Fifty years ago . coffee-rooms providing food and wine at the usualclub charges—these were on the ground floor—and therun of the gambling-rooms every night, to which theycould introduce guests and friends. These rooms wereon the first floor : they consisted of a saloon, in whichthere was served every night a splendid supper, withwines of the best, free to all visitors. Crockford paidhis chef a thousand guineas a year, and his assistant fivehundred, and his cellar was reputed to be worth 70,000/.There were two card-rooms, one in which whist, ecarte, IN CLUB- AND CARD-LAND 179 and all other game
Fifty years ago . coffee-rooms providing food and wine at the usualclub charges—these were on the ground floor—and therun of the gambling-rooms every night, to which theycould introduce guests and friends. These rooms wereon the first floor : they consisted of a saloon, in whichthere was served every night a splendid supper, withwines of the best, free to all visitors. Crockford paidhis chef a thousand guineas a year, and his assistant fivehundred, and his cellar was reputed to be worth 70,000/.There were two card-rooms, one in which whist, ecarte, IN CLUB- AND CARD-LAND 179 and all other games were played, and a second smallerroom, in which hazard alone was played. Every nightat eleven the banker and proprietor himself took his seatat his desk in a corner; his croupier, sitting opposite tohim in a high chair, declared the game, paid the winners,and raked in the money. Crockfords Spiders —thatis, the gentlemen who had the rnn of the establishmentnnder certain implied conditions—introduced their. CKOCKFOBDs, ST. JAMES S STREET friends to the supper and the champagne first, and to thehazard-room next. At two in the morning the doors wereclosed, and nobody else was admitted ; but the playwent on all night long. Crockford not only held thebank, but was ready to advance money to those wholost, and outside the card-room treated for reversionaryinterests, post-obits, and other means for raising thewind. The o-ame was what is called French Hazard, IT 2 i8o FIFTY YEARS AGO in which the players play against the bank. Thousandswere every night lost and won. As much as a millionof money has been known to change hands in a singlenight, and the banker was ready to meet any stakeoffered. Those who lost borrowed more in order to con-tinue the game, and lost that as well. But Crockfordseems never to have been accused of any dishonourablepractices. He trusted to the chances of the table, whichwere, of course, in his favour. In his ledgers—whereare they now ?—he was accust
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