Identifier: newyorkbysunligh00mcca_1 (find matches)
Title: New York by sunlight and gaslight : a work descriptive of the great American metropolis ; its high and low life; its splendors and miseries; its virtu
Year: 1882 (1880s)
Authors: McCabe, James D., 1842-1883.
Subjects:
Publisher: New York : Union Publishing House
Contributing Library: Columbia University Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: The Durst Organization

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y his money, but his life.However wise a man may be in his own conceit, how-ever he may rank as an oracle in his distant home,however brave, resolute, or skilful he may be, he isno match for a New York gambler. In nine housesout of ten his life is in danger unless he submits quietlyto be robbed in the most barefaced manner. The up-town houses conduct their operations prin-cipally by night. The Day Houses are down-towninstitutions. Ann street, in the rear of the Heraldoffice, and several streets adjacent or convenient toWall street, are the principal neighborhoods infestedwith them. Not long since a single block in Annstreet contained five of these housed, and the majority,though several times raided by the police, still con-tinue to flourish. The Day Houses occupy the DAY GAMELING HOUSES. 547 upper floors of buildings, the street floors of whichare devoted to legitimate business, and claim to beClub Houses. They are managed by the lowestclass of gamblers, skin games only are played in
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LOW-CLASS GAMBLING DEN. them, and the players have no possible chance of suc-cess. Yet they manage to do a profitable business.Their visitors are Wall street brokers, clerks, sales-men, and men in regular business, who too often riskhere money that is not their own. 548 NEW YORK. One of the worst and most demoralizing forms ofgambling is pool selling. The pool business isconducted more or less openly, notwithstanding thatthe laws of the State denounce severe punishmentsagainst it. The business is conducted by professionalgamblers, and, though seemingly fair, is a swindlethroughout. Pools are sold on horse-races, prize-fights, boat-races, swimming matches, political elec-tions, and in short on every conceivable contest intowhich the element of chance or doubt enters. The poolis supposed to be made up of a fixed number of chances,each of which is sold at a certain price. The man-agers charge a percentage or commission on all tick-ets sold, and do not hesitate to sell as many as thereare

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