New-York tribune., 1913-07-20
About to Undertake Purginu The
English Capitals "Square
Mile of Infamy."
PLAYING ON THE INCREASE
Gaming Houses Flourishing in
Large Numbers and Enor.
nous Sums Lost by Per.
sons in High Positions.
TFrom The Tribune Correspondent. +,

not so disastrous as New Yorks Ten.
derlon or so alluring as the Partisan
Montmartre but truly reeking in vic.
and very sordid vice, too.
One of the first things the crusaders
will fling their lances against Is the
gambling epidemic, which, to use 1.
time-worn simile, but nevertheless An.
plicabie in this particular, is eating in,o
London like a cancer. There is prob..
bly, more play in Englands capital this
summer than ever before. OF cour,a
the more picturesque high stake games
which spot the West End as the surs
of the night attract most attention
hut other parts OF London, even IA,
swelly. low East End and the shabby.
genteel Bloomsbury. are affected by this
corrupting disease.
Gambling is not new in England. Ithu
gone on for ages and ages, but since The
time OF those Georges who frequerta
Bath IL has increased in alarming mar.
nitude. The Englishman, believing In bis
heart OF hearts that he is always. above
everything, a sportsman. is willing to
wager or bet on almost anything. and
what is termed the smart set seems to b.
Just as sporting" as the rest Of the
populace.
Stories Of gambling In clubs and private
houses all over the West End are in the
papers and the hotel Hobbies every day.
I'm Mayfair and BelgraHa alone. II Is ~
mated. there are at least a hundred pr
vate houses at which the popular chem.n
de fer is played. The chief form Of inn.
tation is 70 ask the guest 10 a champasns
suppor. and these guests. knowing what's
In store. go prepared 10 have little nut.
ter" which sometimes costs them thou
sands OF pounds. Large sums are lost
and won on the tables every night and
many gaming house keepers are said 10
make profits Of $3.50 between sundoEn
and sunrise.
Only this week a visitor who figure,
prominently in public life lost 5000 10
one game. and stock broker was sad
70 have lost $4,000. These particular
losses occurred In a private house" rra
BY certain captain who has the at'
vantage OF classic education and IN.
companionship Of a woman well known
about London. and a woman who gained
the favor Of a foreign prince years ago
and friend OF hers who IS related
one Of Engand's best families.
Young Girl a Loser.
A girl still in her teens lost $3.50 in one
afternoon i'm a house In the neighborhoot
Of Lancaster Gate. W. two weeks ago. A
we'll known proprietor who had found
desirable 10 change his residence IRE
ouently has boasted that he has made
500, ,O0O in less than two years
4 short time ago a young man was oe
fore the courts charged with emoezIe-
ment and stealing a motor car and ne 80.
mitted he had lost no less than s2SOo"
I'm FIVE years through gambling. In I"
case OF a German. who was said 10 "a"
married the daughter Of an archoishoN
II was alleged that while playing oaeca'a
the stakes were as high as $500. bark
rupt recently admitted that ne had 70"
500. 600 through gambling, while E'~
nile marquis lost a similar amount "'
few sittings at baccarat.
The West End clubs are usually
course. very handsomely fitted and cnoH'
cigars and most expensive wines ana aln'
ners are provided. From the ou'Ao.
however. they preserve the same ai'
mysterious responsibility which charsets' !
ICES the best" gambling houses IN N'''
haitian.
The French system Of the "cagno'Ve
or percentage Of winnings Is useo. = 4
chemin de fer the Cagnotte taxes ~
cent OF the winnings OF each BANK n..
is. if the banker puts up bank OF
and wins the cagnotte takes s2S. The o'a-
then consists OF s975 and II he wins asAD
he takes $50. rather more than per 0'D-
II the bank. which Is now NiA goes
third time and wins the cagnoue 'as"
$3.50. and so on. On the other hand W
"pllxer" wins the cagnotte takes nctnlnI
There are half a dozen chemin oe ~
clubs. where every night at least 49,
Is won and lost and at least 500 pei'
the cagnotte
one OF the most unfortunate aspeoS
the gambling craze seems 20 be tha'
chiefly patronized. in the west Ena
least by men Of the highest p0s'S.
Army officers and good many memN
~ Parliament are frequent pla'e'" h
Young officer high In army circles 4,
through two months leave. spendhs
time quietly in Belgium. and
he Is trying 10 recoup at Ostend "n"'
lost In London.
Women and Girls Gamble
Another OF the saddest features ao0.'
the whole business is the sa"
among women and girls. The typ'%
mark made is. "Oh, every one We ATTN,
CANDLES" A society woman eNp",- - y
why she only allowed her daus"'e ,.S 1
a year said: "Oh. she's sucn ~,
bridge player. she can eas"'
5000 ..ha
But pitted against these suc', y,
women players are the cases -,
losers. among them that OF an ''s .ts,
wife who gambed for such hisn .,,.
that her losses nearly ruined tne" .,os
ried life; that OF married woman ;, ~
upon the forties. who. after los'hs "a L
in single night. shot hersen VI uho Il
the head, and that Of YOUNG e,.-sts &
was 80 Heavily IN debt 10 an "s' '.,on, L
gamo,er tnar she paid ner o0"s Z
with her honor. no 4
The catching OF cuxtouers i0' .,s. y
gambling houses IL a systen'au' "a 4
ness. Well dressed, agreeable !oun' '.r n
frequent West End restaurants s"D 100
acquaintance. After niSn'
they suggest a place where ! A"
can get, another drink. In.,e nls
some card games. but | wouiu" .resif \
L ,,,orn rnn-insf look" me uh" - ~