New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-12-07
THE CLUB AT SARATOGA.
WHERE GAMBLING is DONE
OPENLY IN THE SPA
SEASON.
THE pIRIJC FREELY ADMITTED-SOM
OF THE SCENES WHICH
OCCUR THERE.

The number of New Workers who have seen the
inside of the Garfield house, in Forty-fourth-st-
which came into public notice last week because or
the raid under the leadership of Nh Jerome, IS
comparatively small. In order TO be enrolled on
its list OF patrons. one must have been properly
recommended and vouched for. and without the in
dorsament OF member of the fraternity which
vorsbins at the shrine OF the goddess OF chance
and without the requisites which estaoilsh one )
claim 10 the title &c. s. c'Gentleman sport J. OF
the advanced degree. I'D. q. ). tDead udhe
Sport'') the massive doors would not open to MN
But there are hundreds Of New-forkers VINO Jay
no claim to these titles who are thoroughly IA
niiar with the Garfield establishment at Saratoga
which IS run on nearly the same lines as the con-
Germ next TO Demouico's.
The handsome house opposite Congress PARK
with its ornamental grounds. its fountain and
flower beds. looks like the home OF prosperous
citizen but there not many visitors 70 me spa
who do not know II to be 4 iashlonahle edHlpiih5
den in which great sums Of money change hahds
eyerv season Although il has been under the
managenent Of several persons and companies
since II was started by John Morrlssey tAe prize
fighter and Democratic politician. IL II sun 'a''u
h,, many people 'Morrissey's.' Others call IL
..I.aroa1ds but the proprietors of the place and
the village people always refer 10 1T as The tIup.
In the season It is from early in the morning
until .au hours There always one or TWO
servants I'm the hall. who inspect the per-
sors no enter but there Is little difficulty in pass
ING them and the cases where visitors are turned
away are rare. To the right OF the entrance - a
large beautifully furnished room In which there
are four roulette wheels and several faro tables,
and about these the crowds gather in the evening.
In the day time and especially while the races
are being run the place IS comparatively deserted
but even then can see visitors placing chips
on numbers and colors in their effort to make the
gamblers pay their hotel bells. Back Of this room
sanarated ONLY by a portiere. which is usually
drawn aside large and well appointed dining
room which is literally patronized by men and
women who live in the large hotels and who get
a glimpse of the gambling world from that point
on the same floor there IS small cafe. which is
separated from the play room merely by screen
door Women not allowed in the gambling
room many times every evening women send
men from the tables in the dining the
larger room to gamble for them, and when one
sees a vacant chair at a table II s fair to infer
that some has excused himself for few
minutes and gone the next room to win enough
TO pay for the dinner or Ito get even with the
house.
The Club is one of the sights of the place, and
may there on any evening during the sea-
son men from all parts of the world and from
all grades of society Some of the Saratoga guests
arc there every evening With them going to Sara
toga means ounging about all day waiting for
evening when It IS time to go TO The Club" But
the instances where man leaves the watering
place ahead of the game scarce. Many guests
go away from The Club with much more money
than they had when they went there. but II they
remain in Saratoga their winnings. and more too
will eventually be in The Clubs NAV which
swallows small fortune every day. Business men,
professional politicians. capitalists, racing
men and clerks may be huddled about the
tables, some playing system" others throwing
their chips haphazard the table all watching
eagerly the little ball spins about and finally
drops into the place which decides the fate OF sums
which frequently largo. At each table. besides
the dealer and the crouper, watchers to guard
the interests of the concern. nod from of
these will establish players credit. and he
will take chips il large quantities without paying
for them the whole transaction going on by panto-
mime without exchanging word.
One day last summer when the was a its
height man stood the head of a roulette ia BILE
and after watching the play for little while. took
"A stack of one hundred chips and lost them in
few minutes playing ALI the board" A nod
to the man the wheel brought him another s1O0
worth of ivory pieces, which followed the first in
short order The man evidently had an account on
1.-The Clubs" books After HE had lost eight stacks
his play being watched by many interested specta-
tors a Young man, a boy. in fact. tossed a
fifty dollar bill the green table. and with the
chips which he received began to play. placing his
money carefully around that of the ''plunger."
After few plays he had enough to cash in
500 and had chips to the good. with which he
tinued to play. changing his numbers in keeping
with the play of the heavy loser. AS he won he
increased his bets, every little while passing 500
worth of chips the table. for which he took
the cash When he stopped he had $500 for his orig
inaI investment Of $50. He walked away without
having uttered word, and wnked at the man OPP
po..se ThG nad NEWEST st boy In said
man in the crowd the young fellow walked out
az ago. .hs and took his medicine just as the
prize this evening. If you'd see him b going TO
stand up against this game.
which the Spa guests fock and iostIe and crowd
one another in their eagerness to contribute their
not the only departments Of the big place They
are the spectacular part of the establishment and
O