Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-08


capital to start a petroleum refinery on
the outskirts of Cleveland John D. Rookie
Teller, William Rockefeller and Samuel
Andrews each put $4,000 into the scheme,
and that Is the way the Standard Oil Com
pany originated.
The Beach Club.
Thoughtless people will tell you that Mr..
Flagler owns, pretty much everything and
is a sort of reigning emperor on the east
coast of Florida, but while his interests
are very large and his influence is very
great. he is not omnipotent. He cannot
have his own way about everything. A
rather offensive fly in his ointment is THE
Beach Club a gambling house, situated
just across the railway track and two min
utes walk from the Royal Poincana Hotel.
1t Is owned and conducted by ]. r. and
Edward Bradley. brothers of a wide repu-
tation in sporting circles. They run what
is claimed to be square game Of roulette
and hazard for both ladies and gentlemen,
with restaurant attachment much patron
lied by epicures. Mr.. Flagler has tried for
years to get them out but has never been
able to do So They own the property they
occupy. 1t Is a low-browed white frame
cottage with wide-spreading roof, half con-
cealed by honeysuckles and other Towering
vines. 1t looks more like village parson-
age than gambling hell which Is another
are not always what they seem. 1t is the
most innocent-looking building at Palm
Beach. and the proprietors try hard to keep
1t exclusive.
Theoretically it is a club which none but
the guests Of the hotels may join, and it is
necessary for them to be introduced by a
member. They must sign a constitution,
by which they pledge themselves to observe
certain rules and regulations similar to
those of ordinary clubs, and are given men,
bership cards which must be presented at
the door to secure admission. Ladies of
proper appearance may be admitted at all
ride hrrf no Ero6 1ay0 q 70
very particular as to the people they allow
to play. They go on the theory that it is
easier to keep troublesome person out
than to get rid of him after he is let in.
Hence somebody they know, some one who
has already been tested, must vouch for
every man that is admitted. No minors, no
citizens of Florida can enter the house.
and every person who receives card is re-
CURED to give an assurance that he has no
interest In any business enterprise in the
state. This is to remove all yisk of suits
to recover money lost in the games. The
legal authorities OF Dade county have
never been in the club and of course can
not know what is going on behind the
white. vine-clad walls. Dade Is big
county. Another good reason for their
ignorance Is the fact that son of State
Senator Reese, the political boss Of this
section. is secretary of the club and draws
generous share Of the 100000 profit
which the Bradleys are reputed to realize
from the business.
heavy Losses N OF Felt.
A good deal of money changes hands in
the Beach Club. 1t is intended for the
benefit of rich men who come down here to
spend the winter, and must have some
form of excitement. The stock gamblers
from New York, the grain gamblers from
Chicago and other spectators must have
thrills, and the Bradley brothers try to
accommodate them. Occasionally we hear
n ie So IL
that man from Baltimore dropped $500
In few moments last Saturday night,
and occasionally some woman gets excited
and loses her money before she knows it.
Nearly every night between 10 and l o'clock
you can see foolish young men throwing
away $40 bills, SEQ bills, $50 and S1O0 bills
without the slightest emotion. The money
is lost as suddenly and silently as If
they had tossed it into blazing fire in
stead of upon one of the curious looking
tables marked with squares. and numbers.
There is very little complaint because
most of the players are rich and are true
sports II man worth considering goes
broke the Bradleys take care Of him, buy
him a ticket home and give him $40 bill
to pay for the incidentals the Journey
There has never been suicide that I can
hear of and never a law suit except Mr.
Flaglers early efforts to drive the gam
blers out Of the place. But he has been
compelled to give them up. The Bradleys
have demonstrated that they have just
much right here as he has. They own
their house, they conduct an orderly club
and restaurant. and Mr.. Flagler has never
been able to get any evidence to the con-
trary against them.
am told that the Bradley brothers are
we'll known and highly respected among
gamblers. John. the elder, every sum-
toga, while Edward hunts for big
game in India, Africa, Australia and in
other outlandish regions. The club house
has several handsome trophies Of his
,oyly,, CHI md ph0 orh 10
taken. Occasionally he delivers lecture
concerning his adventures, illustrated
with lantern slides.
The Beach Club is just as different from
the casino at Monte Carlo as country
parsonage in New England is from the
palace of king In this little cottage are
three or four quiet rooms with roulette and
whist and poker tables. where from twenty
to a hundred selected men and women fol-
low the game every night. At Monte
Carlo there is magnificent edifice with
spacious apartments. a concert room with
one of the finest orchestras in the world,
and a long series of halls where hundreds
of gamblers surround the tables Every
thing is open and public, and anybody may
enter by registering their names, age, resi-
dence and the hotel at which they are
stopping. The age is a very serious mat
ter and is intended to protect the pro-
prietors against suit to recover money al
legged to have been lost by minors. At
Ostend, AK Les Bans, Interlaken, at
Baden-Baden, and the other German spas
there is no secrecy about the gambling and
no questions are asked. But here every
thing has to be conducted in the most
quiet manner possible
Mostly Outdoor Recreation.
There is very little bridge played at Palm
Beach, except at some of the cottages and
occasionally a game in one of the rooms
at the hotel. The atmosphere is not favor
able to such amusements. The people here
live outdoor lives and prefer the piazzas
and the boats to rooms that are blazing
with electric lights. They have all kinds
of amusements here from Teddy Bears to
'bucking'' the tiger, as I have told you
The manager of the hotel does a great
deal to promote outdoor entertainments
He has a paid base ball team. He pro-
vides several club houses; there are a gun
club. golf club, tennie courts, basket ball.
bicycle schools, surf bathing, fishing sail
ing, dancing every night, a concert twice
week by a paid troupe Of colored singers:
a cake walk every Thursday evening, track
sports of all kinds, water carnivals and
boat races.
The fishing is beyond all comparison It
il said that a greater number and a great
er variety Of fish are caught with hook and
line in the neighborhood Of Miami than
in any other waters Of the world. Tarpon.