The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-10-05
CHINESE GAMBLERS.
They Pursue Their Calling in New
York Under the Cont fo' Of
Secret Sociatv.

"A secret society known as the Gee Kon
long IS the "poorOCm syndicate' OF Chi
n2town, says. the New York Times I'm
der its rule fan-tan tables flourish along
Mott and Pell streets, and depets for
lottery tickets, hankcd by opium dens, do
a thriving business. But Police Capt.
Titus Of the Elizabeth street station new
ertheless asserts that the Mongoiians Of
his district are no gamblers, and that
Chinatown is the most orderly part OF
the city.
Every gaming place in Chinatown is
said to be in the trust. 1nto the hands
OF the chief officer of the Gee Kon Tong
each proprietor Of Tartan dive, or any
other resort for betting, pays stlpulat-
ed sum, in most cases about $l5 week.
Where the money finally lands, or how
much Of it the society's ruler keeps for
himself, are questions about which toe
mystery CT Chinatown hangs dark1y.
That the trust exists, however, is a prac-
teal certainty.
\ typical fan-tan table was seen on the
second floor Of II PeH street. In long,
harrow room, lighted by kerosene lamps.
were gathered twosco9re OF Cinnamon al
Of them jostling each other in their e.
forts to secure places at the table UPON
which the cards were being shutfied. No-
more than ten could play st once, and no.
body relinquishetl his seat as long as he
had any money left.
At one end of the table was the dealer.
In the center lay pile of nloney-papcr,
gold, silver: Every player around the
board held his own hoard tightly clinclle:
in one hand, while his other lay ready 10
rake in the stakes ii fortune favored him.
While the cards were being dealt there
~ at the center Of the table, but as the
dealers wand was raised, the man
toward whom it pointed made frantic
grab for the pool
Then every body chartered cxcItedly
for a second, and ten hands were
OF coin in the center. There was no de-
lay The cards were shuff'ed as fast as
the dealers hands could move, and the
distribution began again. Then the
rhattering subsidized abruptly, and there
was silence until the wand moved again
Never Looked from the Table.
What the spectator noticed particulars
seemed oblivious tn everything except
their" cards and money. They never
moved their eyes from the table even in
the Erief intervals Of talk, and each,
newcomer into the room looked straight
IT thu. game from the time he came in.
showing no sign OF activity except whei,
he saw a chance OF pushing his way
nearer to the table.
As the game went Oh the Times rc-
l"rte:'s guide stood IN an adjoining room,
u:sicr Il light. He was in plain view OF
1hc players, all Of whom knew that he
woild inform against the dive at any
time. When asked if he was not afraid
TO IL: seen there, he replied
ION. il they saw me I might get i
kn!fc-thrnst. But they cans see any
thing except the game. Iou could climb
f}1f,I1 I,n<,}
know You We're there as long as they
saw cards and money in front OF them"
Lack OF the fantan room was place
for smoking opium. Those who lost their
money in the game sought consolation
here, and every passing hour Increased
the number OF prcstratc figures that lay
! around the room. Every man that en-
tered made. short work of losing his
senses, grasping pipe and putting at it
! nervouSly until z happy oblivion replaced
the uncomfortahle feeling of prnnilesS-
ness with which he had left the table
every night said the Chinese guide.
Day after day they lose and then get
| opium drunk. The next morning finds
them in their laundries all over the city,
but just as soon as new supply OF mon
ey has been acquired they come back to
the game again. They never win, OK SO
| rarely that it DOESN'T count They are
| insane, that's all
Although fan-tan is the Chnaman's ia
voritc form of gambling, it is by no
| means the only kind TO which he is adj
dicted: In fact he takes a chance at
ANYTHING, the simple fact that. it is ii
big lottery that is manipulated by the
Gee .kon Tong does business that the
Chinese guide claims to amount 10 many
thousand dollars per day
Tickets for this lottery are purchasabl>
at various places, the prices paid fo.
them varying from time to time. Each
are open from 3 to 4::'O in the afternoon.
and again from 8 to 1890 at night. Ger
tain numbers call for certain amounts,
and the chances Of winning are as in
tnitesimal as they are in any other lot
tcries.
'Evcrything in the gambling line"
said the Chinese guide. is controlled by
the Gee Kon Tong. Occasionally men
who are not members of the society have
ret up gaming places, but they did not
last long. The methods by which the
society pats these independents out Of
petty torments fail to make them cIos,.
up, knives or pistols are liable to ap-
pear. The society will not be interfcrcl
with:
from the different dives two things are
| accomplished. few Chinese get rich
and few police officers get substantial
douceurs. That the officers Of the c..
Kon Tong and the police understand each
other is proved by the fact that when
ever any complaints against Chinatown
gambling are made at headquarters, the
dives. close within tventy-four hours and
remain inactive until the complainant's
Investigations have failed to show that
they exist: :, 49, =
Weight Of ELEPHANTS Tusks