The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 72, July 1968 - April, 1969 Page: 397
498 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Lady Luck and Her Knights of the Royal Flush
gaming tables were in parlor use as early as 1750. Imported dice were
plentiful, and some were carved from whalebone within the country.
The popularity of billiards made it almost impossible to prevent an
innkeeper from installing tables for the amusement of guests. So
unpopular, indeed, was Rhode Island's act designed to prevent gam-
bling at billiard tables in taverns and public houses that the statute
was repealed in February, 1783."
Tennessee sought to discourage gaming in October, 1799, in an
act stipulating that all contracts, promises, and securities in considera-
tion of gambling were void. Furthermore, a penalty of a fine of five
dollars was set for persons who encouraged or took part in any gam-
bling and a fine of ten dollars for each offense of any tavernkeeper
who encouraged gambling. Any person losing in a game of chance
might bring action to recover money or property lost.' North Caro-
lina's tax on "A. B. C." and "E. 0." tables not only is interesting from
the legal viewpoint but also because it plainly proves that such tables-
games that later were to be most popular in the Middle West and
the Far West-had been introduced into North Carolina by 1785.
After this "evil species of gaming" proved popular "greatly to the
prejudice of the good people," the legislature slapped a levy of 250
pounds on each and every "A. B. C." and "E. O." table."
Most games of chance, except poker and its variations, were an
established part of American life by 18oo. New Jersey, for example,
in 1797 forbade as gambling, all playing at cards, dice, or other games,
with one or more dice, having one or more figures on them. "A. B. C."
and "E. O." tables, faro, cockfights, tennis, bowls, and shuffleboard
were forbidden. A New York statute of i8ol sought to prevent ex-
cessive and deceitful gambling. In the Deep South, an Alabama act
'Two of the best histories of cards and gambling are Catherine Perry Hargrave, Iistory
of Playing Cards and a Bibliography of Cards and Gaming (Boston, 1930) and Henry
Chafetz, Play the Devil: A History of Gambling in the United States from z49i to 1955
(New York, 196o) . See Ruth B. Davidson, "American Gaming Tables, 1750-1816," Antiques,
LXIV (October, 1953), 294-296. For a brief history of dice, see Alan Wykes, The Conm-
plete Illustrated Guide to Gambling (New York, 1964), 128-147. Cheap dice were made
from the knucklebone of sheep, better quality from ivory.
8John Russell Bartlett (ed.), Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence
Plantations in New England, 1636-1792 (10 vols.; Providence, 1856-1865), IX, 662.
'Edward Scott (comp.), Laws of the State of Tennessee . . . From the Year 1715 to
the Year 1820 Inclusive (2 vols.; Knoxville, 1821), I, 722. An act of November 14, 18o0,
states: "That from and after the passing of this act, no money or any kind of property
whatever, won by any species or mode of gaming shall be recoverable by law .. ." An act
of November 3, I803, provided that fines from gaming convictions were to be divided in
half, one half to go to the person who shall sue for the same, and the other half to go
to the use of the county in which the offense was committed, "to be recovered by action
of debt before any tribunal having cognizance thereof." Ibid., I, 776-777.
0lbid., I, 335-336.297
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 72, July 1968 - April, 1969, periodical, 1969; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117146/m1/351/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.