I expected we would have to face a pretty heavy
bill for this entertainment, and was on the point of pulling out my
porte-monnaie, when Asmodeus whispered me to do nothing of the sort.
'Such a proceeding,' said he, 'would be resented as an outrage by the
proprietor.' Everybody, whether known to him or not, may come here, and
either take part in or look at the game; as often as may suit his
fancy, and enjoy a good supper besides. The proprietor hardly notices
those visitors who come solely for the purpose of partaking of the good
things served up at his suppers, and drinking his champagne.'"
HOW THE VICTIMS ARE PROCURED.
"Those who keep gambling houses," continues the writer from whom we
have just quoted, "take care to be regularly informed of everything
transpiring in the city that maybe of interest to their business. You
may have noticed, lounging around the most fashionable hotels, many
well-dressed young men, who spend their money freely, though they have
no known means of support. They are agents for gambling-houses: their
business is to track the footsteps of travellers visiting New York, for
business or pleasure. They worm themselves into the confidence of
strangers; show them everything worth seeing in the city; and finally
introduce them to their employers, the gambling-house proprietors. This
hunting after wealthy strangers is systematically carried on--it is a
science.
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