It is often said that faro banks are never broke, but I recall one
incident that will prove the contrary. It was during the war, and
a number of us were playing together at New Orleans at Charlie
Bush's, my old partner. They were all high rollers, and when one
of them, who was a big loser, went to get his checks cashed for
$1,000, the cashier pulled out the drawer and found that the bottom
had been cut out, and all the money was gone. Some snoozer had
crawled under the table, and with a sharp knife cut the bottom
clear out. Of course the proprietors were very mad, but the joke
was such a good one that it wouldn't keep. Still, in spite of all
this, I had rather deposit my money in faro banks than the Fidelity,
of Cincinnati, and I guess all honest citizens feel the same way.