very
faithful to him during his imprisonment
He appeared deeply grateful to her He
has improved greatly in appearance since
his Imprisonment. Owing to the rich liv-
ing IN which he INDUCED Immediately
after breaking the bank he became very
corpulent and unhealthy looking. He was
also round shouldered and of ungainly APP
pearance. The physical exercise he was
made to undergo While in prison has made
him perfectly upright, while the diet has
reduced his obesity. Immediately after
leaving prison he changed the color of his
beard from gray to brown by means OF
dye and he now looks barely over forty
years of age.
Wells was convicted of obtaining nearly
$4,000 by false pretenses, including the
sum of 100000 from a certain Miss Phil
more. His method was to insert adver-
tisements stating that a substantial year
ly income would be guaranteed to the
patents for certain inventions. He al
ways pocketed whatever sums were sent
him. Some sent small amounts, but in
many instances he obtained thousands of
dollars.
According to the statements he issued
he had applied for prosivicnal protection
for almost every conceivable object under
the sun. Among other things he said he
wished to patent were an apparatus for
utilizing the power and heat of waste
steam, another for detecting bad coin, hot
air engines, vapor engines, petroleum en-
gines, air motors and a large number of
steam engines