Maumee City express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1838-184?, 1839-06-01
From he ". o. Picayune.
FUN ON BOARD A STEAMBOAT.
Playing Strange Game tCih Poker
player.

player.
Not long since gambler had a game
played upon him by the deck hands and fire.
men on board one of the Western steamers
"a game even stranger than that played
by our Second Municipality on this class oi
the community in New Orleans.
1t seems that he had made out to strike
up small game of poker with some ofthe
deck hands, and that by dint of cheating
putting up the cards, and other triks known
only to those up to and who make living
by handling the papers, he had transferred
nearly all the surplus revenue from theiI
pockets into his own. He 'cut and shut.
fed to all appearance fair for some time
but was finally caught at some trick which
at once led the honest steamboat men into
the secret Of how the thing was done, and
proved that they had lost their money by
any other than the 'clean thing
The game, as a matter of course, was
blocked at once, and demonstration i'm
mediatey made that the gambler should
fork over his ilI-gotten gains. This he hlt-
y refused to do--said that he had won the
money fair, and that he was very clear OF
parting with what he had come HONESTLY by.
They still persisted, and he still refused.
The boat at length stopped to wood,
when the mon, finding it useless to attempt
reganing their money by fair means, resor-
ted to plan which the gambler undoubted-
y thought foul. Having gained the con
sent Of the engineer to use the engine for Il
short time, they forthwith put plan into
execution-a plan rather bordering on that
code of laws generally known as coming un
der the. especial jurisdiction. of Judge Lynch.
They in the first place made one end of a
rope fast round the neck of the wondering
gambler, while the other was tied to the end
Of the piston rod, allowing only two or three
feet slack. They told him that unless he
shelled out their money instanter they would
work the engine, and at the same time that
they were not responsible for injuries he
might sustain. Loath to give up his gains,
the fellow cast one look at the new system
of eXtortion, coolly calculated his chances
and then told them 'they might work and
be D.
No sooner said than done; and the gam
bier was Immediately seen first chasing the
piston rod upon all fours and then backing
out of its way. His eve all the time was rs
firmly set upon the rod as ever that of Herr
Cline or Gabrael Ravel was upon the tight
rope. After working him forward and back
several times, one of his tormentors asked
HIM,
Don't you think it best to hand over2'
'Dont bother me-, retorted the gambler.
'fou'll get sick of that fun said another
of the boatsmen, as he was following the
piston rod up in the attitude of a bear.
Not asyou knows on rejoined the gam.
bleI, as he backed out of its way.
In this way they ran upon the poor fell
low for some time, he still manifesting an
unwillingness to give up his spols. By this
time all the cabin passengers had heard Of
the fun going on below, and went down to
witness it. After few moments respite
the engine wae again set in motion, and the
gambler along with it. The laugh from the
bystanders was boisterous and hearty in the
extreme as the poor fellow, intent upon
nothing but his own safety, followed the pis-
ton rod up to prevent his neck being jerked
off and then backed out OF its way to avoid
being fairly run over and crushed. We can
liken his looks and actions to nothing save
an old bear being dragged by chain up to
some point against his will and backing out
the moment foot of slack was given him;
or else to a savage and hungry bull dog with
a rope round his neck, fiercely endeavoring
to get at some prey and then being dragged
back the moment his mouth was opened to
secure it.
Fire aud fall back was heard from an
individual in the crowd.
Root hog, or de- came from another.
srwig him--only look, says one,
Here he goes, there he goes said
second.
'Ha ha, he he, hi hi, no ho,' laughs an
other.
Saint he in pretty fx.' cried still third.
SERVES him right suysa fourth.
'Good enough for him. said fifth, tho
piston rod all the while keeping him in full
exercise with the perspiration rolling down
his cheeks in streams.
'Aint yon most ready to hand over ncwY