THE BIG SPENDERS
B
LUE cigar smoke' lies like lend over the
tablea green and even the ivory of the croupiers Outside, the begin to sag.
faces
southern aun is beginning to finger the casino roof.
But the men round the table still clutch and glure at their cards with a tire- less passion. It is still yes- terday to them.
big
These are tha gamblers. They are not the regular casino players →→ mostly women-who reach hungrily for the chips with hands like turkey's feat.
Those people play only for small stakes. No one can play
for big
stakes consistently over a long period.
The
THÉ CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1954.
Tales from the tables... analysing the men who bet in fortunes... just for the thrill of it!
gambling
sheik loses
£50,000
in an hour
The big casinos of Cannes, Monte Carlo, Deauville, divide their +liente into three categories, the High, the Melium, the Low.
The Low gamblers are the casuals, the heliav
makers, the PE-a-stake plus-
ers, who may win
up to £100.
Or lender
The Medium gamblers are the regulars, who mas win
$1,000 week.
11
Jose
But the Bigh gamblers they may lose £10,000 in a night.
(BUT A LUCKY YOUNG MAN WINS
£15,000 IN TEN MINUTES !)
by
John Deane Potter
amble if the stakes were ons, darkly dressed men who halfpenny. It 13 the it rigid inside square cash Hingle at their finger ends desks how faintly to him. and the racing pulse when they feel their luck is in that
untter to them.
Gambling ca The tables BAM Bon of the spectacle
You can tell at once when and cheering thrill of n horse-ract. It has none of a big player comes in. the feeling of intelligent inside in- anticipation formation with which the Block market
operator himself.
has It not even the personality. clash of good poker.
or
When he drives up to the Palm Beach Casino in Cannes attendants hasten forward to lift the white boards with the pink spots on them out of his way. These are placed outside the casino entrance to prevent
Born gamblers anyone parking there.
In
the
gambler it course,
case of the big is different of THE very rich sometimes
He is
one of the gamble through yawn ing boredom. But most of aristocrats of the table.
officials came to him and cald he
had not been debitak with the £100 cheque.
It was a mistake -- end the gambler was able to prove i
it.
Á soon ES the official agreed and apologised for the error, the gambler become extremely excited and said: "I know You were trying to swindle me. You've been trying to do it for years and tonight you nearly succeeded. "
Two casino attendants had to tend him back * his hotel, sobbing and cursing.
Next day he was back in his unnyl place, He lost another
£1,000 without a word.
Who are the people who play for such stakes?
in the post-war years the
ellerls casino
have changed. Gone are the maharajahs. They have fallen on comparatively hard Um since the Indian Government dissolved the Chamber of Princes.
Th
The
free spending Argen- tinians have also nearly disap- peared. 50, of course, havo
British. have muzzled Currency
The card-dealers smile. Bul Bath there is a touch of apprehension in their greetinst, because they by do not know with what he will rules, face them bos 1o the dawn.
And 11
ROBB
pictures gala night at the casino... in the balconies elegance and calm; at the tables below...taut nerves and excitement.
So who keeps up the Once he has taken his place trudition?
carts. the and his
present an as- semi-silence vorted group slemmity about the proceedings which of gamblers. Lxclude serious board They mooking seem as gay as a festa. a Hollywood film producer, The facade of expressionless en emperor and an ex-king.
Bul one of the youngest dullying with chance often hides
make the most
They tell the story of one man who has pinyed for years at the casne casino.
Ave
p:rcent.
Casino
officials
*
And this is the man who the casino offeinla lument does not gamble as much as he did couple of years ago.
They
The terrace where you cat faces the sen And overlooks the swimming pool. Beyond the swim- ming pool is a small privato artificial harbour where you tie upon your speedboat while
you lunch.
Among them is a plump 41-year- old, slant-eyed men who wear suede shoes and fancy waist- contr. Ho is the Emperor Bao Dai, cd of the State of Vict Nam,
The emperor is a man of mony possesalons. And the French education has elven him
a taste for Western pursuits.
Ho always has 60 Savile Row sults in the wardrobo in his 30-room villa, the Chateau de Thorens, which overlooks Cannes. The villa cost him 285,000.
In the ylita is a library of do- lective stories and thousands of Bazz records, One of his first sels when he came to the throne was to form a jazz band. He played the plano in it himself.
Bao Dai does things in a big way as benty one of the last of the Oriental emperors.
On Nice Airport is a four- engined Liberator with a bath- room and well-stocked bar. It belongs to the emperor, but he seldom flies in it.
In the yacht basin at Cannes one of the biggrat yachts is the Hoang
registered at Saigon. It has a crew of 30 and cost the emperor £150,000.
But Bro Dal Ja D feat Kambler. If he is not near a casino he will invelgio his friends into games of poker.
The odd thing is that his people are Buddhist and do not approve of gambling. So in order not to hum thoir feelings Bro Dai will not touch a card or a counter in the casino,
Ho has a man who sits beside him and does all that for him. Bro Dal advises him how to place the counters and play the cards.
A
The prince
NOTHER big Eastèm gambler
Is the Egyptian Prince Sald Toussoun, who playa at Deau- ville. His cousin, King Farouk, has not joined him there
recently.
Perhaps Toussoun does not mies him too much. Farouk had a habit of starting off the day's gambling by borrowing £2,000 from him. He said it brought him luck to play with borrowed money.
In a lot of gamblers a plano- then is 2 33-year-old Itaan wire neuroticism.
motor-enr menufacturer called Gianni Agnelli. He can afford Sometimes hysteria is very to be a big gambler because he
The casino is one of Italy's rich men. surface.
He near the officials often experience it.
is an important shareholder in
You can ometimes sco Jack Farouk himself is one of the the Flat works, which his calculate it makes a quarter of
Warner, the Hollywood film least poker-faced" of the big grandfather founded.
the profit a roulette table doen.
producer, forking up a little gamblers. When the £1,000 lobster there at lunchtime,
plaques start rolling his way he Then why Well, the rich like it, although do they allow it?
You can also see him in the Burgles and laughs out loud БЛУ two things have
Warner Ian-
with pleasure. It is a dull game to watch. But happened which have made him casino-because
ure fascinated by less venturesome.
who play Last year he other of the people big gamblers
the with
apricot - coloured Caracciolo, urled Marella
But he never wears 20-year-old Italian princess with plaques. Takto the case of Agnelli. He red-gold, hair. She is not much the grim expression that most works hard and when he is on of a gambler, but she likes gamblers do as they att solemnly holiday he plays with vigour, parties.
enjoying themselves. He is the gambler who never stops amiling whether he wins or loses.
the men, dim in the cigar- He walks along the hull haze at the green tables, are with its green carpets and born gamblers.
square grey tuba of flowers. The
}}B money
not As he
into passes
the mutter much. They would gaming rooms the mysteri- his
Like so many other rich men he plays usually the card game of trente-et-querante,
One day when he was losing he borrowed £100 from the cash desk. Ho jost more than £1,000
There is no percentage for the After he had paid casino in this game, whereas in that night.
debt
f the Obe
casino chemia-de-ter the casino lakes
THE V.C. WHO WOULD NOT JUMP
(and thereby saved five lives)
THIS is the story of
T
toria
He
Middleton kept going. actually Kot the alrernit two
M.
Somethines when he is cruising
along in hig power launch he decides to spend an hour at the tables.
Instead of returning to his
Broke a leg
one of the finest Vic- GERALD BOWMAN, continuing the
game of baccarat, miles past the Engilsh coast be- Cross-winning Annals of the Caterpillar Club, tells the fore he said: "Right...jump!" backs the black. World War. In the course remarkable story of FI/Sgt R. H. Middleton hours in the control state for tannes Win or lose thousand beautiful woman there.
incidents
of the Second
of this one action five men ·
was approached, Journey und ordered Hyder back
At that time he had been eight
and a half of them in Intense pain from severe wounds,
consis-
1
When he loses he scowls and mutters angrily to himself. A lot of the mago solemn gamblers, whose faces are en expression- less as boiled lobsters, find his attitude distressing.
Gold bars
TRANGEST players are the Occasional sholis from, the Perisan Gulf area.
Another Egyptian who is play- tables is a young During the past weeks he and side whiskered
ing the big
man called Darryl Zanuck, his Hollywood Atrashe, who is described as the producer friend, have been much Tino Rasst of Egypt. He won villa, which once belonged to WHEN the Marquis de Cuevas among the big coloured counters. £15,000 in ten minutes at Deau- the King of the Belgians, and gave his fantastic party in
About 2 DJTL. the other is perched on a hili above Biarritz Just a year ago all the morning Warner, who has lost ville the other day. Vulefranche, be well land at international jet-set were there. £40,000 in season, and Zamuck, Monte Carlo and go to the The marquis
won appeared as the who has
£20,000 in one He seldom stays longer God of Nature. He was followed night, settled down to a serious casino.
And he always by Princess Marella, in a dress than an hour.
covered with artificial blossom,
The other tables slowly began who represented Spring. Most But in that time he will some people said she was the most pack up as people drifted
over to watch the film chiefs, pounds or vɔ. He seldom plays qualified for the Caterpillar of the Alps
with less than £500 chips. Another happening which has Attendants it elgar after diger With their fantastic taxless Agnelli loud A much for them. They took their coats royalties from all they are, the Club badge, Threo died. Middleton found a dupression lato the fuselage for whatever Hyder, too weak to help him- Generally he uses the apricot made
to the coloured plaques which are the quieter life is the fact that he off.
newest and richest of the new- On the night of November 28 between
was hauled the snow-covered first-aid the rest of the crew self much,
rich. Often they transport their 29, 1942. FI/Sgt R. II. Middleton peɔks. and
by Mackle who insignia of the big gambler. They broke a leg in a cr crash on for a while the could administer.
escape hatch
the Riviers two years ago. He At 3 am every other table money about in aircraft in largo of the Royal Australian Air beavy Stirling thundered along
Before
this could be done, pushed the release handle into are worth £1,000 each,
still walks with a limp.
was descried. Five hundred gold bars. Force,
a sheep former from between towering rock-preci- however,
it was obvious that his hand and then shoved him
For the past few weeks ho has
people watched the biz Boys Leewang, took his Stirling air-
Royde. Cameron Middleton had lost pices closing in on either rido.
consclous bodily out.
been winningg pretty
For a long time his favourite playing.
One of them turned up in a craft of No 140 · Squadron off The course turned and twisted.
The aircraft went into a and Gough went out; Skinner, tently. But the other night he spurts of skiing and flying have Wather never staked less than casino recently. Ho had lers for a low-level bombing rald on
Middleton kept on, at the same divo which the wounded Hyder also badly wounded, Anally did lose £2,000 before dinner. been closed to him. He has £7,000. At one point he was his gold bars at home. But he the Pint works in Tur.a. Ily.
ordering averycno only managed to pull out of at went over the side at Middle-
never piloted his private aero- down £20,000. This meant a double
was flourishing 250,000 dollars. out-and- in the
That sort of minor setback plans since crew to help him by about 800 feet.
ton's direct order. Jeffery arut back crossing of the Alps.
yell keeping eyes skinned. A
Meanwhile both the wireless Mackie were then still on board does not put Agnelli off his food. the bl black aircraft from the front gunner In
Savert operator and the rear gunner together with their captain. Middleton had
hts
crew: them. from disaster whon a were also hit, one of the rear Second
Pilot
FI/Sgt L. A gigantic peak learned dead afced
and twisted guns being struck Hyder. Navigator P/O G. R. aud the rear gunner called almost at right angles to the The bodies of Jeffery
and Royde, Wireless Operator P/O him up with the cheerful
turint
Mackie were washed ashore hope you 900 the Hyder took over control but
the aircraft H Sgt J. E. Jeffery, Front Gunner next one before I do, chumi" Sgt. J. W. Muckle, Mid-Upper
as he made the long climb back next day. Actually towards the Alps all the crow nothing was ever heard Middle looks as though he has lost n Somehow Gunner FI/Sgt D. Cameron, and made that amazing passege. At who
Stirling the
could
started but Skinner knew that Rear Gunner Sgt. H. W. Gough.
a point where it could not have jetilsoning everything that was ton had turned it towards the fortune. Already the story has guests often steer into the ny and casino employees..
sen, just as he was going. More become Riviera legend of how artificial, harbour of climbed out of the valley, even movable, including the guns.
than propably the captain knew he nearly lost a fortune recently. Reserve de Beaulieu. that he could never crash-land That was one time he did stay This small hotel, which is out blinking in the sunlight to He suddenly picked up the rest it in his semi-conscious con- a long time in the casino. Play- Just off the dusty lower coast their cars parked on the pro- of his counters, and hurled them dition without
thout endangering the ing trente-et-quarante as usual road between Nice and Monte montary on which the casino at the crystal chandeliers.
he was £20,000 down. It was Carlo, is one of the favourite is built. Warner had won.
meeting places of the big £40,000.
Then he walked out 'smiling again insisted on taking over He was posthumously
Cross in the Victoria
Ho
broadly, the table, spenders. ed the
He had had his fun Hyder
got up from while Middleton put the nose of the control
waa ed
which for
are the Than he sat down again.
It has only 23 rooms, but it
That sort of play could not He had probably lost £50,000 aircraft down and discussed the roughly attendol to
In its cliation
It was severnt after words: "His devotion to duly in
hours later can cost £50 a day to stay there. be bettered oven in the best days but he did not care. He bad bombing run with the navigator much lighter, conditien
he left the casino. He Among the occasional visitors of the maharajahs, (who was also bomb-almer): us Jettisoning and with all bombs the face of every danger and when
But the East still has showed them wit the thought of the heights gone the Stirling managed to difficulty is unsurpassed in the had won his &£20,000 back and are Rita Hayworth was making they swept out
Mountbattens.
representatives in the casinos. of gömbling height over France Middleton three separato bombing runs be- Bot
upon their target. They made clear the Alpine range and then annals of the Royal Air Force a little on top.
AS
Normam Sklaner. Fl-Engineer mark,
Typical of the spirit behind this
TC-
*
epic flight was the fact that the had the bomb lond boon three Inst-named had actually leased, Turin itself completed their tour of opera-blazing from
wng sighted the bombing Lions, but had volunteered to attack of earlier aircraft and fil stay in the crew with their cap clearly by fares which had been tain on the last-but-one trip. dropped as target-murkers.
of his tour.
NOT CLIMBING
As the aircraft
move
GREATER DANGER
•
Determined
Is who
But he has always managed to attend to his business. Не had his villes altered so he could drive right up to hla.desk.
Now he roars round the coast a determined gambler in his long motor-launch.. will stay in when it
Middleton recovered and once lives of villagers or a lot of money even for him.
out
on the long home
realised that she was not climb fore they knew they were "spot Journey across Franc ing as she should - hẹ yas
at 12,000 feet but not gaining on," And as they steadied to By now the moon had ap- When he called for a report drop their load the light fak poured-bringing greater danger from Engineer Jeffery he was came up in livit, whipping than ever from the possibility told that of the present rate streams.
they had petrol to make the deable Alpine crossing and
sertipe back'
to the English
cost, but certainly not to their
home base.
BLOWN OUT:
of attack by fighter aircraft. Yet luck was not entirely against the crow since the wind, "which had not bown in their favour changed at this point
The main plane was hit and and helped them Middleton 'decided to carry on the front windscreen was blown It was as
and not a word of dissension out, Middleton yelled to Ryder, with co
cost the cumo. from any of his crow. He the second plict, to help him for his last
merely asked the 'navigator for hold the aircraft, the lateral the minimum height at which control of which was affected..
the Eng-
Middleton called
probably.
Definite was
Hie Volem was noticeably weak
they could aype over the Alps. At the same time the pilot here the order: Prepara
shoot #14,000 was wounded and t festi?' / Middleton, merely said to thonờ of. crew who,oculch to bala out, everybody, Bring nie quietly. W
"We'll find a pankomseled him that his right sye bade, my, parachute pack). This lost, Zhe long run teroits,
|gona, dad; that: the wond of hisx" His creNOVA. would warm was accomplished hend wardakhuvries in above
mosa had not yet risuun, khed, 22)Middleton turned 100 "airers
JOHNNY HAZARD
ÂT THE SIGHT OF THE REAL. NICKEL ESCARRE 19 ́MOWENTARILY CONFUSED/
At lunch-time ho
1
and his
the La
and the
Free to all
He changed, mat of it into 1,000 plaques. One of Gils servants came and placed a port- able gramophone beside him and played him walling Arab tunes on while he gambled,
T6 o'clock in the morning they called it a day. But before they did they ordered
He obviously had no idea of champagne and mogums of
Ho Just flung his boxes of cigars for the spectators the game.
£1,000 counters anywhere. After about an hour he became bored. Then arm in arm they walked
By Frank Robbins
situation
Miguel