Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1907-09-15
To CLOSE UP
MONTE CARLO

gestion that the career of the no.
torious gambling saloon at Monte
Carlo should be ended. THE Monte
Carlo Casino has been responsible
for more suicides than any other in
stitution of any kind in the world"
q frequent visitor to the Riviera said
this week. 1T was reported three
of four weeks ago that the gambling
house was about to be closed, but IL
is still drawing thousands of people
into its net every year, and 30 great
has been its financial success that a
new gaming place in the neighbor-
hood is being talked of. 1t Is scarce
ly an exaggeration to say that thou
sands of people have committed sui
eide through being ruined at Monte
Carlo. AS a rule, the world hears
little or nothing of such suicides, for
1t is not to the interest of the town
to say much about them. But now
and then striking cases come to-
light. Here are few:
December 8, 1904. - Harold
Clarke, son of a distinguished San
Francisco family, and law student
of New York, shot himself through
the head in the Hotel Regina, Paris.
He. had just returned from Monte
Carlo, where he lost all of his money
at the tables.
December II, 19O4.--A young
Italian count walked out of the Ca
sino, picture of detection, and af-
ter sitting in the gardens for a while,
talking to lady, he pulled out a
revolver and shot himself through
the heart. Attendants quickly re-
moved the body, and few persons
we're aware of what happened.
December 10. 1904--Rudolf Ry-
der, a young viennese gentleman.
lost all his money at the tables, and
going out in the morning, lay down
in front of train at Villefranche
and was cut to pieces.
These are only few instances
noted now and then during single
month";" he continued. mo one
knows how many more cases occur
red altogether in that same month,
or how many score occur in a year.
Ruined players are continually
jumping into the sea and getting
drowned, or going to Paris or else
where, there to shoot themselves.
But the suicides do not represent a
tenth of the misery due to the Ca
sine. So many people are broken
by the bank that it has been necesr
sary to establish a relieving, depart
ment, in order to get rid OF the
ruined players. who might otherwise
commit suicide.
Every day in the season score
or moro of men and women apply to
the Casino Offices for dole to pay
their hotel bills and their fares
home: Some time ago a British Of
ficer, who had lost every penny, was
given a free P. and o. ticket to Cal
cutta and $3.50. The sums paid out
by the Casino range from $25 to
$4,000. But in spite of this toll in
its profits, the Casino has made mill
lions sterling out of the gamblers
who try to break the bank. Last
year its total receipts came to ST.
$4,000, an increase of $759,40 on
the year before. After every ex-
pense had been betrayed there was
close on $4,000, 900 for distribution
among the shareholders, at the rate
of $40. share. This was equal to
20 per cent on the original value of
the shares.
"The curse of Monte Carlo is not
merely that it is responsible for tho
ruin of hundreds of men and wo-
men," he concluded. but that it en-
tails undeserved wretchedness on
their families. who often have to suf-t
fer not only privation, but great
mental anguish, directly due to the
4
evil influence of the gambling tables.
1t is forcing bed of crime. Swim
dlers and thieves of every class
haunt the place. The spot is the
most beautiful one on the Riviera,
and has the finest climate for in
valids. 1t is time that such place
was rid of the curse of the gambling
den.''
A suggestion that the gambling
dens of Monte Carlo should be sup
pressed By the powers Of Europe is
attracting widespread attention. Mr..
Max Penberton, the novelist, who is
an authority on Monte Carlo. says
that the diplomatic situation would
make any such action difficult. ~
cannot pronounce an opinion on q
crime that is still untried." he said.
but one thing is ciear-Monte Car
10 is the haunt Of every adventures
in the world. 1t is astounding now