THE GAMING CLUBS. The gaming table : its votaries and victims, in all times and countries,
especially in England and in France. Vol. 2 | ||
2. THE COCOA-TREE CLUB.
This club was remarkable for high if not for foul play. Walpole, writing to Horace Mann in 1780, says: — `Within this week there has been a cast at Hazard at the Cocoa-tree (in St James's Street) the difference of which amounted to one hundred and fourscore thousand pounds! Mr O'Birne, an Irish gamester, had won one hundred thousand pounds of a young Mr Harvey of Chigwell, just started into an estate by his elder brother's death. O'Birne said, — "You can never pay me.'' "I can,'' said the youth, "my estate will sell for the debt.'' "No,'' said O'Birne, "I
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THE GAMING CLUBS. The gaming table : its votaries and victims, in all times and countries,
especially in England and in France. Vol. 2 | ||