To The Editor Of The Time...
Sir,-" Fishmonigers' Hall," or the Croclcadile Mart for gudgeons, flatfish, and pigeons, (which additional title that " Hell" iias acquir?d from ihe nature of its " deal- ings,") has recen tly closed for the season. The opening and closing of this wholesale place of plunder and robbery, are events wkAich have assumed a (legree of importance, not on account of the two or three unprincipled knaves to whom it belongs, and who are collecting by it vast fortunes incal- culablv fast, but for the rank, character, and fortunes of the many who are weak enough to be inveigled and fleeced there. The profits for the last season, over and above ex- penses, which cannot bc less than loo1. a-day, are stated to be full 150,0001. It is wholly impossible, however, to come at the exact sum, unless we could get a peep at the Black Leger. of accounts of each day's gain at this Pandermonium, which, though of course, omits to name of whom, as that might prove awkward, if at any time the book fell into other hands. A few statements from the sufferers themselves would be wvorth a thousand spe- culative opinions upon the subject, however they might be near the fact, and they would be rendering themselves and others a vital benefit were they to make them. Yet some idea can be formed of what has been sacked, by the simple fact that one thousand pounds was given at the close of the season to be divided among the waiters alone, besides thie Guy Fwakes of the place; a head servant having half that sum presented to him last Janu- ary for a New Year's gift. A visiter informed me, thatone night there was suen immense play, he was convinced a million of money was, to use a tradesman's phrase, turned on thatoccasion. This sum, thrown over six hours' play of 60 events per hour, 360 events for the night, will give an average stake of 2,7771. odd to each event. This will not appear verv large when it is considered that 10,0001. or more were occasionally down upon single events, belong- ing to many persons of great fortunes. Allowing only one such stake to fall upon thepoints of the games in favour of the banksperhour, full 1G,6621. wcre thus sacrificel: half of which, at least, was hard cash from the pockets of the players, exclusively of what they lost besides. Now that there is a little cessation to the Satanic work, the frequenters to this den of robbers would dlo well to make a few common reflections ;-that it is their money alone which pays the rent and superb embellishments of the house-the good feeding and the fashionable clothing in which are disguised the knaves about it-the refreshmnents and wine with which they are regaled, and wlhich are served with no sparing hand, in or'ler to bewilder the senses to prevent from being seen what may be going forward, but wvhich will not be at their service, they may rest well as- sured, longer than they have money to be plucked of; and above all, it is for the rmost part their money, of which are composed the enormous fortunes the two or three keepers have amassed, and which will increase them prodigously while they are still blind enough to go. To en(leavour to gain back any part of the lost money, fortunes will be fur- ther wasted in the futile attempt, as the same nefarious and diabolical practices, by which the first sums were raised, are still pursued to multiply them. 'rhese " Hellites" com- menced their career by pandering to the fatal and uncon- trollable appetites for gamingof far humbler game tlanthey arc iiowv hulting (own, whose losses and ruin have enabled them to bedeck this place with every intoxicating fascina- tion and incitement, and to throw out a bait of a large sum of money well hooked, to catch the largest fortunes, which are as sure to be netted as the smaller oIIes were. Sum up the amount of your losses, my lords and gentle- men, when, if you are still sceptical, you must be con- vinee(l of these things. Those noblemen and( gentlemen, just springing into life and large property, should be ever watchful of themselves, as therc arc two or three persons of some rank, who themselves have been ruined by similar means, and now con(lescend to become " Procurers" to this foul establishment, kept by a "ci-devant" fishmon- ger's man, and an ex-waiter to a Faro " Hell," and who are rewarde(d for their services in the ratio of the losses sus- tained bv the victims whom they allure to it. Theywish to give the place the character of asubscription club.pretending that noneare admitte(l but those whosenames are first submittedforapproval to a committee, aiditlthen are balPotted for. All this isfalse. In the first place the members of diffierent clubs at once are considered "eligible ;" and in the next, all persons are readily admitted who are " well" introduced, have money to lose, and whose forbearance un- ler losses can be safely relied upon. Let the visiters pay a subscription-let them call themselves a club, or what- ever they clhoose-still thehousehaving banksput down from (lay to day by the same persons to be played against, which have poiiits of the games in their favour, is nothing but a comrnon gaming-house, and indictable as such by the sta- tutes, and in the eye of the law, the visiters are " rogues and vagabonds." 'Were it otherwise-why dlon't the mem- bers of this club ! be seen at the large plate-glass windows of the bow front, as well as at the windows of reputable clubbhouses ? No one is ever there but the creatures of the " Hell," dressed out and bedizened with gold orna- ments (most probably formerly belonging to unhappy and ruined players), to slhow off at them, and who look like so many.jackdaws in borrowed plumes; the players ashamed of being seel by the passers by, sneak in and out like cats who have burnt their tails. Soine of the members of the dif- ferent clubs will soon begin to display the Teal character of this infernal place-those who will ultimately be found to forsake their respectable club-houses, and merge into inm- poverished and undone frequenters to this " Hell." The Hellites at all the "1 Hells," not content withl the gains by the points of the games in favour of the baniks, and from tLe equal chances, do not fail to resort to every species of cheating. 'he " croupiers" and dealers are al- ways selected foy their adeptness in all the mysteries of the black art. Sleight-of-hanid tricks at rouge ce noir, by whlichl they make any colour winl they wislh-false dice and cramped boxes at French hazaid, which land any main or chance re uired-are all put in practice with perfect im- punity, wnen every one, save the bankers and croupliers, are in a state of delirium or intoxication. About two years ago false (lice were detected at a French hazard bank in Piccadilly, of which the proprietors of Fishmongers' Hall had a share. A few noblemen and gentlemen had been losinig largely, (it is said 50,0001. among them), when the (lice became suspected. One gentleman seized them, conveyed them away, and next morning found that they were false. XVere not things of this kind constantly done, it would be wholly imnpossible for these gentry, with all their great advantages, to make their vast fortunes quite so ra- pidly. WVhat for cheating, the points of the games, and the bewildermeiit of the senses of the players, it would be a miracle indeed if any others could win but the Hellites themselves. I am, Sir, vour humble servant EXPOSITOR. l0ondon, Oct. 9, 1824. TO TlE EDITOR OF THE TrMES.