The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-02
GAMBLING IN SWITZERLAND

nus coin disappear into the pile. by the
croupier. Some were lucky and won sew
erai francs. But usually the bank came
out AHEAD. One serious faced youne man
evidently a Frenchman was there every
night' playing as if it were his sole busi-
ness. one night he had quite a pile of
money by him; the next time he lost
steadily.
| Inc croupiers We're bored looking per-
sons, who raled in the money in the
most offhand manner and shot out coins
to the winners with a nonchalant air
Each held a stick resembling a small
rake The handle was very timber TO
facilitate in coralling the coins. And no
matter how many bets We're placed the
croupier could tell instantly who had won
and who lost
There are three banks in Interlaken.
Ihe maximum bet is five francs, so. na
great fortunes are won or lost as at
| monte Carlo. But quite a neat sum can
be lost in one night. even at that.
! "hen the orchestra began again, many
left the room, but the serious plavers
remained, and now and again could be
heard the monotonous voice of the caller.
| The gaming room is luxurant apart
fnent, everything is done to add to the
comfort of the players. Off this room
Is, OF course. bar. But no noisy crowd
was gathered III there. 1t was nracti-
cally deserted The drinks are served
out ON the veranda by trim little bar
maids. Next the bar is a magnificent
ballroom and in the height of the season
many festive dances are given there at
tended by cosmopolitan crowd. There
are also billiard rooms, reading rooms.
lounge rooms and the like
| When l arrived in Lucerne and had
been shown to my room, the concierge
called on me before | had hardly got my
door shut and inquired If | did not want
to buy Kur-Karte. This Is a small
book, the owner OF which is entitled TO
70 per cent reduction on tho admission
fees to the galleries. museums, KursaaI.
various shows and other places in Lu-
cerne. il costs half franc and is good
for seven days.
The kursaal in Lucerne is on the DUAL
National, broad tree-lined walk along
the lake OF Lucerne. 1t is a larger build
ing than the one In Interlaken. but Is, not
as attractive in appearance. The admis-
sion fee there is five francs, less 20 per
cent. to holders of the Kur-Karte. This
admits one to the gaming rooms the the
atre, where vaudeville is given, and to
the concert.
The orchestra PLAYS out in a garden
also filled with tables. when the weather
permits. Handsomely gowned women
and well dressed men sat at these tables
drinking and smoking. The gaming room,
which Is not nearly as good looking as in
Interlaken, has i've banks and was doing
a rushing business. Over the wheel is a
large electric sign which flashes the
winning numbers. Just across a wide
entrance corridor is the theatre, -smaIl
but handsome. There was the usual
singer, educated horse an expert with
diavolo and other routine vaudeville acts.
including strong man.
After the performance / went back
into the gaming room. a large crowd
was gathered around the tables. At one
of them woman could be heard laugh
ing loudly. 1 wedgcd in the crowd and
saw large, rather boisterous American
woman playing the game. She was evil
IDENTIFY winning and was greatly excited
at her luck. An excited little French
man was showing her how to play, and
she was pitching coins here and there
recklessly. The other players appeared
to be very much disgusted at her out
bursts, but she didn't seem to mind.
Finally she picked up her winnings and
left. The others sighed audibly in re-
lief.
"How much did you win?'' another
American asked her.
Twenty. francs" she replied. and
walked out proudly.