The Washington herald., 1908-03-22
TRAGEDIES OF MONTE CARLO
The Darker Side of What Is Re-
garded as the Gamblers Eden.
Some Instances Where RetrIbutIOn
Followed Fast, Also, Where
Crimes Follow Losses.

Monaco, one OF the beauty spots OF the
Riviera, has been the scene of number
less crimes and tragedies. SeIf-destrue-
ton Is, OF course. the chief of these. but
details OF a suicide seldom creep out. The
authorities OF the casino know too well
that such news is prejudlclaI 10 their
interests and by every means in their
power they hush such things I'D.
In one case a young married couple
from Lyons were staying ar Nice. The
husband went frequently to Monte Carlo
to stake-so his wife believed-only small
sums. But there came the awakening.
one day he did not come back He had
shot himself In a quiet corner OF the
grounds Investigation disclosed that he
/ had riSked all his money at the fatal
tables-an6 lost. says London Answers.
In another instance II was the woman
who erred. A young German and his
bride were travelling in Italy partly on
their honeymoon and partly on the hus-
| bands business He had collected 1000
francs for his employers. and was taking
Il back 10 Germany. on several occa-
sions he visited the casino. leaving his
principals money with his wife for Gus
tOdy
One evening. on returning to Nice.
where they were staying. he was told
that his wife was missing: so was the
money intrusted to her on inquiry at
the casino he learned that a woman an
swering to the 6eScription OF his wife
had been gambling heavily-and losing
When she had seen all her money swept
away she rushed out in frenzy Of de-
spair and threw herself TO instant death
over the terrace.
But every tragedy does not end in
death. There are those Who having lost
their all. must, for the sake OF Others.
face the future. For these a department
has been established TO aid them TO leave
Monaco: otherwise they might commit
suicide and thus become a nuisance
The place is literally a hotbed OF crime.
Many gambler. after a run of luck.
leaves the place in delight only to be a
target for the pistol Of a scOmdrel He
has been marked Al the tables. and
watched till favors bic moment occurs
There is a crack. He falls Snd when
he is found his pockets are empty
1t is not. however, always the gamblers
who suffer. The bank is sometimes the
victim. A certain old woman VINO had
haunted the tables for years had lost far
more than she ever gained there. Sud
denly her luck seemed to turn, and she
won steadily Presently the officials be
came panic-strickeR- Overtures were
made TO her, and she finally sold them
her secret for a large sum. II was q
warped table.
She had noticed that when a certain
number was spun il invariably stopped
at another number. Working out this
plan, she brought about her marvellous
run Of luck.
There is another form Of crime which
exists almost solely at Monte Carlo. Men
have been known 10 play Al the tables
lose, and then create disturbance They
proclaim their losses. and announce their
intention of destroying themselves, know
ing well what the result viii be. The
administration, which breads nothing so
much as a scandal. has paid on many oc-
casions the equivalent of the losses such
men falsely claim 10 have suffered.