The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-11-08
STRONG MANIA
FOR GAMBLING
Some Queer Diversions in the Nortn
Of England.
MONTE CARLO OF The PUN.
Rabbit Coursing. Coin Throwing anu
Various other sports-susp'c'ons
ofstrangcrs-sccncs In Lam
cashirc Described.
MONTE CARLO OF THE POOR.


na,,sroe. A has become a mania NO
meter what race is TO be run, even II
~ no hut hen race. the cOlilers must
40 fbcir ''bit on" and no game can DC
,iavod without the miners backing their
fancy. says the New York Comherclai
Advertiser A very common me.ho"
a gambling in many villages is to place
some bits Of paper or wood IN run
pin1 stream and bet as to which gets
10 n given point first This is very SINH
lar 10 horse racing. even TO the iact that
the favorite does not always win. Cock
fighting is by no means obsolete, and even
rat-worrying contests are not unknown
These and other SPORTS AFFORD unllml-
ted means Of gambling. and one has on
IN to read the police reports Of the north
ern counties of England in order TO rea-
lie the great hold gambling has obtained
upcp the dregs Of the lower classes
The ,favorite haunt OF the gambler.
however, is the grounds where sparrow
sweeps. pigeon shooting, rabbit cours-
Ing and other similar sports are held.
There Is nothing ,unawful about the
sporting and matters are generally so
well arranged that although the police
ore aware OF the existence of the gam
bling yet they are powerless to prevent
it. The presence Of stranger usually
puts n check to the proceedings AS d
description of one OF these pocket edi-
lions Of Monte Carln, which are so nu-
mcrous In he populous portions OF the
north. might prove interr.lins, the writeE
visited one Of the best lu1wn.
The grounds 60 situsfed on the out
skirts of one Of the large manufacturing
towns Of Lancashire and are much fire.
ouentes by the Inhabitants of the sur
rounding villages. The way is rather
desolate but in the lanes several men
were lounging about These men are
called the scouts and their duty Is 10
see that no suspicious person-Dollce or
p,herHise-enters sUrreptitiousiy. Fur
her on not far from the entrance 10
The grounds a uniformed police was
coming down the lane. The grounds
consist OF several large fields. which are
we'll screamed from observation. Admis-
sion is gained by a very narrow winding
passage. which opens out upon the pay
box and pavilion. When the writer en-
tered the place looked quite respectable.
st the bottom was a number or specta-
tors. watching a rabbit-coursing match.
4 men ran some distance down the field
with two rabbits in his hand and when
lie released them two dogs were sert
after them. The dogs rapidly gained on
the rabbits and soon caught them, but
two men in racing costume, who had
run after them caused the dogs to drop
their trembling prey. IDe dogs were
splendid looking animals
II was cutie evident that the visitor
had created a diversion, for the men
crowded around the stranger" ewing
him suspiciously II took him some little
time TO convince them that he was not
an agent Of the police; when this was
done he crowd surged away and an al
teratiOn was soon effected in the scene.
Some OF the men we're now playing quots.
others cards and various other games,
but the majority had formed themselves
iTtO gTouDs or rings Tfese rings
are called gold rings. silver rings or
copper rings, according TO the coins gam
bled for
There were three large rings and sew
ere smaller ones. The writer looked at
one OF the large silver rings. II consist
ed Of about 40 persons, and in its centre
was the man who did the tossing by
throwing w two half-pennies. If they
came down with tails up the men who
had backed tails won: If heads, then
heads won Two men armed with sticks
kept the rings from decreasing in size by
striking out right and left and hitting
the legs Of the gamblers as they pressed
In The people forming the ring were
of all ages and sizes. some well dressed,
some in rags and tatters, some laugh
ing some swearing. but all with the
same greedy covetous look upon their
faces. They all. young and old. pressed
eagerly forward until the blows of the
men inside drove them back
No one seemed TO be angry al the bows
received. The place became pandemon-
ium. the noise grew deafening. The dogs
Narked howled and yelled. while the
men shouted themselves hoarse. The
gambling itself was very simple. one OF
the men would throw down on the gravel
st his feet a rve-shilling piece and call
out 'Iieads a crown, heads a crown,
heads crown" Another man would
drop another coin at his feet and say
Tails a crown" The cries We're some
times varied to 'IIeads a crown Who'll
take heads a CROWN" The man in the
middle. who was neutral. put two
haif-pennies upon the palm Of his hand
and threw them up. Now all was nearly
silent, and the gamblers eyes fol- wed
the spinning coins as they went into the
air and then fell tinklmg on the gravel.
All eyes were strained TO see the faces
Of the half pennies Again the noise grew
as the cry Tails" was shouted. The
hackers of tails stopped down and picked
uD the coins they had won. The losers
either pulled more money out Of their
pockets. or If they were nearly banked"
went to the copper ring again 10 court
fortune Now the cries a Heads
CROWN" and Tails a crown" arose. and
the same procedure was gone through.
and IL was astonishing 10 see the amount
OF money won ana iC1t AT lNlS Simple
game Someone came M to the writer
and said: IF tina wants 10 see brass
money change hands. 20 and look at
yon ring"
The ring pointed out was a large one.
and the people composing IL were on the
whole perhaps better dress ed than the
others. The mode OF procedure was the
same a. in the silver ring. but the
amounts Staked were much larger FIVE
pounds being a moderate stake in a
few minutes the writer saw hundreds OF
dollars lost and won. some OF the men
who threw the gold on the floor were
most MISUNDERSTANDING beings. and aD-
peared as II they had not had "A dinner
for a week. Apparently a sovereign would
more than cover the most Of AN their
possessions. and yet they freouentlv
drew a handful Of gold out Of their uocl<-
cts.
Suddenly Transformation came over
the scene The word Strangers was
passed along The money was hurriedlv
picked Up and the rings broken. Most
OF the men crowded round where the
coursing was taking place. and apDeared
az II they were interested In the proceed.
fngs. In about five minutes two wen-dress.
ed men entered-they were the "stran-
gers" Whether they were detectives
or not the gambling WAS not resumed
and the grounds gradually thlnned Of