The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1907-03-07
LONDON GAMBLING TIPS.
Revelatlons OF an Illicit but Paying
Industry.


Fsom time to time great public sur
prise Is expressed when the announce
uivul . made in The newspapers tEal
! quiet respectable looking house IN
-. appareuu1 numdrum Lodon neigh
sorliooi hes been raided BY the police
lud tne ploprietors heavily fined Tor
".rupylng the premises for purposes
II illegal gaming.
Ualy a fea weeks ago two foreigners
rers aned G20e-and this was the
.e,onth occasion on which they mao
zen nneo-Sor using q large house in !.
fashionable West End square as the
headquarters of a gambling den large
treQuented by gilaed youths and
hose idlers who prefer to make liv.
ng by any other means than by hard
york. The fine was paid ct once. and
u the Judge expressing his surprise
nat 50 heavy q penalty was always
aid by the proprietors' without any
lliculty. he was informed by we'll
,uown police inspector that tho profits
fashionable London gambling den
requsntly amounted to as much aa
$40 In slngle week.
In order. therefore. to fathom the
,ystery of this heavy margin Of profit
eri,ed from keeping gambling dens.
le writer. accompanied by q plain
othes officer. paid q visit to several
Establishments on which for some
ne the police have had watchful
q. The greatest secrecy Is invar'a-
~ exercised by the keepers Of these
lunts to prevent any one being ad-'
lifted who Is likely to split and
We information to tho yard" which
al justify warrant being issued, and
raid made on the premises.
The interior of gambling den pre-
.nts spectacle which those who
pay CALI for the first time VIII
ever forget Heavy curtains effectu-
lily keep out the daylight even on
Le warmest summer day, while a
4nitor of unpleasantly pugilisic ap-
eagance guards the door, ready to
,Ject every client who shows a disDo-
,ition to complain of his losses having
.een brought about by unfair means.
n the far corner OF the room during
,acing hours tape machine. giving
he winners and starting prices, ticks
nerrily away. while around g long
able covered with green baize slt,
,our, after hour. crowds Of harassed.
.xcited looking gamblers registering
heir wagGrs and eagerly discussing
ne chances Of tho various candidates
or each race.
As o general rule, faro is the game
most dear to the heart Of the gambling
len proprietor. for on each hand dealt
charge Of sixpence Is made, and, as
frequently upward Of sixty hands are
eal. in an hour. it can be easily un-
.elstood that the dealers commission
soon swells into very considerable
ium- AM not moment Of the Cay
wasted. From early one morning
until early the next morning some
came of chance Is being played. and
is even the mcst ayaricious gamester
equired q few hours sleep. the pro-
prietor Invariably has two or three
friends ready to take charge Of things
While he turns IN" for a short time.
Perhaps cne Of the most striking
eatures Of well-organizea gambling
len is the elaborate system Of keeping
touch with the movements Of the
,olioe. For instance. spies are from
morning unit! night on watch oute'de
% give notice Of any suspicious move
nent on the part Of the gentlemen IN
,lue." while the approach OF ary
strangers in plain clothes to the the
building is invariably signalled to the
loorkeeper. 80 that time Is allowed to
onceal- the. various implements Of
gambling should q raid be contem-
plated. s