Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-10-24
GRANTS POKER.
Capt. Hiram, Eof '52, Borrows "Chips"
and Forgets TO Pay.

From the Missoula (Nevada) Pioneer.
During the summer of 1852, Maj. John
| Owen, Of the Bitter Root Valley, Montana
Territory, then part of Oregon, visited Fort
Vancouver, on the Columbia river. There he
met Col. bonneville, Col. Morris, Capt. U. s.
Grant, now President of the United States,
Capt. Rufus Ingalls,, then Post Quartermaster,
and now Assistant Quartermaster General of
the United States Army, and other officers of
the Fourth Infantry. The Major, with that
suavity of manner and general temperament
able of men, was, in a very short time after
his arrival, on intimate family terms with the
officers of the fort. In the persons of Capts.
Grant and Ingalls,, and one or two others, the
Major found kindred spirits.
A few evenings after his arrival at the fort
a poker game, or " examining papers," as
Ingalls, called it, was made up. 1t consisted
of Col. Morris, G. W. Rankin. now Colonel in
the United States Army, at one time COM
mander at Fort Ellis, Montana Territory,
Capt. U. s. Grant, Capt. Rufus ingalls,, and
pretty heavy bets and usual bad luck to some
of the parties, Capts. Grant and ingalls, being
the first of the party that were reduced, in
mining phrase, to bed rock. 1t WAS Col;
Morris deal, and Capt. Ingalls,, with that
desperation that characterizes poker players
who have a run of bad luck, in the absence of
chips (Which were represented by $40 gold
pieces) took from his finger valuable ring,
Ingalls,. left, and passed, not having hand
that would enable him to seethe blind. Capt
Grant, who occupied seat next to the Major,
picked up his hand and discovered pair, and,
with a smile that was childlike and bland, said
that he would see the blind
Ingalls, to Grant-Make me see the tangible
evidence.
Grant to Ingalls, What is the value of the
ring
Ingalls--Twenty dollars.
Grant had no chips, but he did have good
pair. He showed his hand over to Maj. Owen.
The Major looked at it there was pair, sure
enough-and good pair at that. The Major
had chips, but Capt. Grant had none. In
this emergency the Majors kindly and gener-
GUS disposition asserted itself-for he played
poker not for gain, but for the amusement it
afforded him. He did not want to see the
game stop. He had plenty of chips. He
felt that
And giveih his neighbor none.
shS5 WbiD haSs rs. Rs1s cpios dTG m, sSba chips
He said to Capt. Grant:. "You have no
chips here are are two twenty dollar gold
pieces take them and see the blind"
The Captain took them and called the blind.
Capt. Ingalls, borrowed from his neighbor, and
made the blind good. The cards were dealt,
Capt. Grant took two cards, holding up an
outsider to niger with In case 1T came to
showdown. Ingalls, took three cards, draw
ing down to his hand like bold, sagacious
player. 1t was Capt Grants first bet; having
failed to strengthen his hand in the draw, he
jaw for $3.50. Capt. Ingalls, eyed him closely
he had not helped his hand in the draw; he
believed, however, that he had the top hand.
There was something in Capt. Grants man
blufing. So, following mis- "pre" with firm
grip upon his pair, he called Capt. Grants bet
of $3.50, at the risk of breaking his jaw. The
hands we're laid upon the table. Capt In
gals had pair of queens with king, and
Capt Grant had pair of queens with an ace.
Grant exhibited generalship in holding up an
ace to niger. It had won the pot and given
him lion upon Ingalls, jaw for $3.50:
Now there is nothing very remarkable about
this after all. Many very excellent men play
poker, and when they out of chips they
borrow from their neighbor, and when they
can't borrow chips they shoot off their jaws
for even larger sums than $3.50, and if they
win they return the chips borrowed, or give
an extension of jaw bone, if they lose, but in
this instance Capt. Grant forgat to return the
$40 borrowed from Maj. Owen. and what is
equally remarkable, he has forgotten to return
it up to the present hour. Let us have
peace,' but above all, let $40 be paid to Maj.
John Owen, with reasonable interest thereon
since the summer of 1852.