River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-08-13

MaHyyzENsN rings ever in the ears
E%Ak Of those who fall be-
Wk.:::::IIlGs2M meath the fascination
%:1srEN of that most exacting
GssEzZrza6zz1B of mistresses, Dame
Roulette. In the great gilded sa-
Ions, where the light of day is ex-
cluded by curtains of black and Grim
son muslin, where the senses are be-
Wildered by an apparent disregard
OF wealth, and where the atmosphere
is heavy with that faint odor of per-
spiration and perfume, it is the same
invitation to play rising above all
other sounds, year in, year out, Sun
days and week ys-"Messieurs,
faites vos jeux!"
To frequeDters of Monte Carlo | re-
quire little introduction. They know
me, perhaps, as a familiar figure of
rather funereal aspect, in frock coat
and black tie, strolling aimlessly
about, sometimes watching the play
at this table or at that, but more often
keeping close observation on one or
other of the players who, like moths
around a candle, are attracted to the
tapis-vert by golden expectations. |
am an observer by profession, having
graduated under Mons. Goron, chief
of the Paris Surete, and afterwards
served a term as croupier at the rou-
lette tables, whence | rose to be chef
de partie, and afterwards became ap-
pointed to the office | now hold
AS chief of the surveillance depart
ment, my Office is no sinecure, for,
truth to tell the Cercle des strangers
de Monaco is the sink of Europe. An
interesting procession of malefactors
and criminals of the upper class seems
to filter through our salons year by
year, in blissful ignorance Of the fact
that, when they mount the carpeted
steps from the Place, they are simply
walking into an international police
bureau. Little do they dream that, if
warrants are out for their arrest, it is
more than probable that in one of the
large albums in my private room be-
hind the bureau, where they present
their fictitious visiting cards to obtain
their carte d admission, there repoSes
a well-eXecuted counterfeit present
ment of themselves, together with a
brief and pointed statement of their
offense. In these heavy albums, each
devoted to a separate country, [ have
a truly cosmopolitan collection. Nearly
every region on the face of the earth
contributes its quota to my gallery of
celebrities, for whenever a delinquent
is known to have obtained consider
able sum of money by his crime his
description or his photograph is at
once forwarded to me, for the fatal
fascination which the roulette wheel
exercises upon those guilty of the
more serious offenses is truly astonish-
ing. Yet, when once they are recog-
nized, either by myself or my as
sistants, they have as little chance Of
escape as they have of winning a zero
or the ami de la maison, as we know
it familiarly-on their first throw.
To discuss the morality of this, the
most picturesque spot on the whole
Littoral, or to hold a brief for or
against the tables, is not my intention.
To describe it as a hell within para
disc will perhaps suffice. Much has
already been written about wild
gaming and it's dire results-much
that is true, but more that is false.
Yet now for the first time. will be
shown in these "reminiscences the
manner in which the administration of
the Cercle des strangers renders as
sistance to the police of Europe.
AS may readily be imagined, a good
many romances in real life pass be-
meath the notice of one whose days
are spent at a spot where drama is
continuously being played, and where
it is not infrequently varied by
tragedy Truly. ours is strange
world-the world of Monte Carlo.
High play, or a run of luck, always
interests me, tired as l am of the
eternal stakes of single five-franc
pieces; and it was this eagerness to
watch heavy risks which one after
noon attracted me to that roulette
table which stands at the further end,
to the right of the entrance to the
trente-et-quarante rooms. 1t was the
height OF the Riviera season. bright,
balmy day in early February, a few
days before Carnival; the sea outside
was turquoise, the sky cloudless, and
the gardens were looking their best
and brightest, but, as usual utterly
neglected by those eager crowds. A
glance around the tables showed me
that something unusual was in prog
ress. The croupiers - who are
changed each hour-chanced to be all
young men, and with such a party the
game was always fast and furious.
They made it their boast that when
ever these six came together they
played twice as quickly as the ''fogies"
did.
..Messieurs. faites vos jeux!" rose
sharply as l approached the chair of
the chef de partie. and at the same
instant the croupier reversed the red
and black wheel, and with twist of
the thumb launched the ivory ball on
its way along the circular ledge.
The excited players threw their sill
Ne, and gold on the numbers, the