The Adair County news., 1914-12-02
A Gambler
Prince
By DONALD CHAMBERLIN


Francois Blanc" ssis the Judge.
what have you to say why seStenes
should not be passed upon your
Nothing"
'I regret that the inadequacy of the
law compels me to let you of with a
nominal punishment You corrupted
the young men in the telegraph Office
TO publish false news from the Stock
Exchange in Paris to enable you to
make money by buying or selling
shares, an offense which should give
you not less than ten years in prison
I sentence you to serve seven months
In Jail, being the longest term ! can
give you for your crime"
Francois Blanc bowed his head and
vas marched away. When his term
Of service had passed he came out rf
Jail with $4,000 to his credit in bank
Right under the nose OF the judge
who had convicted him he established
q casino in Homburg, which was really
gambling house. He made money,
but prejudice against gambling was
growing In Germany. and he feared
the time would come when laws would
be passed that would ruin his business,
NJ. Blanc looked up rather than
down. He aspired to run his gam
bling business In a country where be
could so influence the laws that mona
would be made to interfere with his
method OF enriching himself. So he
looked about him. In Europe there are.
a number of small kingdoms. princt-t
palities, dukedoms. that have been In
dependent so long that none Of the
great powers have the hardihOOd to
absorb them. Blanc found a little prin,
cipality containing a few square miles
only that seemed ripe for what he In
tended. What the powers dare not alb
sOrb by the bayonet he resolved to alb
sorb by undermining with gold.
The ruler of this principality had
descended from one Of the oldest royal
families In Europe. but he had nothing
but his pedigree. He held a court. ID
Is true. but his courtiers were those
who served without salaries and were
able occasionally to lend the sovereign
money. In order to recoup he sold
concession in his principality to two
men, who bought it with the intention
Of opening a gambling house on the
territory conceded. They built Ca
sine and began operations, but the
prince wanted all their profits, and
they became discouraged.
Francois Blanc, learning of this con-
cessiOn and the condition of its own
ers, bought it from them and. closing
out his casino at Homburg. built a
costly one on the new site. laid out
splendid gGrdenS-in short. expended
his place attractive. Fortunately fOl'
him the time was ripe for such an in
Vestment. For many years Baden
Baden. in Germany. had been the
fashionable gambling center of Eu-
rope. where every one. from royalty TO
commoner. gave way to the passion OF
gaming. Baden Baden was now no
longer such a resort, and Blanc aimed
to make his concession what Baden
Baden had been.
In this he succeeded. The gambling
mania of Europe was all MADE = pouC
gold into Francois Blanc's pocket
Kings and queens. princes and prin-
cesses. dukes and duchesses. came and
made it fashionable. to be followed byI
every one who had Il franc to spend
and a franc to risk. The sovereign
had all the money he wanted to spend.
and his court. II not numerous, were
at least we'll dressed and were not
called upon to lend the prince money
But while he held the empty title OF
ruler of the principally Francois
Blanc was the real governor.
The prince died and left his inherit
ance to his son. The new sovereign
proved himself really nothing mora
than a silent junior partner in gam
bling Sblishment. and there was
nothing for him to do but remain as
he was 50 be renewed the concession
for a term of fifty years for $5.OO0.0OO.
q sum that Francois Blanc could wei.
afford TO pay since he made ii in .
single year He could afford to 20
more than this. He furnished all ttNa
money necessary to run the SDyGrao
Enent, including official salaries.
One storm arose on the gambler soy
ereign's path. but he weathered IL
The princes neighbOrs. rot relishinS O
gambling principally so near them,
endeavOred to induce one Of the pow
ers on which 1t bordered to take steps
to prohibit it. In addition. the princes
subjects became dissatisfied at paying
taxes TO a prince who had such an
enormous revenue. At Blanc's request
the sovereign abolished all taxes. and
Blanc paid them.
This was the last bite III the loaf the
gambler deyOured. The prince, the
principality and lastly the subjects
passed into his capaciOus nav. for
when a citizen sells his citizenship the
buyer becomes its owner.
Francois Blanc accumulated a for
tune equal to some of the largest in
America, and, If he was only a prince
In a financial way. he married hia
daughters to princes.
The principally that forms the sub
feet of this narrative lies on the
north shore OF the Mediterranean and
Is called Monaco 1t is divided into