University of Virginia Library

19. CHAPTER XIX.

We new return to Clifton, who, on the day succeeding
his tête-à-tête with Julia Borrowdale, was
elevated to the pinnacle of earthly happiness.

During the latter part of the afternoon he had
called at her temporary residence, but was informed
by her maid that she was absent; and being engaged
to spend the evening with Ellingbourne, he
left his card and slowly sauntered to the Astor House.
The following paragraph, which appeared in the
Commercial Advertiser of the next evening, will inform
the reader of the result of his visit, and how
near the scheme of De Lyle for his ruin approached
its successful termination.

From the Commercial Advertiser of Oct.
—, 18—. Police Court.—Capture Extraordinary!
The precincts of the Police Court
were this morning crowded with spectators, assembled
to hear the examination of a number of the gentry
known as black-legs, who were last evening
arrested in the exercise of their base vocation, and we
regret to state that two individuals, heretofore holding
respectable stations in society, were found associated
with the delinquents. One of these, a confidential
clerk in the counting-room of a wealthy and
extensive mercantile firm in this city, has been fully
identified as an accomplice; but the second, a
gentleman of fortune, who occupies an elevated
rank in the fashionable world, appears to have
been decoyed into the gaming house, without being
aware of the purposes to which its interior was
prostituted.

“The principal witness, named Thomas Burchard,
testified that several nights since he had been fleeced at
the same hell of a large sum, and that the clerk before
alluded to (whose name we suppress at the particular
request of the junior partner of the firm, his employers)
was a principal actor in the robbery. The
straight-forward story of this witness, apparently an
industrious artizan of the middle rank in life, created
no little indignation against the well-dressed culprit,
who had so largely contributed to his undoing
When asked if he was acquainted with the fashionable

individual whom we before mentioned, as being
caught in bad company, he answered promptly in
the affirmative; stating that he was indebted to him
for temporary aid, after being plucked of his last fathing;
and that, from a long knowledge of his moving
in the first society, and the integrity of his
character, he believed him totally incapable of associating
with such villains as the gamblers, had he
known their profession.

“Two other witnesses from the country, named
Simpkin and Thompson, confirmed the testimony
of Burchard as to the respectability of the gentleman
last alluded to, adding that they also had been
stripped of their loose cash by the villany of a portion
of the gang; and although they did not fully
identify the merchant's clerk as one of the guilty
parties, yet they had a faint recollection of observing
a person in the hell whom they believed to be
himself.

“The prisoners, including the latter individual,
were ordered to procure bail in the sum of one thousand
dollars each, to appear and answer the charge,
or, in default, to stand committed; and the gentleman
who was inveigled in their meshes was of
course honourably discharged. These daring and
reckless offenders have been long under the surveillance
of the police, and it is a subject of gratulation
that sufficient evidence is at length produced to bring
them to trial. The only individual having any
pretensions to respectability was, we learn, bailed by

the junior partner of the firm before alluded to,
who, with great liberality, but with questionable
prudence, was induced to save the delinquent from
the cheerless solitude of a cell in the bridewell
prison.

“Perhaps a more striking illustration of the
infatuation which leads the gambler to sacrifice
everything to his thirst for unlawful gain, was
never exhibited than in the person of this young
man. Possessing the entire confidence of his employers,
allowed a salary more than sufficient to sustain
a respectable rank in society, and having in
anticipation the prospect of soon becoming interested
in the concern as a junior partner, he has, by the
indulgence of this destructive vice, brought ruin to
his hopes, his morals, and his reputation.

“While alluding to this subject, we feel constrained,
as public journalists, to call on the community
to demand of the authorities prompt and energetic
action in relation to these marauders on society.
The vice of gaming is increasing to a fearful extent,
and parents and guardians are especially required to
exercise their united influence in suppressing an
evil from whose fatal web, like the shirt of Neseus,
the victim struggles in vain to extricate
himself.

“If previous respectability of character is to shield
the accused from the punishment due to his offence,
or if the influence of friends interposes to prevent
the impartial administration of justice, the laws are

proportionably weakened in their efficacy, and the
virtuous portion of society lose the ægis of their protection.
Let justice be done, therefore, in this case,
whoever is the sufferer, and hereafter these black-legs
will be compelled to select some other theatre
than this city for the exercise of their dark vocation,
or be driven to those secret haunts whose infamous
character will save respectable individuals from being
unwittingly decoyed into their toils.”