THE BROADWAY "EEL POT."

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 110, 17 March 1870, Page 7

THE BROADWAY "EEL POT."

(From the " New York Suu", October 23 ) No. 564- Broadway, known as the "Broadway Eel Pot," is a two-story building. The basement is a free concert saloon, the ground floor is used as a drinking saloon, and the second for an open game of faro, where a motley crowed, who fight the dangerous tiger during the day at \1 Anne-street, assemble around <a dingy table to resume operations for the night. It is not a snap game, as a proverbial cheat game is called ; yet if a countryman with a flush purse comes along, the regulars, who pass their lives around the table, disappear until he is relieved of his funds by a few deals of stocked cards, when they reappear, and keep up the play until morning. A few nights since there lounged into the gambling room Captain Foster, many years a Texan ranger. He is a man of thirty-six years of age,, but appeared to be scarcely twenty-two. He was dressed in a style half Americau. He could not have appeared more verdant had he been just from an Onondaga country farm. He came here to purchase arms for a revolutionary faction of the State of Tamaulipas,- Hex-, ico, and carried 80,000 dollars in the larger denominations of greenbacks. He walked around the table, whei*e eight or ten gamblers were rattling their ivory checks, and in an easy manner fell into a chair at the left hand of the dealer. In a careless way he asked them if they did not play monte. The dealer, of course, said "No," when Captain Foster showed his fat roll of currency. He selected a hundreddollar note and passed it in for 2 dollars 50 cent chips. He laid them down iv a clumsy manner generally, dragging each stack or partial stack over the table, and took his own time to place them in order. He asked a question now and then regarding the way to bet, and as luck would run he won — won until he was paid in five dollars,then higher up to 25 dollars chips. In less than an hour he had 2200 dollars before him in 25 dollar blue ivory chips. The bank showed no little alarm, and by a wink the players one by one began to leave their seats. Not acting as though he noticed what was passing, Captain Foster gave them four stacks of twenty-five dollar, chips, and received 2000 dollars in exchange. There remained the "call turn " in the box — a king, deuce, five-spot. It was beyond the " limit " allowed by the bank, yet as they had lost heavily they decided to let it stand. The cards were pulled, and king out deuce .showed on top. Four to one was paid making another 1000 dollars-. The dealer changed the "deck," seeing Avhich Captain Foster handed in his two full Stacks of 50 dollar chips, and was paid 1000 dollars. The new and "stocked" deal started. The Captain had an odd four chips ; one after the other was picked up by the dealer, until the four were lost, as would have been all the money he could have laid down. The dealer hesitated for the Captain to pass in more money. He hesitated also, when he asked if he did not mean to play more. He replied by picking at his vest pocket, puHing out some stamps, and saying, " I will take a twenty-five cent chip." The bankers saw they were sold for just 2900 dollars. Two of them sprang from their seats as though they meant to prevent Captain Foster from leaving the room. He had suspected that J also, and carelessly threw back the lappel of his coat and " took down" one of Colt's nine-inch revolvers. He walked to the gas Jet apposite the table, and while standing with his back to the wall, with revolver in hand, rolled a cigarette, and walked out of the room, down the stairs, thence to the Fifth Avenue Hotel.. The gamblers saw that their supposed green customer knew, all the ropes of the den and its machinery. They swallowed their loss as only gamblers can when they find that their- game is beat. Twenty minutes after Captain Foster had left, the same motley crowd of men were again round the table. There are many strange exciting episodes. occurring constantly in our Broadways, but his was one out of the ordinary routine. The most of them arise from disputes over payment of bets, or from, thieving capper 3 who hang round the table to pick up the ■ chips of nervous players. In this case there was no dispute — only a man who had luck, and knew enough to quit when *he gam»e was " put up"" on him. No. 561 is known among the gamblers as the Eel Pot