Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 124, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 May 1910 — AT MONTE CARLO. [ARTICLE]

AT MONTE CARLO.

Game Is Conducted on the Square, and Croupiers Are Honeet. There Is one thing about gambling rooms at Monte Carlo that must toe said in their favor, says the correspondent of the London Mall, and that is the absolutely fair and dignified manner in which the business is conducted. Roulette is a legally authorized institution in the principality of Monaco, and there are no “hankypanky” triciks, such as are hinted at in some notorious paris “tripots.” Here in -Monte Carlo the whole thing is done'openly and aboveboard, and if you lose your fnoney you lose it fairly and without the slightest suspicion of cheating or robbery, and you have nobody but yourself to blame. 1 When it is considered, too, that the croupiers are earning an average wage of £l2 a month one can but marvel at the honesty and dexterity of these men who daily handle thousands of pounds. I am bound to Bay that the Monte Carlo croupiers—and I limit this opinion to Monte Carlo —are a thoroughly respectable and honest body of men. They seem quite without cupidity. I can only compare them to those Paris bank messengers or “garcons de recette” who are hats, and who walk about all day in dressed In blue coats and cocked charge of £20,000 or £50,000 in notes and cash —and who are paid at the rate of 5 francs a day. The croupier starts at £6 a month, and rises toy annual instalments to £ls. If he is well recommended and exceptionally smart he may become a “sous-chef de partie,” or even a “chef,” at £2O. The “iplums of the trade are the inspector ships, but few holders of these posts are selected from the ranks of the croupiers. The inspector’s salary is between £2B and £32 a month. I saw an Instance in the rooms recently of the quiet and dignified mapner in which a dispute between players is settled. Two ladies—one wellknown Parisian actress, the other a stout old German —sat near each other at a rouilette table* and when the result was declared the stout lady immediately snatched up her winnings and the other lady’s too. A hot dispute ensued, high words arose — for gamblers quickly lose their tempers—and all the croupiers failed to restore calm. The German lady, though apparently In good faith, was obviously In the wrong, as several of us onlookers had noticed for ourselves, and a “chef de partie” came along and tried to settle the matter, but failing to do so, called an inspector, who quietly invited both ladies to leave the table.

This had the desired effect. Rather than lose her seat—‘for she was winning steadily the German lady diegorged, and quiet was immediately restored. None hut those at the table were aware of any disturbance, and the whole incident had not lasted three minutes, during which play was interrupted. i witnessed the following Interesting play at a roulette table; A lady in mourning put 4 louis on 36 “en plein/’which turned up. She received 2800 francs, and immediately placed 10 louis on 18 “en plein.” The number turned pp, and she received 7000 francs, thus, with 80 francs netting 9800 francs in less than six minutes.