The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-06
DALLYING WITH DICE.
Retired Gambler Tells How Dupes Are
Cheated with the Cubes.

New York Telegraph.
II read in thu papers the other day."
said the retired gambler. that a prominent
banker out in Frisco shot himself because
he squandered a big lump Of the banks
money shaking dice, and the story called
my attention to the fact that there has
been a revival of dice lately. They have
been out of fashion for ten or fifteen years
and the sharp hasn't had much of chance
to show his skill. with the cubes.
There are not as many ways to cheat
with the dice as there are In fifty-two
pieces OF cardboard. although much
skill is required with the ivories as with
a deck of cards.
'swindlins with dice isn't chiId's play.
!! can tell you, and the sharp who seeks
his fortune by manipulating them has to
devote many weary hours tor the acquisi-
ton of dizziness in the maneuvers that he
things that appear simplest in theory that
are the most difficult in practice.
There are two general ways OF cheating
at diee-the manipulation Of genuine dice
manipulation Of dice the first thing to learn
is that branch Of the art known to its pro-
lessons as securing. which means simply
the knack OF retaining certain dice In the
hand. One Is held against the inside of the
box, while the other Is allowed to fall freely
into 1t. In this way one of the dice is not
same position as 1T previously occupied
by securing dice in this manner at
each throw the sharp is sure of throwing
at at least Sc seven every time With two dice d
to make. Now, In an indefinite number of
fair throws with two dice seven is the
number of pips that will be the average
But with one dice secured in such a
manner as to fall six the average of an in
finite number of throws Is necessarily very
mn nh I'M sad ha0 &c INN 70
two players bear no comparison, and the
dupe is bound to be beaten.
For instance, the chances of throwing
IL by the player who secures one dice are
as to g. that Is to say, there are to l
against him, while the chances against the
So, at dollar throw. the fiat can drop
a lot of money in an hour or two at this
detachable pastime.
There are three kinds of unfair dice in
general USE First, there are those whose
faces do not bear the correct numbr of
pips and which are known as 'dispatchers. 7
Second, there are those that are weighted
downward, and which are known as loaded
dice
Lastly there is the variety bearing the
name of electric dice which are the most
modern development in this department of
There are two kinds of 'dispatchers.
high and low, in accordance with the
either higher or lower than should be the
case. They owe their origin to the fact
that 1t is impossible to see more than three
sides Of cube at one time.
I'm making a high dispatcher any three
adjacent sides are taken and marked with
2, and pfps. respectively. That side OF
the cube which is Immediately opposite to
the one with pips. instead of being
marked with l, as it should be, is marked
with also The side opposite to the Is
Is marked 2 In a similar manner.
Therefore no two sides that bear the
same number of pips are ever seen at one
time, the duplicate marks being always on
the opposite sides of the die.
I'm a low dispatcher the process is pre-
| cisely the same, but the sides are num-
bered with ]. and pips, instead of 2,
and 8. A high dispatcher therefore. can
| not throw less than 2. while low one can
not throw higher than 3.
Therefore, using one genuine die and one
dispatcher, In an infinite number OF
throws. the sharp will average 80 per cent
better than his opponent That is advan-
| tage enough TO make killing every time
| the sharp rings in his crooked dice.
Loaded dice are made by drilling out
two adjacent spots or pips at one edge OF
| the die. filing in the cavity with mercury
and cementing 1t up fast. These dice have
one disadvantage. They will not spin, and
any person who is ON to- this defect car
easily discover If loaded die has beer
rung in on him.
are called electric dice These dice are
made of celluloid. Inside is fixed a small
bar OF steel.
''The table on which these dice are used
Is so constructed that, Immediately below
its surface and within the thickness of the
| wood itself. there are concealed severa
electromagnetic. At some convenient spot
| In the table, at the back of a drawer oil
| elsewhere, the battery supplying the cur
/ rent is hidden.
| 1.-THE key or push-button controlling the
| current takes the form of a secret sprine
In the table leg, so placed as to be in ready
reach of the operators knee.
4 The result IS obvious. Among the dice
i In use IS one of the electric variety. Wher
| the dupe throws them he has 10 take hi.
chances as to how they will fall. and "a
| long as the sharp is winning he will do the
same. But when he begins TO lose, or IL h,
| Is not winning fast enough to suit him, n.
| presses the secret spring with his knee
| when Ii Is his turn to throw and the falls.
die turns up six.
/ THE magnets. of course, attract the stee
/ disk inside the celluloid die and the ST,
| pips being on the side opposite the disk, tn,
| six naturally falls face upward All tina
/ the sharp has to do is to press the button
| the electricity will do the rest.
/ Unfair dice are seldom submitted fo
4 inspection. particularly those of the dis
4 patcher kind. Therefore they are Away.
/ introduced into the game when the play Il
occupying the dupe's undivided attention
/ and their manner of introduction is known
/ In the gamblers vernacular as ringing in
| This is done at the moment when tn,
/ the box. IL is only possible to change on,
| die. the others being allowed to fall int,
the box In the usual way.
sSunn0SG FUR IN. 4