Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-08

! the Bank.
Stories o: the Gamblers and the
Systems" That Fail.
a Famous Resort as Well as the
Worlds Gambling Center.
Julius Prokasky, steward at the
westminster Hotel, in Boston, occu-
PIED a like position at the Grande
ffotel de Paris, in Monte Carlo, the
Iarhous. or infamous, gambling resort
across the sea, during the winters of
1891, 1888 and 1889. He saw the
siShtS upon the streets and in the
casino where the gold changed hands
SO RAPIDLY. He heard the pistol shots
mat sent many loser, man and wO-
man, TO premature grave, says the
Boston Globe.
Mr.. Prokasky was born in Germany,
bat came to this country in 1867. He
! is naturalized citizen of the United
States. His residence for three
decades has been either in New York
Tor Boston. During seven summer
seasons he was employed as steward
o. the Manhattan Beach Hotel. With
his family he now lives at "a Belvidere
street. in the Back Bay district. He
speaks four languages with f1uency
Mr.. Prokasky gained a clear krowi-
pIDa n no no h
Inns center of Europe berause II first
cousin of his happened 10 be on the
board of dircct tors of the casino, and
then, again. he was faniliarly ac-
Quainted with the chief detective of
the establishment, with whom he oft
times lunched.
His tale follows:
Monaco, the smallest principality
of Europe, lies between France and
Italy, containing a population of 5000.
You can shoot across the whole coun-
try with a rife.
The reign of Prince Charles 1.
comes down from the Grimaldis, the
ruins of whose castles can yet be seen
upon the hills. The Grimaldis We're
pirates and highwaymen of the thir-
teenth and fourteenth centuries. Two
of them were hanged for piracy by the
Duke of Genoa.
prince Charles I. today receives L.
100000 francs per year from the game.
His private expenses are paid. The
gambling supports the army of II Of
ficers and IS soldiers, the judiciary,
the churches and the schools.
THE people speak patois between
French and Italian.
The privileges for a bank at Monte
Carlo We're granted in 1858 to BeneZet
and Blanc. They, in that year, know
ing that they couldn't long stay and
run their establishments of hazard in
Weisbaden, Baden Baden, Nauhem
and Homburg, created the Casino at
Monte Carlo. The capital was 100,-
100000 francs. The grant was for 25
years, with the opportunity to renew,
and it is under the renewed lease that
the Casino is now operated.
1.-The bank employs 100 croupiers
and a dozen chef croupiers. The
croupiers handle the money; the chef
croupiers sit on high seats and are the
inspectors of the play, the final court
of appeals. The former receive $40
per day and board. The latter are
paid SIS per day and board. Both chef
croupiers and croupiers are under con-
slant surveillance, they being trans
ported to and from their lodginghouses
in regular omnibuses.
Now, as to the game, it is as hon.
est as honest can be. But it is a game
that absolutely cannot be beaten, as if
the devil had invented the system him
self. No man has. gone to Monte
Carlo. with an idea that he could break
the bank and successfully accomplish
led his purpose.
About nine years ago three Aus
trian noblemen-Prince WindishkratZ,
Count Erdoelli and Count Esterhazy-
made up fund of $15,O0O,OOO and
hired French professor to go and do
the trick for them. They won for a
few days, but at the last their $15,OO0.-
900 had gone to join the money that
hau been lost by other players.
Next came a Spaniard, Juan Gar
cia, drummer from Il cork house In
Barcelona. He arrived in Monte Carlo
and went to the Grande Hotel de Paris,
where he sold $500 francs wortheof
corks. He took the $500 francs to the
Casino, and at 6 o'clock that evening
ii required two domestics, with two
linen bags, to transport his money to
the Grand American bar. He sat there
drinking American cocktails and fond
ling the $4,000 francs which he had
won.
Garcia won 100000 francs inside
of the next 10 days. One of the chief
croupiers went to a director of the Ca
sino and said: What shall we do
with this Spaniard? He has phenome-
nal luck
"The director replied: Let NJ. As
pix, the chief detective. come to me-
"Aspix appeared. The director said:
'Aspix that Spaniard must be Kept IN
Monte Carlo. He must not leave here.
You put Mile Arabella in his way.
There, sir is where the most pernl-
cious part of the game comes in. The
Casino has dozen women of various
nationalities, whom they furnish with
money, and then order to charm the
incidental winners at the tables. The
men fall easy pray and they go home