The chief gambling houses of New York were established by men who
are American celebrities, and among these the most prominent have
been Pat Hern and John Morrissey.


PAT HERN.


Some years ago this celebrated Irishman kept up a splendid
establishment in Broadway, near Hauston Street. At that time his
house was the centre of attraction towards which `all the world'
gravitated, and did the thing right grandly--combining the
Apicius with the Beau Nash or Brummell. He was profusely lavish
with his wines and exuberant in his suppers; and it was generally
said that the game in action there, _Faro_, was played in all
fairness. Pat Hern was a man of jovial disposition and genial
wit, and would have adorned a better position. During the trout-
fishing season he used to visit a well-known place called Islip
in Long Island, much frequented by gentlemen devoted to angling
and fond of good living.

At Islip the equally renowned Oby Snedecker kept the tavern
which was the resort of Pat Hern and his companions. It had
attached to it a stream and lake to which the gentlemen who had
the privilege of the house were admitted. Mrs Obadiah Snedecker,
the buxom wife of `mine host,' was famous for the exquisite way
in which she cooked veal cutlets. There were two niggers in the
establishment, named Steve and Dick, who accompanied the
gentlemen in their angling excursions, amusing them with their
stolidity and the enormous quantity of gin they could imbibe