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Story
March 4, 1874
Eureka Daily Sentinel
Eureka, Eureka County, Nevada
What is this article about?
The Reno Crescent critiques three-card monte scams, noting victims are typically sober, non-gambling men like ministers who only 'gamble' when it's theft. The commentary sarcastically equates dealer and victim morally, sympathizing with the dealer over hypocritical victims.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
THREE CARD MONTE.
The Reno Crescent takes, as we think, quite a sensible view of the three card monte business. Brother Lewis grows a little sarcastic toward the conclusion of the subjoined extract, but his head is nevertheless practically level on the main issue. We quote:
It is a notorious fact that the victims of the three card boys are men who never buck at faro, play poker, throw dice, or bet on a horse race; in short, they are not the men who take chances. The dealers uniformly affect drunkenness, or simplicity, well knowing their victims—professed ministers of the gospel, and well-to-do, sober, discreet men, who gamble only when gambling degenerates into stealing. Our opinion is that the better and the dealer are on the same moral level. Each proposes to take the other's money without consideration. Neither proposes to take any chances. Our sympathy is with the dealer as between him and his victim. Should it ever be our fortune to have money, and our misfortune to get dead drunk, it is our honest wish that we may fall into the hands of a three-card monte sharper rather than into the hands of the respectable (? Christian) minister who bucks at the game.
The Reno Crescent takes, as we think, quite a sensible view of the three card monte business. Brother Lewis grows a little sarcastic toward the conclusion of the subjoined extract, but his head is nevertheless practically level on the main issue. We quote:
It is a notorious fact that the victims of the three card boys are men who never buck at faro, play poker, throw dice, or bet on a horse race; in short, they are not the men who take chances. The dealers uniformly affect drunkenness, or simplicity, well knowing their victims—professed ministers of the gospel, and well-to-do, sober, discreet men, who gamble only when gambling degenerates into stealing. Our opinion is that the better and the dealer are on the same moral level. Each proposes to take the other's money without consideration. Neither proposes to take any chances. Our sympathy is with the dealer as between him and his victim. Should it ever be our fortune to have money, and our misfortune to get dead drunk, it is our honest wish that we may fall into the hands of a three-card monte sharper rather than into the hands of the respectable (? Christian) minister who bucks at the game.
What sub-type of article is it?
Deception Fraud
Crime Story
What themes does it cover?
Deception
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Three Card Monte
Gambling Scam
Hypocritical Victims
Moral Equivalence
Sharper Sympathy
What entities or persons were involved?
Brother Lewis
Where did it happen?
Reno
Story Details
Key Persons
Brother Lewis
Location
Reno
Story Details
Commentary on three-card monte scams targeting non-gamblers like ministers, equating moral levels of dealer and victim, with sarcasm favoring the dealer over hypocritical victims.