RAID ON A PARISIAN GAMBLING HOUSE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4472, 20 July 1875, Page 3

RAID ON A PARISIAN GAMBLING HOUSE.

The gaming-house is often disguised under the modest appearance of a pension bourgeoise, where a first-rate dinner is served to the guests at five francs. The room is comfortably furnished ; the chairs are luxuriously stuffed, and of the most comfortable kind ; a simple clock surmounts the mantelpiece, flanked by some bronze candelabra, and a few pictures, such as may be purchased for a couple of sovereigns at the Hotel Drouot, adorn the walls. One thing will alone strike the visitor. The tables are very long and narrow, and on carefully examining them a slip may be found at the end, with two grooves underneath for the reception of a box, into which a certain percentage of the winnings has to be put as the profit of the person who keeps the establishment. This fund or cagnotle as it is called—determines the offence of gambling, and renders the party holding the same liable to severe punishment. The diners seem to know each other ; the meal is despatched with all possible haste, and play begins without any fear of police molestation, as every stranger must be introduced and vouched for before he can sit down to dinner. The company is mixed, men and women, hawks and pigeons, doves and vultures. Phryne and Lais tempt the men and lure them into the snare spread for them by the Greeks. Many and many a young man has been ruined in these gambling hells. A whole detachment of detectives has been told off for the purpose of discovering these clandestine gambling-houses, and about a month ago a complaint was lodged at the prefecture against the proprietor of a pension bourgeoise near the Chateau d’Eau. M. Fontaine, the inspector who superintends the gambling department at the prefecture, followed by a number of his men, some in plain clothes and others in uniform, proceeded to the place in question. The District Commissary of Police accompanied M. Fontaine, and two policemen in plain clothes brought up the rear. On reaching the house the customary signal was given, the door was opened, and five people made their entry. The doorkeeper’s suspicions were aroused at seeing so many visitors at once, and he attempted to give the alarm, but he was immediately seized and overpowered by two policemen, who passed him on to their comrades outside. M. Fontaine, knowing that he had three of his men at the gambling - tables, walked upstairs leisurely to the salon with the Commissary of Police and a friend. When the door opened no surprise was caused by the appearance of the three strangers ; the play continued, and the gold coin and notes spread on the green cloth showed that the stakes were pretty high. About forty people were immersed in the calculation of infallible martingales, watching with feverish eyes the hopping ball as it encountered the divisions of the roulette, or their attention rivetted on the hands of the banker who was dealing out the cards at trcnte-ct-un or baccaret. Some of the women present surrounded the new comers, inviting them

to remove their overcoats and take seats, but after waiting a few minutes to enable the men to get upstairs, M. I 1 ontaine and the Commissary of Police, being advised by a dry cough from outside the door that the police were at baud, opened their coats and, displaying their tricolored sashes, said, “Let no one move on his peril.” A scene of the wildest confusion ensued, during which the players were surprised to see the detectives they had unsuspectingly admitted to their companionship impound and gather up the gold and notes lying on the table. Some of the players might have been seen taking the money out of their pockets and secreting it in their boots, marked cards were adroitly dropped by the sharpers, and a rush was made to the door, while the women fainted or cried. All escape was cut off by the appearance of an imposing body of police, and the usual formalities were gone through. Every one present had to undergo an unpleasant interrogatory as to name, address, and profession ; those who could establish their identity were allowed to leave the premises ; the sharpers, who are well known to the police, and the women alone being detained. The former, after a fortnight s detention at the prefecture, will he banished from the department of the Seine as rogues and vagabonds, and the latter will be boarded and lodged for some six months at the expense of the country at St. Lazare. The cards and stakes were seized, along with all imple- : ments which had been used in gambling, and the furniture was then and there carried off by the police, and will be sold according to law to the highest bidder, and the sum realised will be handed over to the Paris hospitals. Nothing was left but the four bare walls of the apartment, and the disconsolate Greeks, with their fair hut frail accomplices, were carefully guarded on their way to the prefecture, where they will have ample leisure to repent and reflect on the fickleness of fortune.