SCRATCHED DICE.
These cannot be used at public tables, because they are all covered
with cloth to prevent noise ; but on one which is bare they are very
destructive weapons in the hands of a practised sharper. They are made
by drilling a hole in the centre part of the three, five, or ace, which
is filled up with a small piece of ebony, or other hard black
substance, having a portion of it projecting. Upon a mahogany table,
uncovered, it is evident that dice thus made cannot fall perfectly
flat, when the ebony inserted comes in contact with the surface of it.
Moreover, the thrower of them—the caster—by gently moving
the box before he lifts it up, can discover by the sound whether the
scratched side is underneath or not. This is a species of robbery not
often resorted to, from the case with which it would be detected, and
one which could only be practised on either a very young or very
drunken player.
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