The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1913-01-17
A Gambler S
Warning
By EVERETT ATwATER

gears old was very successful gam
bier. About the time he reached that
age he opened a gambling house In a
large city. taking care to hand over a
proportion of his winnings to the POI
lice. If he had had only the police to
trouble him he would be running his
place yet 1t wasn't the police. but
something that shook up his nerves far
more than raid from them and drove
him out of gambling altogether.
A number of persons had been ruined
playing in Cookers rooms. but they
hadn't bothered Croker What they
did with themselves he didn't know
and didn't care. At Monte Carlo every
now and then pistol shot is heard In
the grounds and the body of some sui
eide is found who had lost fortune at
the tables. Croker's place was on a
thoroughfare. and if any one wished to
commit suicide on account of losses at
his place he would go where he was
less likely TO be observed. at any rate
there were no disagreeable happenings
whatever till that one occurred which
drove him out of the gambling BUSH
ness.
A young ScOtchman. Donald Adair.
on coming of age came over the water
to see America before settling down Oh
his estate and marrying the daughter
of a neighboring laird. He was very
much in love with the girl and was
contemplating happy life. On reach
ing New York he found a friend Il
show him the town, and. among otheI
places. this friend took him into Gro
ker's gambling rooms. They were
sumptuously furnished. and an elab-
crate supper with choice wines was ON
a buffet. Adair. TO pay for his sup
per, concluded to lose a dollar or two
and lost a hundred before leaving the
place
The next day he went back to get a
return Of sos and lost thousand. And
so it went on, losing, winning, losing,
winning, till all his letter of credit
called for was used up. Then he drew
all the cash that could be raised on
his estate and one night walked away
from the den of iniquity without a
shilling in the world. But before leav-
ing ne SalQ 10 croker:
Look out for me tomorrow night. I
have an idea that l may win all this
money back"
! Croker says that when he said this
| he looked at him in a way that froze
| the marrow In his bones.
| By this time the telephone had come
into use, and Croker conceived the idea
| - lrin hVS IL mi
persons too timid or too eminently
] respectable to come to his rooms. OF
course whoever played over the wire
sent person to see to his interests.
About an hour after Adair had left
Croker a ruined man a messenger
came into the place with $50 in gold
and left it with the proprietor. A mo-
ment later the latter received word by
telephone that the person who had sent
the gold would like to play roulette
over the phone. Croker went into the
private room and asked who the party
was. The answer came back that It
was Adair Croker shrugged his shout
ders. Having won everything Adair
had. he had hoped that he had got
through with him. But he couldn't re-
fuse to play and asked Adair who
would represent him. Adair named one
of the employees, Riley. adding that
he would give him 10 per cent of any
, winnings he might make Riley was
called In, and the game began
Adair won from the start True. he
would occasionally lose. but his losses
were so small in proportion to his win
tE.,
70 largely in his favor. Every time be
, gained Il good sum he gave directions
B. that his representative should deduct
p 10 per cent of it. This kept Riley In
his interest and insured his getting his
winnings. But after awhile those win
nings accumulated so largely that
l. Croker asked Riley. taking care to
@ speak In a whisper, that he might not
a he heard over the wire. to 20 back
on his principal and report losses In.
~ stead of winnings. Offering him large
percentage to do so. Riley consented
and the next large sum Adair won hi
i wired that it had been loss.
S For that lie | will make you pay
@ dearly" came over the wire in a voic,
/ that struck both men with terror.
Il The game went on. and present.
Adair left his winnings on numb,
that paid for l. and every time t
o ball spun 1t won for him. Croker plu
e ed until he dared 70 no further, tn
l. telephoned that he had finished
that night. No reply came to this. a,
he asked what he should do wi,
Adair's winnings Adalr must ha,
- left the phone, for not a whisper cam
s. back
II don't like this business Crol,a
h said to Riley You take his pile an,
n turn 1t all over to him when no con
for it."
h hi'ey scooped up the winnings, an,
D." Croker went home very mucb ratified
% The next morning when he tool, nm ia,
n paper he saw an account of the suicld
e or Donald Adair. He had ROM dIract