The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-13
SHARP PRACTICES AT BRIDGE
,IIDN OF SHI FILING led
10 ~ ENPOS NJ.
,rrucr Tr,cAstrr Caught when u Mas
>skrd " Miiking the Caraa Was
proper Edge trimmed and Hixh anti
Tow Gould ne Placed Alternately

hero has lately come 70 light In a
fashionable gambling club in Paris an
.rr--,uuS system Of swindling AZ bridge.
d.. hero VI which seems 20 have been
a - - pass himself nff "a a gentleman
= sue and Ia have obtained admission
p. -u,n" ~ the most exclusive circles
,h-oISh his acknowledged ability as a
...va- e the very first class
~'r.'E" - Say his exposure came about
..- Oh such a simple matter a. n bet
.;.'. 't' avs Of the game no one know
* whether or not il was permitted 10
..-."'r ~" cards in a certain way known
e %" ~rnfessional gambler a. milking
:. American who was present when
me te' was made submitted the question
20 ~" aIiho-ites over here for decision,
Al he answer, which was ssnt by mail
:. Pans. being accompanied by an ex-
r.r.l'lon of the uses 70 which the shuttle
COZ Is -" PUT led 10 the exposure and 20
. -"a-'h " the gamblers rootus.
=" "a. good players u appears that
-" hero ~ the episode. whom We may
,l. VI prprie. had runs Of very bad
h.k which all his skill WAS unable 20
co-'eld against. As long a. his capital
vs. not seriously impaired he seems to
k.v" stood the gan in the gamblers hope
nat the turn IN tho lane was close at
hI-t but when il became absolutely
- essay 20 correct fortune he seems 10
hl," adopted methods which were charm
II; n their simplicity. and by sheer force
- ~'ruden"c no got awav with them.
The point about which the fatal dispute
avs" vas the right Of any player in
s+G''ing tho cards to throw them across
10 able instead Of keeping both por-
'rs " the pack in his grasp NJ. Duprie
r-sd 20 take the pack in his left hand
s'i with the thumb and forefinger Of
- night To draw the cards simultane-
'S'y from the TOP and bottom Of the
puck Growing them face downward onI
-" 'lhi" IN a shower II apparently COM
TO"'" confusion. On account " ia artis-
appearance when done rapidly this
I,-,C.1s 1, sometimes called showing
To right of the dealer 90 shuttle last
" = not denied. hut il was observed that
erever VI. Dupris had occasion 10
nplain long and Justify about his bad
LEX and oppressed a fervent wish to
hnge it he always rcsorted To this
= -ticullr shuttle. The result was always
.isfactory-tc NJ. Duprie, so much so
tat IL was upon this particular shuttle
r7,re than anything elae that the dealer
: ght 10 shuttle cards by throwing them
n the table was challenged.
There is nothing in the laws Of bridge
70 prevent this shuttle. and it was de-
Ci1-d by the authorities TO whom the mat
t'r was referred. Apparently anything
4 the way - a shufiae il allowable 40 that
ne faca II no card is seen during the
Process. At the same tims il was pointed
at that there used TO be an old whist
aw III the English code TO the effect that
ne ards must not be shuffled by dealing
them into packets. which il a common
practice even to-day when the cards are
new. and that they must not he shufisd
Nv dealing them across the table. This
last phrase was evidently meant to for
bid any method of shutting that would
detach the cards from the pack during
tho process Of mixing them.
Unfortunately for VI. DIprie he does
not appear to have po~-eseed sufficient
sNiIl 10 dispense with this showing process
90 discretion would have suggested the
wisdom OF abandoning IL the moment II
vas objected 10. Your finished gambler
never persists in thing that his victims
have tumblcd to. He goes upon the old
thc-ry thar 10 they gill not stand one thing
rley will stand another and he always
has Tho other ready. As disclosed later.
y DEprio's method Of procedure seams
10 have been about like this:
Tfr first matter 20 which l.. paid par
ti-ula attention was shO max" and pat
tn 81 tho c,rd5 us a in tho clubs at
which 70 plGy d l. was E'tSrwa-d rc-
60. nat h. had BIZ. WY particular
IT = +''N,t.on o: ca d. bought for tn.
ais VI purpos' ~ olnying solitaire. As
q nan" II - MANUFACTURER appears
On overT PACK. ind a. all tho patterns ar.
-'lrr:. d out IN lnFC quantities It 10 a COM
ua-a-Iv-v asy ma N p-ovid one
{ with DUPLICATES of sny ropular desieA
Evon II hoy ar clue ca d. barring the
Cub nonornm IN tho back. such cards
a -lways for sal sccf &c hard either
~ r. steward of III club or by in" STA
-.,r.-s <En mat" a busin's7 ~ buying
no a IDS. ~ ding TIL d. and s"lli1g
~ N ~ lsc'nds.
A!,er VI Duprie mad secured his sup
j.y Il duplicate packs. the next process
Wl-@" trim TIA. @ises Of the cards ia s'ich
= manner IN " everything from the deuces
- 'na bia eights was slightly followed
r.lr on long edges. tn. re'painder Of
r.. pack haiug left untouched This
...-irIon requires n certain amount OF
100 go "a not to chang" in the slightest
40. roe. N" rounded corners which are
costly reformed 10y means 81 knives
n.r.i.. FOR the purpose. which somewhat
r.-..nul- tho trimm-rs used 10y photogra-
: "r- one of these was found in VI.
.. .r'- room.
Ir- -sn-. Of touch in the finger tips
900. rrpies- lonal card sharper - highly
...i.r and while an ordinary person
-rIfia pack n -wadge-- all eve
" 70. r'nOut roma rking anything. "a person
~. "Np"rt IN their use can seize the
pa wr'r The forefinger and thumb Of
"... hand md. While apparently lifting
OBJ" .Iu"r part of the pack IN order TO
-rI'''" - INTO the lower part. can draw
tpa-- al 'ra cards that are trimmed con-
..... ur me. .dgea 80 that he holds IN one
hard ---rythIng from the deuces 70 the
...t.- ..:hi- and IN the other hand every
'.rE from the red Fights up To the aces.
Ht.IuE prepared the way for what -
low hy several illusions TO his rotten
- and Wishing he could shuttle the
-..'- - N" cards or do something 10
..r~g" 49, VI Duprie would take the
..t.s m ma left hand and milk the On rds