The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-04-04
CROUPIERS
THE WAY THE EXPERTS AT MONTE
CARLO ARE MADE.

Il
CARLO ARE MADE.
| Picked Men Undergo Rigid Course
of Instruction Until They Are Mold
ed irto the Right Form to Preside
Over the Gaming Tables.
The stereotyped words ring out in
but slightly varying tones from the
throats of those immaculate black
coated functlonar!es. Indeed the most
| sensational coup of the season would
we believe, be powerless 10 move any
of these suave officials into betraying
| even a momentary CLEAN of interest in
the mere mortals he thus adjures to
| plank down their ready"
| The casual frequenter of the sale de
| jeu pays but little heed to these things
| indeed takes them as n matter of
| course-nevertheless the croupler Is
"made," not "born,' though he may
have inborn qualifications. He is
creature of selection, and, given a can
didate of seeming promise, there fol
| low months of training and trlal-aye,
| little temptations which shall test his
honesty-before tie three chiefs who
| Match him and consider all his points
| decide upon his actual election, and he
| is carefully nodded into the right
FORM" that of the quiet, courteous yet
| ever alert gentleman. whose well kept
| hand spins the marble ball and throws
the coins so dextrously across the
| green cloth.
1t may be interesting to those who
| do not already know to hear that no
| more than thirty-siX men can go up at
| time for election. Thirtysix-the
| number which exactly corresponds
with the numerals on the board-and
| of these again, only the very tittest
are chosen for final training and APP
pointments.
The making CT the croupier' takes
| place during the dead season-that Is,
from about August till the end of De-
cember, by which time it is calculated
q smart man may be considered fit to
try his PAGES In public. The training is
indeed no play. but consists of regular
| attendance at the classes of the "ecole
des crouplers" for six hours day. the
| exact time being from to IL in the
forenoon and from to 3 in the after
noon Before admittance to the
SCHOOL" however. Il medical eXamina-
tion has to be undergone as we'll as eX-
aminations in viva voce arithmetic and
tests put with regard to correct and
fluent French and refinement of ac-
cent. Yet would ell these avail man
nothing should his antecedents and
character not bear the strictest and
most searching scrutiny. During this
time of probation coins of the value of
those they will have to handle at the
tables are not used. notes being repre-
sented by squares of paper of much
the same size and texture and the
louis dor being 'understudied" by one
franc pieces, while the smallest stake
permissible. the clumsy FIVE franc
| piece, remains the same.
AS we have, however, already OBJ
| served, tests of honesty are at times
| resorted to In order to make sure of
the mans qualities in this respect. Yet
In order not to strain this point too
highly the management pays the pro-
batloner a sum of $50 francs a month
salary during his period of training.
The daily lessons" consist naturally
enough principally in the requirement
of nice manipulation of the ball and
the rake. in quick head reckoning"
and In dsxtrously pitching the coins
across so that they seem to fall in an
orderly golden row. each separate and
distinct.
A distinction is made between candi-
dates for the trente-et-Quarante ,les
and those devoted to the more easily
grasped game of roulette. The men
serving the former are, as may have
struck any observant visitor, of a dis
tinctly better class, a higher mental
caliber Their salaries too, are proper
tionately higher, ranging from 400 to
600 francs month. while the "chef"
draws 725 and the inspectors and sub
directors from $50 to 1000 a month,
with a bonus also at the end of the
season and the comforting prospect of
pension when old age or sickness
comes along to lay them on the shelf.
That these men are also well worth 1t
goes without saying.
a lesser grade Of intelligence is re-
quired at the rouge -et-noir board, yet
here, too, the salaries are such as many
n civil service clerk might well envy
earned, too, in a lovely climate and
bearing in mind that, given fair health
and steady devotion to duty, the ap
pointment may be considered good for
all the mans working life-leading
also to the ultimate pension in recogni-
ton of faithful services. The salary
of the roulette croupier starts at $50
francs month and may rise to 400
francs, and he also is the recipient of
an annual bonus at the end of the
"grand season." 1t should also be
observed that while ION duty" the
strain is continuous. Each man is
relieved" every two hours, when oc
ours that curious little ceremonial of