PROFESSIONAL GAMESTERS AND THEIR FRAUDS. The gaming table : its votaries and victims, in all times and countries,
especially in England and in France. Vol. 2 | ||
2. PROFESSIONAL GAMESTERS AND THEIR FRAUDS.
A GAMBLING house at the end of the last century was conducted by the following officials: —
1. A Commissioner, — who was always a proprietor; who looked in of a night, and audited the week's account with two other proprietors.
2. A Director, — who superintended the room.
3. An Operator, — who dealt the cards at the cheating game called Faro.
4. Two Croupiers, or crow-pees, as they were vulgarly called, whose duty it was to watch the cards and gather or rake in the money for the bank.
5. Two Puffs, — who had money given to them to decoy others to play.
6. A Clerk, — who was a check on the Puffs, to
7. A Squib, — who was a puff of a lower rank, serving at half salary, whilst learning to deal.
8. A Flasher, — to swear how often the bank had been stripped by lucky players.
9. A Dunner, — who went about to recover money lost at play.
10. A Waiter, — to fill out wine, snuff candles, and attend the room.
11. An Attorney, — who was generally a Newgate solicitor.
12. A Captain, — who was to fight any gentleman who might be peevish at losing his money.
13. An Usher, — who lighted the gentlemen up and down stairs, and gave the word to the porter.
14. A Porter, — who was generally a soldier of the Foot Guards.
15. An Orderly-man, — who walked up and down the outside of the door, to give notice to the porter, and alarm the house at the approach of the constables.
16. A Runner, — who was to get intelligence of the Justices' meetings.
17. Link Boys, Coachmen, Chairmen, Drawers,
18. Common Bail, Affidavit Men, Ruffians, Bravos, Assassins, &. &.
It may be proper to remark that the above list of officials was only calculated for gambling houses of an inferior order. In these it is evident that the fear of interruption and the necessity for precaution presided over the arrangements. There were others, however, which seemed to defy law, to spurn at justice, and to remain secure, in every way, by the `respectability' of their frequenters. These were houses supported at an amazing expense — within sight of the palace — which were open every night and all night — where men of the first rank were to be found gambling away immense sums of money, such as no man, whatever his fortune might be, could sustain. `What, then,' says a writer at the time, `are the consequences? Why, that the undone part of them sell their votes for bread, and the successful give them for honours.
`He who has never seen the gamblers' apartments in some of the magnificent houses in the
`A new pack of cards is called for at every deal, and the "old'' ones are then thrown upon the floor, and in such an immense quantity, that the writer of this letter has seen a very large room nearly ankle-deep, in the greatest part of it, by four o'clock in the morning! Judge, then, to what height they must have risen by daylight.'
It is a melancholy truth, but confirmed by the history of all nations, that the most polite and refined age of a kingdom is never the most virtuous; not, indeed, that any such compliment can be paid to that gross age, but still it was refined compared with the past. The distinctions of personal merit being but little regarded — in the low moral tone that prevailed — there needed but to support a certain `figure' in life (managed by the fashionable tailor)[4], to be conversant with a few etiquettes of good breeding and sentiments of modern or current honour, in
BEATTIE'S Minstrel.
This fraternity of artists — whether they were to be denominated rooks,[5] sharps, sharpers, black-legs, Greeks, or gripes — were exceedingly numerous, and were dispersed among all ranks of society. [5] So called because rooks are famous for stealing materials out of other birds' nests to build their own.
The follies and vices of others — of open-hearted youth in particular — were the great game or pursuit of this odious crew. Though cool and dispassionate themselves, they did all in their power to throw others off their guard, that they might make their advantage of them.
In others they promoted excess of all kinds, whilst they themselves took care to maintain the utmost sobriety and temperance. `Gamesters,'
As profit, not pleasure, was the aim of these knights of darkness, they lay concealed under all shapes and disguises, and followed up their game with all wariness and discretion. Like wise traders, they made it the business of their lives to excel in their calling.
For this end they studied the secret mysteries of their art by night and by day; they improved on the scientific schemes of their profound master, Hoyle, and on his deep doctrines and calculations of chances. They became skilful without a rival where skill was necessary, and fraudulent without conscience where fraud was safe and advantageous; and while fortune or chance appeared to direct everything, they practised numberless devices by which they insured her ultimate favours to themselves. Of these none were more efficacious, be
When rendered thus secure of their prey, they began to level their whole train of artillery against the boasted honours of his short-lived triumph. Then the extensive manors, the ancient forests, the paternal mansions, began to tremble for their future destiny. The pigeon was marked down, and the infernal crew began in good earnest to pluck his rich plumage. The wink was given on his appearance in the room, as a signal of commencing their covert attacks. The shrug, the nod, the hem — every motion of the eyes, hands, feet — every air and gesture, look and word — became an expressive, though disguised, language of fraud and cozenage, big with deceit and swollen with ruin. Besides this, the card was marked, or
With wily craft the sharpers substituted their deceitful `doctors' or false dice; and thus `crabs,' or `a losing game,' became the portion of the `flats,' or dupes.
There were different ways of throwing dice. There was the `Stamp' — when the caster with an elastic spring of the wrist rapped the cornet or box with vehemence on the table, the dice as yet not appearing from under the box. The `Dribble' was, when with an air of easy but ingenious motion, the caster poured, as it were, the dice on the board — when, if he happened to be an old practitioner, he might suddenly cog with his fore-finger one of the cubes. The `Long Gallery' was when the dice were flung or hurled the whole length of the board. Some
A pair of false dice was arranged as follows: —
- Two fives
- Two fours
- Two threes
On one die,
- Two Sixes
- Two Fives
- Two Aces
On the other,
With these dice it was impossible to throw what is at Hazard denominated Crabs, or a losing game — that is, aces, or ace and deuce, twelve, or seven. Hence, the caster always called for his main; consequently, as he could neither throw one nor seven, let his chance be what it might, he was sure to win, and he and those who were in the secret of course always took the odds. The false dice being concealed in the left hand, the caster took the box with the fair dice in it in his right hand, and in the act of shaking it caught the fair dice in his hand, and unperceived shifted the box empty to
Two gambling adventurers would set out with a certain number of signs and signals. The use of the handkerchief during the game was the certain evidence of a good hand. The use of the snuff-box a sign equally indicative of a bad one. An affected cough, apparently as a natural one, once, twice, three, or four times repeated, was an assurance of so many honours in hand. Rubbing the left eye was an invitation to lead trumps, — the right eye the reverse, — the cards thrown down with one finger and the thumb was a sign of one trump; two fingers and the thumb, two trumps, and so on progressively, and in exact explanation of the whole hand, with a variety of manœuvres by which chance was reduced to certainty, and certainty followed by ruin.[6] [6] Bon Ton Magazine, 1791.
CHEATING AT WHIST.
In an old work on cards the following curious disclosures are made respecting cheating at whist: —
`He that can by craft overlook his adversary's game hath a great advantage; for by that means he may partly know what to play securely; or if he can have some petty glimpse of his partner's hand. There is a way by making some sign by the fingers, to discover to their partners what honours they have, or by the wink of one eye it signifies one honour, shutting both eyes two, placing three fingers or four on the table, three or four honours. For which reason all nice gamsters play behind curtains.
`Dealing the cards out by one and one to each person is the best method of putting it out of the dealer's power to impose on you. But I shall demonstrate that, deal the cards which way you will, a confederacy of two sharpers will beat any two persons in the world, though ever so good players, that are not of the gang, or in the secret, and "Three poll One'' is as safe and secure as if the money was in their pockets. All which will appear
Brief or short cards,
Corner-bend,
Middle-bend (or Kingston-bridge).
`Of brief cards there are two sorts: one is a card longer than the rest, — the other is a card broader than the rest. The long sort are such as three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine; the broad sort are such as aces, kings, queens, and knaves. The use and advantage of each are as follows: —
`Example: — When you cut the cards to your adversary, cut them long, or endways, and he will have a three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine at bottom. When your adversary cuts the cards to you, put them broadside to him, and he will naturally cut (without ever suspecting what you do) ace, king, queen, or knave, &., which is sufficient advantage to secure any game.
`And in case you cannot get cards of proper sizes ready-made to mix with others, you may shave them with a razor or penknife from the
`As Whist is a tavern-game, the sharpers generally take care to put about the bottle before the game begins, so quick, that a bubble cannot be said to see clearly even when he begins to play.
`The next is the corner-bend, which is four cards turned down finely at one corner — a signal to cut by.
`The other is vulgarly called Kingston-bridge, or the middle-bend. It is done by bending your own or adversary's tricks two different ways, which will cause an opening, or arch, in the middle, which is of the same use and service as the other two ways, and only practised in its turn to amuse you.
`The next thing to be considered is, who deals the cards, you or your adversary; because that is a main point, and from whence your advantage must arise. Suppose, for example,
- Sharpers,
- Partners,
A and B
- Bubbles, or Flats,
- Partners.
C and D
`When A or B is to deal, they observe the preceding deal to take up the tricks thus: —
1. A bad card. 2. A good card.
3. A bad card. 4. A good card. (Meaning the best and worst that fall in that list).
`When C or D deals, they must be taken up thus: —
1. A good card. 2. A bad card.
3. A good card. 4. A bad card.
`By this rule it is plain that the best cards fall to A and B every deal. How is it possible, therefore, that C and D should ever win a game without permission? But it would be deemed ill policy, and contrary to the true interest of A and B, to act thus every deal. I will, therefore, suppose it is practised just when they please, according as bets happen in company; though the rule with gamesters, in low life, is at the first setting out to stupify you with wine and the loss of your money, that you may never come to a perfect understanding of what you are doing. It may be truly said that many an honest gentleman has been kept a month in such a condition by the management
`Now you may imagine it not in the power of A and B to cause the tricks to be taken up after the manner aforesaid: there is nothing so easy nor so frequently practised, especially at Three poll One; for in playing the cards the confederates will not only take care of their own tricks, but also of yours, for the cards may be so played, and shoved together in such a manner, as will even cause you to take them right yourself; and if a trick should lie untowardly on the table, A or B will pay you the compliment of taking it up for you, and say — "Sir, that's yours.'' This operation will the more readily be apprehended by seeing it practised half a score times; when once you are aware of it, it will otherwise (I may say fairly) pass upon any person that has not been let into the secret. This being allowed, the next point and difficulty is to shuffle and cut.
`I say, that either A or B are such curious workmen, and can make a sham shuffle with a pack of cards so artfully, that you would believe they were splitting them, when at the time they will not displace a single card from its order! Such is the sharper's shuffling.
`Now, to cut the cards, a bend is prepared for you to cut to — the middle is the best; and it is odds but you unwarily cut to it; if not, slip is the word; but if you have no opportunity to do that neither, then deal away at all hazards, it is but an equal bet that they come in your favour; if right, proceed; if otherwise, miss a card in its course, and it brings the cards according to your first design; it is but giving two at last where you missed; and if that cannot be conveniently done, you only lose the deal, and there is an end of it.
`But when A or B is to cut, they make it all safe; for then they make the corner-bend, which any one that knows may cut to, a hundred times together.
`Piping at Whist. By piping I mean, when one of the company that does not play, which frequently happens, sits down in a convenient place to smoke a pipe, and so look on, pretending to amuse himself that way. Now, the disposing of his fingers on the pipe whilst smoking discovers the principal cards that are in the person's hand he overlooks; which was always esteemed a sufficient advantage whereby to win a game. There is another method, namely, by uttering words. "Indeed''
There can be no doubt that the act of sorting the cards is capable of giving an acute observer a tolerably accurate idea of his partner's or either of his opponents' hands; so that where cheating is suspected it would be better to play the cards without sorting them. The number of times a sorter carries a card to a particular part indicates so many of a suit; your own hand and his play will readily indicate the nature of the cards in which he is either strong or weak.
I now quote Robert-Houdin's account of
CARD TELEGRAPHY.
Although there are 32 cards in the game of Piquet, all of them may be designated by twelve different signs, namely, eight for the nature of the cards, and four for the colours.
At Ecarté, the number of the signals is still
If he looks
1. At his confederate, he designates A king.
2. At the play of his adversary . . . A queen.
3. At the stake . . . . . . . . . . . A knave.
4. At the opposite side . . . . . . . An ace. And whilst he indicates the nature of the cards he at the same time makes known the colour by the following signs: —
1. The mouth slightly open . . . . . Hearts.
2. The mouth shut . . . . . . . . . . Diamonds.
3. The upper-lip slightly pouting over the lower . . . . . . . Clubs.
4. The lower-lip drawn over the upper . . . . . . . . . . . Spades. Thus, if the Greek wishes to announce, for instance, the knave and ace of hearts, he successively directs
It is evident that this telegraphy may be employed at all games where there is a gallery. In effect, nothing is easier at Piquet than to indicate, by the aid of these signals, the colour in which the player should discard and that in which he should keep what cards he has.
These are the simplest signs; but some of the Greeks have a great number of them, to designate everything; and even sometimes to communicate and receive intelligence, when necessary. This telegraphy is so imperceptible that it is difficult to describe it, and altogether impossible to detect it.[7] [7] Tricheries des Grecs devoilées.
Robert-Houdin has exhausted the subject of card-trickery, in connection with that prestidigitation which, it seems, all card-sharpers cultivate, the description of which, however, is by no means so entertaining as the visible performance. I find, nevertheless, in his book, under the title of `Small Trickeries made innocent by Custom,' certain things alluded to which I can attest by experience.
I. At Whist, no communication whatever must
II. Any one with a good memory and endowed with quick perception may form a very accurate estimate of the hands held by all the players by remembering the tricks as they are played and turned down — all of a suit, or trumped. Cards `stick to-gether' most lovingly, and the ordinary shuffling scarcely alters their sequence; and so, if a trick has been taken by an ace over a king, for instance, and in the next deal you get the same king, you may be sure that the ace is either on your right or your left, according to the deal; of course, if you get the ace, then the same probability, or rather necessity, exists as to the king; and so on. Knave, queen, king, ace, of the same name, are almost sure to be separated in the deal between the four players, or one player will have two of them. The observation is a tax upon the faculties; but I am sure, quite sure, that the thing can be done, and is, when done, of material service; although, of course, the knowledge can be turned to account only by an
Whist is, decidedly, one of the fairest of games; but for that very reason, it is open to the greatest over-reaching, or, if you like, cheating.
With regard to dice, of course, they were and, doubtless, are still loaded. Such were formerly called `dispatches,' because they would `in five minutes dispatch £500 out of the pocket of any young man when intoxicated with champagne.'
Roulette and Rouge et Noir tables were and are so arranged as always to make the bank win at the will of the attendant, regulating them with a touch.
At Hazard, they used `low or high dice,' that is, with only certain numbers on them, high or low, — a pair of which every sharper always had in his possession, changing them with great dexterity. They also used `cramped' boxes, by which they `cogged' or fastened the dice in the box as they dropped them in, and so could drop them out with the required face upwards.
PROFESSIONAL GAMESTERS AND THEIR FRAUDS. The gaming table : its votaries and victims, in all times and countries,
especially in England and in France. Vol. 2 | ||