Evening star., 1938-08-26
BY JOHN LARDNER,
Special Correspondent of The Star

special correspondent OF The star.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y, Aug
26.-Although it was Dick Garfield
gambler, gourmet, fashion plate anc
collector of art treasures, who made
the name of Saratoga celebrated as 6
gaming hell-or gaming paradise, take
your choice-it was Honest John Nor
rissey, the Tipperary terror, who struck
the first pick into the mother lode.
Honest John was retired prize.
fighter and reformed Congressman
When he came to Saratoga at the enc
OF the Civil War, the town was known
for two things-mineral. springs ano
the battle of Saratoga. Morrissey
promptly built himself a race track and
gambling casino, and changed the
course of history in the quiet spa.
The race track, with alterations, is
the Saratoga track Of today The
gambling casino, with alterations, is
the Casino Of Garfield, the big brick
building, now museum, which stands
for all to see in Congress Park
Those were reconstruction days, and
faro was the national game from
coast to coast. Honest John Morrissey
concentrated on faro. AS the fran
chise passed from hand to hand-Al
Spencer was the next owner, and
Charley Reed the next-the game of
roulette was introduced under Euro
pean auspices. When Saratoga and
Its casino burst into full flower in the
9Os, under the great Garfield, roulette
was the standard pastime.
Wheel Drew Millionaires.
Ironically, Canfields name is best
known to the rank and file today for
a game of solitaire. You could always
play that game in Canfied's house. AS
banked by the old master, it cost the
player $50 to buy his deck of cards.
He laid them out in the approved
Canf1eld fashion and went through the
deck once. The house paid back S.
for each card placed above the line, on
the "ace-piles"
But solitaire was a by-product. The
sporting public came to Saratoga. and
to Canflelds, to play the wheel The
sky was the limit. New millionaires
from the West, like Cy Jaynes and
Curt Gunn loaded to the scuppers
with mining profits. came every season
to buck the house in Americas grand
est and gaudiest gambling casino.
They have their parallel today in the
modern "fresh-money" millionaires,
oil men like the mysterious H. L. Hunt
Of Texas, who has been butchering the
bookmakers at the race track this
season. But a race track killing can
never match the glamour of killing
at the wheel, on the green baize, under
the blazing lights, in house as rich
and plush-lined as Canfield's.
The place was known at various
times as the Garfield Casino, the
United States Club and the Saratoga
Club. It had a restaurant, serving
the food for which Saratoga always
has been famous, and picture gall
lery. Garfield in his time was the
worlds foremost collector Of Whistlers.
AS far as his guests were concerned,
he could have them All they wanted
was the cash which went to buy the
Whistlers.
Congressman and stockholders clus-
tered around his tables. One Senator
was involved in scandal over his
losses to Garfield. The house gave
credit where credit was safe, but, when
the Prince Won Hatfield, a globe
trotting nobleman and tireless punter,
demanded credit beyond his $4,000
note, the croupier refused to humor
him. The prince promptly kicked the
table over, and scattered the chips to
the four corners of the room.
In the casinos heyday, around the
turn of the century, Canfleld's profits
were estimated at 100000 a year
Rumor doubtless has exaggerated the
figure, for Canfield's nut, or invest
ment. was tremendous. But he did
all right.
Natives Not Irked by Ban.
One of the house rules was that
natives of Saratoga be barred from
the gambling rooms. The native
didn't mind. They were getting theirs
in a dozen ways, from the same folks
who gambled with Garfield. The
Casino supported the town.
The race track did it's share. too
and that, again, was partly Canfield's
doing. The track had been moribund
when Garfield took over the Casino
He conferred with a group of sports
men, headed by William C. Whitney
and with them financed a revival of
racing in Saratoga
But it always was the Casino, not
the track, which led the way When
Garfield elected to lock his doors and
retire, in 1908. Joseph F. Ullman voiced
the sentiments of all his Saratoga
neighbors in a few words. Ullman was
the leading property holder and in
vestor of the town.
I'm going to sell out" he said.
'This town cans live without Cam
field"
Narrow Escape for Spa.
1t did live, but it had narrow
escape. The seasons of 1909 and 1910
brought hotel vacancies and scant
business. Then other gamblers moved
in, and the wheels spun again, and the
town was tided over the danger point.
Now, in 1898, the cycle has run its
full circumference again-except that,
In 1888. when gambling fiickered out,
there was no one to rekindle the torch.
The law forbade it. And Saratoga is
no cat-with- -nine-lives. She may soon
be a ghost town in good standing.
fcopyrisht, 1888. BY the North American
Newspaper Alliance, Inc.)