Situated as I was, I do not
feel myself at liberty to do so. I do not feel myself at liberty
to answer that question.'
When asked to whom he had given up the house, he fenced in like
manner, saying that he had given it up to a 'committee' of about
200 gentlemen,--concerning which committee he professed to 'know
absolutely nothing'--he could not even say to whom he had given
up the house--he gave it up to the gentlemen of the club four
years before--he could not even say (upon his word) whether he
signed any paper in giving it up--he believed he did not--
adding--'I said I grew too old, and I could not continue in the
club any longer, and I wished to give up the club to the
gentlemen, who made their own arrangement.'
Being asked, 'Do you think that a person is just as honourably
bound to pay a debt which he loses upon a game of Hazard, as he
would be to pay a bet which he loses on a horse-race?' Crockford
replied--'I think most certainly he would honourably be bound to
pay it.'--'Do you think that if the loser of a bet on a game at
Hazard had no charge to make of any kind of unfairness, and he
were to commence an action to recover that money back again, he
would lay himself open to a charge in the world of having acted
dishonourably?' The old gambler's reply was most emphatic,
overwhelming, indignant--'I should take all the pains I could to
avoid such a man.
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