IN MONTE CARLO.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XV, Issue III, 20 July 1895, Page 63

IN MONTE CARLO.

TRICKS OF THE TABLES. IT is perhaps unnecessary to say that the Monte Carlo Casino is maintained by means of an elaborate system of tact and bribery. Certain details of the internal management I hesitate to publish because they are not authenticated, but I will say enough to throw a little light on the matter. Before the shareholders in the company can participate in any profits, between four and five hundred thousand pounds has to be spent. The Prince of Monaco takes his subsidy, the grounds, gardens and tennis lawns must be kept up—and everybody who works for the Casino is very well trea'ed —the Press has to be subsidised, the library and reading rooms cost a great deal of money, the musical expenses have to be paid, while of course there is a huge staff of detectives and other employes of the Casino itself. Now aud again some awkward contretemps causes a flutter of apprehension in the Casino dovecote, and no money is spared to keep things quiet. When people have played persistently enough at roulette or trente et quarante, they are usually ruined, but they need not remain in Monte Carlo. The Casino authorities will always give the broken gambler a first-class ticket to his native country. The utility of this policy is obvious. Men who have lost everything on the green tables might, if they knew they would be compelled to beg in the streets, leave their sanity in the half-lighted rooms and commit murder or suicide. Accordingly they are sent home free of charge, Monte Carlo having no possible use for beggars.

Sometimes it happens that losses unhinge a man's brain, and having nothing to live for he shoots himself; and then a strange miracle occurs. When the official inquiry is held, the man's pockets are found to be full of gold and notes. Under the circumstances his suicide cannot fairly be attributed to gambling losses. But how did the money come into the pockets of the dead man ? This is a question that can only be answered by such agents of the Casino as first found the body. Consider the chances in their favour. Me’n seldom go to Monte Carlo with their wives and families, and in the Salle de Jeu a man’s losses pass unnoticed save by the croupiers. His winnings may attract the attention of the crowd, his losses never. If he has come over with one of the notorious women of Paris and London, who are ever in evidence out there, the authorities know she is to be bought, and ready to swear her companion killed himself because she had quarrelled with him, or because he was intoxicated, or had incurable neuralgia, or some other ill. Nothing much is said or done, on account of the corruption of the Press. Now and again, when a man has lost a huge fortune, the Casino settles two or three hundred a year upon him, conditionally upon his never again coming to the rooms.

This is the merest tact, but the imagination of the Casino’s friends develops it into the most startling and striking generosity, as though the rooms were run by philanthropists, and the pensioned player were an object of their gracious bounty. It is smart business, and is simply to be reckoned with as advertisement expenditure.

The existing state of things brings into Monte Carlo a large crowd of sharpers, who knowing how careful the Casino has to be, practically make their living out of it. The worst offenders are the women, some of whose habits I have already mentioned. Their impudence creates almost as much surprise as disgust. A favourite trick is to wait until a player, who is too far from the table to be on the watch, has placed a sum of money on a certain number. He notes the number, and then probably looks at the wheel. Then one of these harpies shifts the money with her rake on to some adjacent number. This attracts no notice, because dozens of people, whose anxiety follows them relentlessly, are changing as long as they may. The ball falls, the man who puts his money on a certain number only waits to hear the croupier declare the game. If by any chance his was the right number he hurries to the side only to find his money disappeared, if his was not the right number he does not bother himself any more about it. Here the swindler's chance comes in, and as she probably has broken up the lump sum and scattered it, some portion may turn up as a four or even eight to one chance. Occasionally two of these women will attack the same pool. A row is the inevitable result, and most filthy language flies freely, until peace is restored or either of the disputants ejected. Very rarely does a man object to being robbed by these gaming thieves, but it happens now and again that he

protests. If neither abuse nor threats can keep him from insisting upon his rights,and the thief will not give way, the croupiers usually end the dispute by paying both parties. I would not go so far as to say that these officials are in league with the people who make the Casino worse than it need be, but I say, without fear of contradiction, that they know their character, and allow them to play and swindle until they are forced to interfere. I can only account for this by suggesting that the swindlers know too much about the events that take place for the Casino to treat them as enemies. There is no question about the fact that there are women in London and Paris who act as decoys and bring men to Monte Carlo.

The time to hear about the playing is between seven and eight o’clock in the evening, and the place may be at the table d'hote of any of the very fast restaurants. There one meets the gamblers, who have only hurried from the rooms to dress and dine, and who are never weary of talking about the events of the day. Systems are expounded, inevitable events explained away, and, generally speaking, those who have been winning drink iced champagne until their fate during the next few hours is sealed even ere they return to play. Before dinner is over there is frequently a big row arising from the most trifling source. For example—a perfect stranger will hazard a remark as to what he should have done, and somebody else will explain how the idea is quite worthless. Then one of the —females will undertake to prove that her advice, if followed, would have led to fortune. Different courses pass away almost untouched, wine is eagerly consumed, and suddenly the tone becomes personal. Blood being already at fever-beat, a good-sized quarrel can be fixed up at a moment’s notice. Sometimes a tactful manager will restore the peace, but it has happened that the parties have left the room quarrelling en No habitue of the place takes notice of such a trifle. Theocritus.