A Scene at Baden-Baden.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 6, 15 December 1869, Page 2

A Scene at Baden-Baden.

A correspondent of the Globa at Baden writes :—“ A new grosjomur has come to the tables. He is a Major II ,an American, aud is, it is said, immensely rich. On Sunday evening he played high, putting gold pieces of 100 francs (£4) each on the greater part of the roulette numbers, and sometimes several pieces on a number. Not only did he play high, but he played long. A crowd collected around the table to Tee his operations, manifesting almost curiosity therein. Now and then he made a lucky hit, but the chance was against him, and he lost heavily. As he changed note after note for gold, and as the gold was swept to the bank, he became a little excited. At lust he took en grippe the croupier who turned the wheel, and told him he should be glad to see him go away. ‘ At ten o’clock precisely a colleague will releave me !’ answered the man. The American played again, and lost. ‘Are you still there 1’ ha said to the croupier. 'ln ten minutes Igo !’ Another coup—another, and another. ‘ And yet there are still five minutes more!’ Other coups followed, with the same result. At last the five minutes were up, aud he croupier retired. The player heaved a sigh of satisfaction, thinking the new man would give him better luck. Vain hope ! He literally covered the table with gold. When he had done, ‘ liien neva plus!' exclaimed the croupier, and a few seconds after, a long rake was scraping np the American’s money. Yesterday afternoon there was a crowd unusually large at one of the roulette tables. The American was playing again, and, if possible, more wildly than on the preceding night. But fortune, like the fickle dame she is, was as favorable to him as she had been unfavorable before. An Englishman who had watched his play for two hours, told me that, as nearly as he could calculate, his winnings amounted to, if they did not exceed, £4OOO. When I arrived he had an enormous pile of IOOOf. notes, and heaps of large gold (£4) pieces. So great and constant was his hick i hat the bystanders expected the bank to be broken. He himself seemed to count on that result ( the ‘ blue ribbon ’ of the gambler!) for at one moment he called on the croupier to prove that they had the means of paying the stakes he risked; and they gave the proof by showing him a roll of notes. Afterwards coup followed coup Jp..rapid succession, and most of them were favoufitfe-?<gnffl. Some of hi* hits were, really extraordinary,''TuiUTfSSiod a murmur of pleasure— ‘ the gallery’ at a gaming table liking to see the bank lose. One of thesese hits produced about £4OO, on a stake of le<s than £4O, How this was done can easily be calculated by persons who know the rules of roulette; and to those who know them not, an explanation not an explanation would he unintelligible. When his success became so striking, the ‘ gallery was anxious to see him leave off. ‘lf he goes on playing lie will lose all!’ ‘ The foolish man ! Why does he not content himself with what ho his V ‘ Has he no friend to take him away V These and the like exclamations I heard around me in both English and French. At last the American puts bis notes (each of £4O) in order, but finding the heap too big to go j conveniently into his pocket-book, lie j divided it into two. Then be took five or six notes, and said that they should be the last he should play. He turned them into gold, staked the coins, and lost. Thereupon he went away. Two hours after, however, he began again, but with what result I did not hear. This bold ' player is a young man of about thirty-five years of age, and is very good-looking.”