The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-07
Form of Runners Closely Watched
and "Good Things" Are the
Dreams of the Day.
GAMBLING AT HOT SPRINGS
FAMOUS RESORT MORE POPULAR
THIS YEAR THAN EVER.
Chicago Travelling Man Pictures the
Feverish Rush for Gold by Men
and Women.


T. Sin mons. the travelling representative
of a Chicago wholesale jewelry establish
ment. while discussing games of chance in
the lobby of the Grand Hotel. last Tuesday
evening; you just ought TO see the winter
visitors at Hot Springs this year.
stopped at the Springs for a period OF
twenty-four hours last week, while on my
way north from New Orleans. and / be-
lieve that in that one day and night l
learned more about gambling of all kinds
than L could have learned any place else
In a weeks time The sports have been
dropping in at this famous health resort
in large numbers OF late. and now that the
winter racing season at New Orleans is on.
I'll venture to say that there isn't an empty
room in one of the hotels. This IL certainly
going TO prove a banner year for Hot
Springs in the number of visitors and the
amount of money wagered daily. At the
Arlington Hotel there were already nearly
two hundred guests, which is about twice
as many as there were at this time last
season, and the smaller hostelries were
pretty well filled UP.
Its my honest opinion that the Amer
leans are becoming more and more addict
ed to gambling with each new year. In
the Southern States the people bet for the
very love Of the thing. while up here among
the more hustling Northerners the pre-
dominative speculative spirit Is responsible
for the increasing fondness for gambling.
There are now six poolrooms open at Hot
Springs, where 'alluring Odds as the book
makers call them, are being offered on the
races at New Orleans and the Ingleside
track at San Francisco. The poolrooms
also accept bets on the various prize-hghts
throughout the country, and while was at
the Springs many of the sports were bet
ting big rolls on the different important
football battles then being fought on the
principal sridirons. Added to all this, of
course, are the various other gambling
games, but it's the racing game that rules
supreme in the Arkansas Monte Carlo.
THE RACING GAME.
lone of the clerks at the Arlington told
me that there would be more famous
gamblers at the Springs this winter than
ever before in a single season. Steve
L'Hommedeu, well known all over the
country, is now at that hotel with his wife
and little boy. He said that he had chosen
the resort for his winters sojourn
count Of his poor health. He didn't look
like sick man to me, however. They
were expecting Pittsburg Phil TO arrive
soon. and also such famous plungers as
Charley Ellison, Ed Arnold and Senator
Tim Sullivan. The managers OF the diff
ferent clubrooms evidently anticipating
an unusual amount of patronage from the
bettors of the fair SEX too, for especial
preparations have been made. for the &C
commodation of the female SPECTATORS.
The women's annex at the Southern Grub,
where the fair visitors at the Springs con-
gregate in large numbers. has been fitted
up in the most lavish manner. and the Ken
lucky Club has its betting board so ar
ranged that the female bettors may see the
the second floor.
Speaking Of women gamblers, / have
come to the conclusion that the women are
better losers than the men. so far, at least,
as their expression Of emotion goes. There
are women who play the races with the
persistency of the 'sportiest man, and who
seem to be born gamblers. You will see
this type Of Amazonian at the race track,
| and you will see her again at resorts like
Hot Springs. With her betting is a busi-
ness; she works hard studying the form
sheets and the sporting columns of the
newspapers, for she is out to make some
money and doesn't intend TO bet on a horse
just because he has a pretty name that
strikes her fancy. She may show mo-
mentary disappointment when she finds
that the horse upon whom she has placed
her roll Of greenbacks has been left far
| behind on the home stretch, but. as 1 said
before, she is, as a rule, a mighty good
loser and usually smiles in the face of de-
feat with the real sporting spirit
PLENTY OF MONEY.
1.-The thing that strikes me most forcibly
about the betting at Hot Springs is the fact
that everybody seems 10 have plenty Of
money. Where in the world do they all
get 1t? The man that goes broke COM
pletely one day turns up the next day
somehow or other with more money with
which to back his choices at the different
tracks. The real value of dollar is entire
ly lost sight of in the whirlpool OF bet
ting ring. A man that would consider a
long time before spending dollar for
something he really needs will risk losing
il on a horse race without the slightest
hesitation. The public is better posted as
TO the form OF the horses than IL used to
| be, and your regular player OF the races
| has learned to bet with wonderful conf
dence.
"A man who goes into the ring with
money in his purse and no idea in particu-
| lar as TO how he is going 10 bet IL is sure
to become a victim of one OF the numerous
'touts' that infest all OF the big betting
rings or poolrooms. And yet IL is isn't this
person alone who is ready 10 give ear to
alleged wisdom, for ii seems TO be an epic
demic in the ring TO be wise and impart
wisdom to others. Everybody asks every
body else. What do you like? That Is the
correct form OF salutation. in fact. among
the bettors. II seems 10 be equivalent 70
| 'Howdy dog IL Is a greeting between
friends and is even the byword among the
| women. And I'm answer to this prevailing
| query there is always some bit OF informa-
ton. either trustworthy or not II Is not
well for bettor to have too many friends
in the ring for unless he Is familiar with
| the form OF the horses and has some track
knowledge is usually unable 70 resist the
temptation 10 listen 10 the advice Of others.
While professional tipsters have made
many people bet with confidence. they Save
also sent many fellow into the ring with