Charles Wells was born at London in 1841. He was a chubby, profligate cockney and is one of the most famous gamblers of the wagering history. Fred Gilbert wrote an inspirational song on Wells and the lyrics were somewhat like "The man who broke Bank at the Monte Carlo". He spent his money perkily and enjoyed the high-life in London with full bliss and exhilaration. He was a real Legend and whenever he walked inside a nightclub, the band immediately begins to play the beats of the song “The man who broke Bank at the Monte Carlo".
In the year 1981, Wells went to Monte Carlo and wrote his name in the wagering history. Although he collected the fund for himself with the money, he had swindled from the investors with allege of phony inventions. In the game of roulette, Wells turned around, amount of £4000 into 1 million francs. It was just like bolt from the blue. He had broken the bank with a stupendous record, 12 times. The private detectives were appointed to find out what’s there in Well’s system, and soon on another trip later that an year, he again made a further of 1 million francs in a gap of 3 days.
It was all because of Well’s bravery and guts, he put it all down to win such a huge amount. Wells says, "Anybody is free to watch me playing and is free to emulate me, but the most common defect found in an ordinary casino gambler is that he lacks pliability and courage". Indeed, many people keep their sharp eyes on Wells, like predators and attempt to facsimile his wagering methods. Crowds of the people keep on surrounding the table, on which he plays at, and immediately, other gamblers imitate the betting styles, he made.
Once again, in 1892, Wells made a come back to Monte Carlo. He sailed in a luxurious dinghy, named The Palais Royal, with his consort Joan Burns. His idea behind it was that he wanted to test a fuel-saving machine for steamships, and for that, he had swayed many people to invest in a huge amounts of fund. This was the sixth time, Well’s further broke the bank and hit the record once again. However, Well’s endearing streak ended. He soon gone astray and lost all of his money and that of his investors too. He even got more money off, from his new affluent associates in London, but they claimed for his machine to get re refurbish, but he mislaid this too.
Soon after this terrific turn of wheel of fortune, Wells got under arrest at Le Havre and he was transferred to England. He was kept at the Old Bailey and was made prisoner for 8 years for his act of fraud. He had swindled some of Britain’s most affluent people with an amount, at around $152,000.
When Wells came out of jail, he immediately changed his name to Davenport and soon began with his old tricks. And the result was quite expecting. He was again back to prison, and this time, the period was of 3 years. After this prison time, he migrated to France. He did not loose hope; he again fleeced 60,000 people in a convoluted pecuniary fraud. The police later rumbled his fraud and he again had a visit to jail for another 5 years.
Charles Wells counted his last moments of life in Paris, in the year 1926.at that time he became very poor, leaving a legacy of wasteful expenses, various pecuniary swindles and many years of prison. His frolics made him idolized by many of his followers and feared some of the casino lovers.
Wednesday 28 November 2018