Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-03-25

certain rules and reguidtlOnb blHllhr
to those of ordinary clubs and are
given membership cards which must
be presented at the door to secure ad-
mission. Ladies of proper appearance
may be admitted at all times without
cards, but the Bradleys are very par
ticular as to the people they allow
to play. They go on the theory that
1t Is easier to keep a troublesome per-
son 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
required to give an assurance that he
has no interest in any business enter
prise In the state. This is to remove
all risks Of suits to recover money lost
in the games. The legal authorities
of Dade county have never been in
the club. and, OF course, cannot know
what Is going on behind the white.
vine-clad walls. Dade Is big county.
Another good reason for their ignor
ance Is the fact that a son Of State
Senator Reese, the political boss of
this section, is secretary OF the club,
and draws a generous share of the
100000 profit which the Bradleys are
reputed to realize from the business.
cF oba de-
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 speclulators must have thrills,
and the Bradley brothers try to ac-
commodate them. Occasionally we
hear of big losses. 1t is reported, for
example, that bromo seller man
from Baltimore dropped $4,000 in
few moments last Saturday night, and
occasionally some women gets excited
and loses her money before she knows
1t. Nearly every night between 10
and / o'clock you can see foolish
| young men throwing away $40 bills,
| 500 bills. $50 and 500 bills without
the slightest emotion. The money is
| lost as suddenly and as silently as II
they had tossed 1t into blazing fire
instead OF upon the curious looking
table marked with squares and num-
| bers.
| There is very little complaint, be-
cause most Of the players are rich and
are true sports. If man worth con-
sidering goes broke the Bradleys take
care of him, buy him ticket home
and give him 500 bill to pay for the
| incidentals on the journey. There has
never been suicide that I can hear
| of and never a lawsuit except Mr.
Flagler's early efforts to drive the
| gamblers out of the place. But he
has been compelled to give them up.
The Bradleys have demonstrated that
they have just as much right here,
as he has. They own their house,
1
taurant, and Mr.. Flagler has never
been able to get any evidence to the
contrary against them.
am told that the Bradley brothers
are well known and highly respected
among gamblers. John, the elder, re-
moves the tiger to Saratoga every
summer, while Edward hunts for big
game in India, Africa, Australia and
In other outlandish regions. The club
house has several handsome trophies
of his craftsmanship and photographs
he has taken. Occasionally he de-
livers a lecture concerning his ad-
ventures. 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 long series of
halls where hundreds of gamblers sur
round the tables. Everything is open
and public, and anybody may enter
by registering his name. age, residence
and the hotel at which he Is stopping.
The age Is a very serious matter and
Is intended to protect the proprietors
against suit to recover money alleged
to have been lost by minors. At Os-
tend. AK Les BONES. Interlaken,
Baden-Baden and the other German
spas there is no secrecy about the
gambling. and no questions are asked.
But here everything has to be con
Quoted in the most quiet manner DOS
sible.
There is very little bridge played
at Palm Beach, except at some OF the
cottages and occasionally a game IL