END OF A PARIS GAMBLER.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 298, 18 December 1886, Page 5

END OF A PARIS GAMBLER.

Aa Italian Prince Who Squandered

Many Fortunes,

I DO r-t suppose the suicide of Prince Curtiiiiiolo Meliseano will, notwithstanding the moral to be deduced from it, affect practically the life of a single gambler in existence. That unfortunate was a grand son of the Admiral of the same name who was hanged in 1799 on a yard-arm of the Minerva in the Bay of Naples under the eye of Nelson and whose tragical death cast a stigma on the fame of tho British naval hero. Alberto Caracciolo, Princa ot Melissano, rostuiblod the ill-starred Admiral in size and in the outline of hU head, but was devoid of his dignity, his self-mastery and firmness of character. Ho was small aDd wiry, and his little person was always atti'ed in what is here supposed to be a correct E'igli.-h style—that is to say, like a groom in the morniug and like a " maeher' in the evening. His shirt bosom and collar seemed to be of metal with a white enamel on it. and his cravat was in keeping with the shirt. He had a bilious complexion, and there was ■something in his profile which Pet one thinking of a raven. The eye that was not perpetually hidden by an eye-glass was hard, sunk, inquisitive, and suspicious. It, appeared to have retreated as far back as it could to lie in ambush,.and to hide its own movements. Italians thought it an evil eye and would not gamble with its owner. Indeed, his Neapolitan" compatriots of his own nhk, thinking him a Jettatore, would not on any account stay in a room where he was. At the clubs to which he belonged, both lit Home and Naples, his entrance into tho cardrootn frightened away players.

This superstitious droad of hia evil eye obliged him to come to Paris, where, as tie wa-i provided with the bast introductions, aid had aa undo who was the lover of Mme. Kruu^f, tho opera prima donna, he was at onno well launched He took a handsome suite of rooms in the Kue d'Antin, got admifted to the most ?eleefc clubs or cercles, mainly thosu of the Kue Royale and Champa Elys>eea (formerly Cercle Imperial), and acquired a reputation aa a collector of choice canes and art furniture. He had a good many ludy friends, who cero too well known in Paris and in the pleasure and gambling resorts of Europe. Some of them were on the etage. It was whispered that whenever any of them introduced to the Prince a rich "flat," he shared with her the money that ho won of him. The Neapolitan noblemnn was extremely intimate with the rod whiskered Polish Count who some years ajro bee-".mo the inseparable friend of the I'lince of Wales, and remained so until he died. In a short time Prince Melissano'a set of rooms in the Hue d'Antin becamp a centre to which illustrious and wealthy ploagure-soekore from all points of the compass gathered. His gambling parties were so "swagcer" that rich moneylenders who wanted to extend their social relatives did not mind to what extent they themselves or their »ons lost money a 1! them. Since Mile Schneider shut up shop there was no phce in Europe where a vulgar millionaire had such good opportunities for becoming acquainted with royal and imperial personages. The hos*, however, bad a too long and shong spell of luck for this sort of thing to go on for ever. He never at this period of his career played but to win, and he always played for high Btakes. Nobody thought here of his evil eye, but it was remarked that he had phenomenally thin and long nails, and it was suspected that by their aid he indulged in that kindof cheating known as la pousetle. Gold coins placed outside a certain lino on a card table could be moved forward by the long nails within the boundary, if to be inaide was to win. This caused his rooms to be Fuddenly deserted. As he always lived at the top of hia speed, creditors came down in a shoal upon him when his gains de creased. His art furniture was sold by thorn, but he contrived to keep his curious canes. He was involved in the scandal of the Cercle do la Rue Royale, and when it was brokon up to be reconstituted the committee refused to admit him. Mile. Zina Dniti, the Opera Comique singer, with whom he went to America, ordered him from her presence, and when he would not go, but kept running after her behind the scenes, horsewhipped him. He became* one o* the most cantankerous of human beings. His nails being closely watched whenever he played, hie "luck" utterly forsook him. The committee of the Champ* Elysees clubs, where ho had a bedroom, watched for opportunities to expel him. He often los: temper when he was "cleaned out" —a thing one mutt never do amnner gentlemanly gamesters in Paris. According to their code of manners, when a player is ruined he should grin and boar-it. If they mean to commit suicide they should do so without apprising any one of the intention. Prince Melissano got up scenes about his gambling misfortunes When be saw himself posted as a defaulter he smashed the vast mirror upon which hia name was posted, and in airing his grievances raised storms at the clubs. Jußt before he shot himself he wrote a letter to the Prince of Wales, and another to a lady of rank who had previously lent him §4,000 to stave off an execution, but who refused to lend him SSOO to clear off the debt of honour for which ho was proclaimed s, defaulter, the day before his suicide A financial promoter here tells me that he at different timea lent Prince Melissano sums amounting in all to §40,000, but. that he would never have pressed for payment, as be obtained from his debtor letters of introduction to great folks in London which turned put of great value to him as a business mnn.

Prince Meliesano's relatives have not come forward to mourn for his death. As there are lots of creditors watching for them I dare say they will suffer his remains to lie in a provisional vault, at Pere La Chaise until he is pretty well forgotten an-J then order them to be thrown into the common ditch. Tbire was no funeral pomp at his obseqoies. A vicar of the parish of the Macdeline hurried through a low mass, and then about thirty friends no less hastily sprinkled the coffin in which hh body lay. It was then unattended except by a few undertakers' men to tbo cemetery. Not one of the fast ladies with whom his name had been associated waa at tho ceremony. Princo Torlonio paid the expenses of the funeral provisionally, and caused one of the two wreaths that were on the coffin to be placed there.