Mr. Green described several snares that were practised
by gamblers, particularly one at New Orleans, called the "broker." He
hoped some of the gamblers of this city would reform as soon as the new
law went into effect. He had already heard of some having turned
collectors, policemen, &c.--but he doubted their reform if they were
turned over to the police--for though there were some very good
policemen in this city, he could confidently say also there were some
spotted ones.

Mr. Green considered the bowling-alleys and billiard rooms as the very
bane of the city--leading men on step by step to the vices of gambling
and drunkenness. Mr. Green stated that he had never met with a gambler
in his life, who played honestly, and got his living by playing cards
honestly--for all he had ever known would take advantage,
sometimes--which perhaps the world might call cheating. Mr. Green
practically illustrated with a pack of cards the modes of taking
advantage, (cheating in plain English,) that were truly surprising. Mr.
G. said that such things were done by gamblers, called _honourable_, and
if any one had charged such men with dishonesty, why a duel, or worse,
might have been the consequence.

On one occasion, he (Mr. Green) had been cheated out of several hundred
dollars by a brother gambler. He knew it, but lost his money and said
nothing--at length, he found out the method of cheating--and went home
and set up all night by way of studying a cheat that would recover his
money and more. He succeeded at last, and went and won all the money of
his antagonist and party--in fact, he won enough to break the whole
party. Mr. Green then showed by cards how he had been engaged in winning
(by tricks) money from a planter in Louisiana.

Mr. Freeman replied, and contended that Mr. Green had referred to only a
few mean gamblers--and by his inference charged their practices upon the
whole body. But our limited space warns us to be brief. Mr. Freeman only
contended that a gambler was honest in a relative point of view--as
honest as other men who in trade or otherwise, or in speculation, did
things as bad or worse than gamblers. Mr. F. related anecdotes to show
that persons charged with faults and crimes were almost always condemned
by public opinion, and their faults and crimes exaggerated. Mr. F.
stated that in former times, the keepers of gaming-houses in New Orleans
paid heavy licenses, and were subject to ruinous fines if they cheated
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