Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1910-07-07
old GAMBL |NGCL UBS
Famous Resorts of the Bettiaa
Fraternity ii Londcn.
THE WAY FOX WAS TRIcKED

\
Scheme That Allowed Him to 30
Cheated by Lord Barrymore-Wa-
tiers, Commended by Lord Byron
and Patronized by Beau BrummeI.
| In America such thing as a propri-
etary club owned and managed by one
man is almost unknown. In London it
is the usual thing, and almost all the
medium sized clubs which are devoted
to some special purpose. such as card
playing. are proprietary.
j In the old days this was money
making enterprise, and some immense
fortunes were piled up by the proprie-
tors of London card clubs. But now
whenever club shows signs of un.
usual prosperity the members get to-
gelher and insist ON forming some sort
/ at governing body which shall have
power to pass upon he proposals for
membership They also see to it that
the proprietor spends u proper proper
ton of his profits on the comfort of
thing in his pocket.
| The fashions in the card ci..i., con-
] tinually change with the years and
| with the games that are the I'll; 4
century ago it was against the laies
III many of the best clubs to play
cards before dinner, whereas nova
days the principal play is between
nj a nd ,l,n .,f
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 OH
st. James street, made it his rule to
| attend to his guests in person when
ever exceptionally high play was in
progress. knowing that he would lie
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 ut
| the table.
Some of th" proprietary clubs adopt
| ed curious rules to attract and keep
| their customers One of the chief diff.
ticutieS theI. as now. was To insure Il
game from amy ONE that might happen
| To drop in al odd hours One of tEcsc.
| nictliamcd the Nerve Ending club. had
Il bylaw that no player should quit u
table until IL fresh arrival MAS ready
to take his place.
One very popular feature MAS to pro-
vide light slken curtains which could
be drawn between the faces of the
players so as 10 conceal from an adj
versaiN amy unguardcd expression of
disappointment or of triumph upon
| picking UP Il hand or following the
course of play.
II was at this club that Fox lost Il
large sum of money to Lord Barry
cealment OF his OWN face to study the
reflection of i''uS'S cards in the lnrme
polished steel buttons which he wore
upon his coat
AT the corner of Bolton street and
piccadily was Matters club which
Byron records was IL superb club" In
lSlo. Beau Erummel played here rec.
ularly for ten or twelve years. but the
club eventually fell into disren;l:r
through tho WANT Of proper supc:,,
sion of THE admissions In membership,
siwinburtc says il his; Courts OF
Europe iiat il WAS in this club that IL
PLACER upon seeing The Witty Lord
Av;lnley ,,li,.i. the room and drrH,.in.
his salilrl Tongue. laid down his
cards and pulled out pair of pistols,
which lie laid on the table beside him.
The only ,u,s.nie,tt of Availry was:
II hope You don't expect your ad
! yrr,;ary To follow suit"
Every visitor Ia l.o!'don who has
passed down piceAdIl., has probably
remarked the imposing home Of the
DevonShirr club ut the southwest cor
llrr of ST. james street Nitllii 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 oriyi-
nally from the Iiccadilly side. and
Eany changes have been made in the
Stclior arrangements but some of the
gilt chairs hat We're used by the high
rollers OF seventy gears ago are still
preserved in the clubrooms.
The proprietor of this club was orig
ially IL small tishmonger named Will
| liam Crochford. who had shop near
Temple Bar. His first venture in club
proprietorship was to take Walters
old house. where hazard. the Aner-
cam game of craps, was the chief at
traction. In this he had IL partner
namcd Taylor and they both made
money. but III the end of year they
separated and Crcckford went to ST.
James street. whore he prospercd so
well that he Instructed the Wyatts to
prepare plans for Il nrw building.
This WAS opened in 1927. and. al
though II was Il proprietary club.
t'rockford w;n: .nrewd enough to in
vest committee, With the right of
election TO membership IL move TO
which many persons attribute his i'm
mense success. Among the first Of the
names presented was that Of the Duke
of Wellington. and almost every man
of note in England was either a mem