Chapter I: Preface

Having often been requested by different magistrates, to investigate cases of sharping, I have often been struck, while doing so, with the obstacles and embarrassments which a judge's own honesty must oppose to his elucidation of matters of sharping and cheating at play.

How is it possible that he can penetrate the subtile web, with which the sharper surrounds his dupes,--how can he be able to detect the tricks of these rogues,--if he does not understand the manoeuvres of sleight-of-hand?

By a singular reversal of the ordinary conditions of justice, the magistrate finds himself most powerless, when the rogue has committed the most daring, and artfully cunning, frauds.

A great portion of my life having been devoted to the study of sleight-of-hand, and having, as yet, only made use of my knowledge for the amusement of my fellow-creatures, I felt that the time had arrived, when I ought to give to the public, who had so honoured me with their favour, an unequivocal mark of my gratitude, by consecrating my leisure hours to their service.

I have therefore written this work, the moral and end of which may be summed up in this incontestable truth:

"Éclairez les dupes, il n'y aura plus de fripons."

"Enlighten the dupes, and there will be no more knaves."

There is no reason, however, because a fact is incontestable, that it will not be contested; indeed, I am of opinion that it will be, and, as a proof of what I state, I am myself going to offer an objection which might be made on this subject.

In disclosing the secrets of sharpers, people will say, Do you not fear to create in the minds of unfortunate gamblers, a wish to try and better their fortunes, by the very means you point out to warn them?

I have been guided by an opinion, repeatedly expressed by the editors of newspapers, and the press in general; and, in answer to the objection I have made above, I beg to say, that in the explanations I have given of the tricks of sharpers, though I have said enough to put people on their guard, I have not said enough to teach them how to execute these tricks.

If I had not taken this precaution, what would have been the result?

It is only one individual, already half perverted, who will avail himself of the knowledge I impart, to learn to cheat, while hundreds of dupes will have been put on their guard.

If these revelations serve to awaken vicious ideas in perverted minds, what can be said of the various works on the laws of duelling, in which you can learn how to kill your neighbour according to rule?

Is it not to be feared, that the opinions contained in those books may lead to crime?

For my part, I have so good an opinion of mankind in general, that I trust the perusal of this work will only tend to their benefit, and prove their safeguard against rogues. Let each person when he sits down to play, strengthened by the hints and instructions I have given him, look with suspicion on all "Greeks" (as these sharpers are sometimes called), and let him recollect to his profit this verse of Virgil:

"Timeo _Danaos_ et dona ferentes."

CONTENTS.

PAGE
PREFACE iii

AN ANECDOTE BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION.

A dangerous professor 1

CHAPTER I.

MODERN GREEKS.

Origin of the name "Greek"--The first gambling houses--Invention
of Roulette--Hunt for dupes--Opening of _tripots_ or low
gambling-houses--The Greek described--Different classes of
sharpers 15

CHAPTER II.

THE GREEK OF FASHIONABLE LIFE.

Wonderful acuteness--Refined sleight-of-hand--Delicacy of touch 22

CHAPTER III.

THE GREEK OF THE MIDDLE CLASSES.

The "_Comtois_" and "_Amazone_"--Tricks and frauds--An heir
expectant--Game at Bouillotte--A rich pocket-book--The bill
to pay--Dupers duped 26

CHAPTER IV.

THE GREEK OF THE TRIPOT.

His abject condition--The public-house--Pretended stupidity--
Dupes fleeced--Acting the countryman--Table d'hôte--The
pellets--A good farce--Deception--The three cards--The
countryman's bet--Clever substitution--English rogues--
Thimble-rig 33

CHAPTER V.

A GREEK TAKEN IN THE FACT.

The restaurant of the _Veau qui tête_--Subscription ball--The
card-room--A lucky player--_Sauter la coupe_--Mystification
--The tell-tale hat--We are done 45

CHAPTER VI.

THE GAMBLER RAYMOND.

His infallible system--His agreeable manners--A Roulette player
--Confidences--Revelations--In vein, and out of vein--The
maturity of chances--Advice to players--Maxims--Influences
--The gambler must be unmoved--Application of the system--A
fortunate martingale--Mysterious meeting--Shorn of a beard--
Ruin and misery--The Talisman--Raymond is a Greek--Useful
information 54

CHAPTER VII.

EDIFYING HISTORY OF A GREEK.

Debauchery--Scheme to get money--The usurer Robineau--The bill
of exchange--A false friend--Treason--Stay at Clichy--
Initiation of a sharper--Release from prison 71

CHAPTER VIII.

SECRET GAMBLING-HOUSES.

Greeks both as dupers and duped--Andréas _Tête d'Or_--Secret
inquiry--The human ostrich--The Society of Philosophers--
Chaffard the bravo--Exploit of _Tête d'Or_--A Greek thrown out
of window--Mystification 80

CHAPTER IX.

SECRET GAMBLING-HOUSES--(_continued_).

School of cheating--Travelling Greeks--_Le Service_--Formidable
manoeuvre--Imperceptible signs--The business of the _Comtois_
--The _coup de retraite_--Abundant harvest--Prodigality and
debauch--Fortune takes her reprisal 89

CHAPTER X.

THE DOCTOR DUPED.

The false capitalist--The rogue is bled--More confederates arrive
--A good hand--The fleecing--The doctor bled 99

CHAPTER XI.

THE PASTE RING.

The amateur of precious stones--What a beautiful diamond!--A
sovereign cure--Ah! if I were a rogue--A false paste ring!--
The game is played--The tell-tale stamp investigation--The
wanderer by night--The mysterious _tripot_--The sharper caught
in a trap--Recriminations--The message--The false commissary
of police--The Rue de Jerusalem--Unexpected _dénoûement_ 106

CHAPTER XII.

AN INFAMOUS SNARE.

A young fool--Envy and covetousness--Aphorisms--Insinuations
--Confidences--Influencing the game--Honest men are sometimes
rogues--Mushrooms and cheating--The Greek moralist--Example
of cheating--Initiation--Maxims and manipulations--Temptation
--The Belgian capitalist--The _cartes biseautées_--Easily won
--An insolvent gambler--Comedy--The Greek in despair--An
infamous snare--Dishonour--Ruin--The faithless trustee--
Separation of the philosophers--A virtuous Greek--Golden hopes
--A beard again--A demi-millionaire 124

* * * * *

TECHNICAL PART.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES.

CHAPTER I.

THE FALSE CUT.

The _saut de coupe_--The _passe-coupe_--The cut above--The
large card--The bridge--The bent card 158

CHAPTER II.

FILER LA CARTE.

To change a card 169

CHAPTER III.

The _enlevage_, or abstraction of a card 172

CHAPTER IV.

The card replaced 175

CHAPTER V.

The glance 176

CHAPTER VI.

The substituted pack--The box in the sleeve 177

CHAPTER VII.

False shuffles--The arranged shuffle--The partial shuffle--The
fan--The dove-tail 183

CHAPTER VIII.

DOCTORED CARDS.

_Cartes biseautées_--Tinted cards--Sticky or slippery cards--
Slanting cards--Pricked cards--Cards with indented edges--
Wavy cards--Chequered cards--Marked cards 189

CHAPTER IX.

The chaplet, or rosary 205

CHAPTER X.

The ring for marking 209

CHAPTER XI.

The reflecting snuff-box 211

CHAPTER XII.

APPLICATION OF THE PRECEDING PRINCIPLES.

Arrangement of the pack--_Coups de piquet_--How to repique and
capot an adversary--How to repique and capot an adversary,
although he has shuffled the cards--Abstraction and substitution
of cards--_Coup d'écarté_--_Jeu de règle_--Lansquenet--
Baccarat--Vingt-et-un, &c. &c. 213

CHAPTER XIII.

ENTERTAINING TRICKS.

In Piquet--Écarté--Baccarat--Impériale--Whist--Bouillotte
--Bézigue--&c., &c. 232