A FRENCH GAMBLER.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 54, 2 July 1887, Page 3 (Supplement)

A FRENCH GAMBLER.

From a Lender He Becomes a Player

and Insane,

Of all celebrities of the gambling world few have been more celebrated than Charles Leroux, who has just been struck down by a form of insanity which nowhere occurs with such appalling frequency as in this city of pleasure. Among bhosc whose minds ib has destroyed in late years, and to whom it has been the signal of approaching deabh, may be mentioned Andre Grille, the caricaturist, and Mine. Nilsson's first husband. It is expressly termed here la folic dcs millions.

Its victims imagine themselves as rich as Croesus, and act accordingly. They write cheques for fabulous amounts and commit every kind of prodigality. They are frequently people who have been rich and who have lost bheir reason by brooding over bhe reverses of fortune.

Such was the case of Charles Leroux. From being a waiter who was not too proud to accept a small pourboire, he became a croupier in ono of bhe gambling clubs, and while in bhis position a young gambler who has since died mad lent him '30,000 francs. Wibh bhis sum Leroux commenced business as a lender bo gamblers, which in those days—the palmiest of the empire—was a mosb lucrative one. Ten louis were lent for a quarter of an hour and eleven were reburned. Leroux lent freely, and lefb bhe question of interest to the generosity of the borrower. His system answered wonderfully, for he became the most popular of lenders. Every gambler looked noon him as his friend in need. He musb have made losses, bub his gains rendered bhem insignificant. At tho end of a year of business Leroux, instead of ben louis, lent 500 ab a bime. He became rapidly rich, bought a magnificent hotel, had eight horses in his stable, and kept more servants than some princes. If he had remained always a money lender be would have kept his wealbh, bub bhe passion for gambling seized him, boo. The baccarab bable and bhe bourse ab length ruined him, and his misfortunes proved too much for his reason.—Fronch correspondent" Boston Transcript."