The Adair County news., 1914-07-22
A Gambler
Prince
By DONALD CHAMBERLIN

should not be passed upon your
Nothing"
IT regret that the inadeQuacy of the
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 | car
give you for your crime"
Francois Blanc bowed his head and
was marched away. When his term
Of service had passed he came out ~
Jail with $4,000 to his credit in bank
Right under the nose Of the judge
who had convicted him he established
a casino in HOmburg. which was really
a gambling house He made money,
but prejudice against gambling was
growing In Germany. and be feared
the time would come when laws would
be passed that would ruin his business.
NJ. Blanc looked up rather thar
down. He aspired to run his gam
bling business in country where he
could so influence the laws that none
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, princi
palities, dukedOms that have been in
dependent so long that none Of the
great powers have the hardihOOd tK
absorb them. Blanc found 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. it
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 q
concession in his principality to two
Lucu, WIZ OOuSuL II Will Iuc lulcuI4OA
Of opening a gambling house on the
territory conceded They built a Ca
sinO and began operations. but the
prince wanted all their profits. and
they became discouraged.
Francois Blanc. learning of this cor
cession and the condition Of its OWL
ers, bought it from them and. closing
out his casino at Homburg. built g
costly one on the new site. laid out
splendid gardens-in short. expended
several millions with view to making
his place attractive Fortunately for
him the time was ripe for such az r.
yestment For many years Bauer
Baden, in Germany. had beer 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 nasie = poUr
gold into Francois Blanc's pocket
Kings and queens. princes and prin-
cesses. dukes and duchesses. came ana
made it fashionable. TO be followed b.
every one who had a franc to spend
and a franc TO risk. The sovereign
had all the money he wanted TO spend
and his court. if not numerous. were
at least well dressed and were not
called upon to lend the prince money.
But while he held the empty title Of
ruler of the principaity Francois
Blanc was the real governor.
The prince died and left his inherit
ance to his son. The new sovereign
proved himself really nothing more
than a silent junior partner in a gam
bling establishment and there was
nothing for him To do but remain az
he was so he renewed the concession
for a term of fifty years for S50OO.O0G
a sum that Francois Blanc could wet
afford to pay since he made It in s
single year He could afford 20 de
more than this. He furnished all tk>
money necessary to run the govern
ment. including official salaries.
One storm arose on the gambler SOW
ereiSn's path. but he weathered il
The princes neighbOrS. rot relishing
gambling principally so near them
to induce one OF the pow
ers on which it bordered to take steps
to prohibit it. In addition. the princes
subjects became dissatisfied at paying
taxes to a prince who had such az
enormous revenue. At Blanc's request
the sovereign abolished all taxes, and
Blanc paid them.
This was the last bite in the loaf the
gambler devoured. The prince. the
and lastly the subjects
passed into his capaciOus nav. fox
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 his
daughters TO princes.
The principality that forms the sub
feet Of this narrative lies On the
north shore Of the Mediterranean ana
Is called Monaco. IL is divided lite
three parts one of which is Monte
Carlo. II is on this portion that All