The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-03-07
OLD GAMBLING CLUBS
Famous Resorts Of the Bettinu
Fraternity In London.
THE WAY FOX WAS TRlCKED,

~ SCuomO bUAS NuOweo III" 20 %
Cheated BY Lord Barrymore
tiers, Commended by Lord Byron
and Patrenizsd by Beau 0rummsi.
In America such a thing as a propri-
etary club owned and managed by one
man is almost unknown. In London it
is the usual thing, and almset all the
medium sized clubs which are devoted
to some special purpose. such As card
playing, are proprietary.
In the Old days this was a money
making enterprise, and some immense
fortunes were piled up by the proprie-
tors Of London card clubs. But now
whenever a club shows signs Of I'M
usual prosperity the members get to-
gether and insist on forming some sort
of governing body which shall have
power to pass upon the proposals for
membership. They also see to 1t that
the proprietor spends 4 proper proper
ton Of his profits on the comfort of
the members instead of putting every
thing in his pocket.
The fashions in the card clubs con-
tinually change with the years and
with the games that are the rage. A
century ago it was against the rules
in many Of the best clubs to play
cards before dinner, whereas nova
days the principal play is between
the hours Of 4 and I. The income Of
the proprietor today Is from the an
nual subscriptions and from the fixed
fees for card money. In the old days
the largest source of revenue was
from the counters picked up from the
floor after the game was over.
George Raggett, the owner Of
Whites, one Of the most famous gam
bling clubs in the world, situated on
st. James street, made 1t his rule to
attend to his guests in person when
ever exceptionally high play was in
progress, knowing that he would be
we'll repaid for his time. Upon one
occasion. after picking up counters to
the value Of nearly $1,000 from the
floor, he received a gift Of almost as
much from Harvey Combe, who had
been playing from Monday evening
until II O'Clock on Wednesday morn
ing, Sir John Malcolm, Tippoo Smith
and Ward, the member Of parliament
for London, being the other players at
the table.
Some Of the proprietary clubs adopt
ed curious rules to attract and keep
their customers. One Of the chief diff
fculties then, as now, was to insure a
to drop in at odd hours. One Of these,
nickname the Nerve Ending club, had
a bylaw that no player should quit a
table until a fresh arrival was ready
to take his place.
One very popular feature was to pro-
vide light silken curtains which could
be drawn between the faces Of the
players so as to conceal from an adj
versary any unguarded expression of
disappointment or Of triumph upon
picking up a hand or following the
course of play.
1t was at this club that Fox lost a
large sum Of money to Lord Barry
more, who took advantage Of the con-
cealment Of his own face to study the
polished steel buttons which he wore
upon his coat.
At the corner Of Bolton street and
Piccadilly was Walters club, which
Byron records was a superb club" in
1915. Beau Brummel played here reg
ularly for ten or twelve years, but the
club eventually fell into disrepute
through the want of proper supervi-
sion Of the admissions to membership.
,;,,I,, In, ~
Europe" that it was in this club that a
player upon seeing the witty Lord
Alvanley enter the room and, dreading
his satirical tongue, laid down his
cards and pulled out a pair Of pistols,
which he laid on the table beside him
The only comment Of Alvanley was:
II hope YOU don't expect your ad'
versary to follow suit?"
Every visitor to London who has
passed down Piccadilly has probably
remarked the imposing home Of the
Devonshire club at tho southwest cor
ner Of st. James street Within this
building the highest gambling in the
world has probably taken place. the
sums won and lost at Monte Carlo be-
ing nothing to those that changed
hands here. The entrance was origi
nally from the Piccadilly side, and
many changes have been made in the
interior arrangements, but some of the
gilt chairs that were used by the high
rollers Of seventy years ago are still
preserved In the clubrooms.
The proprietor of this club was orig
inally a small fishmonger named VIII
liam Crockford. who had a shop neal
Temple Bar. His first venture In club
proprietorship was to take Waters
old house, where hazard, the Ameri
can game Of craps, was the chief at
traction. In this he had q partner
named Taylor, and they both made
money, but at the end Of a year they
separated, and Crockford went to st
James street, where he proepeced sc
well that ne Instructed the Wyat1s tt
prepare plans for q new building.
This was opened in 1927. and, al
though it was q proprietary club
Crockford was shrewd enough to in
vest a committee with the right o.
election to membership. a move t.
which many persons attribute his i'm
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