The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1873-07-19
A WONDERFUL BILLIARD MATCH.

aOLE NO. I'LL.
WONDERFUL BILLIARD MATCH.
The Ashes Of Thirty.twe Hears in Colo.
saAs Tssritssy-8sw Mr.. Jshn Quiuey
Adams Rollins Made $11 900, and How
1gr Charles A. Geek Lest the Money
Correspondence New York SUM-
BOULDER CRY. COL, June 1O-.To. day
I met Mr.. John Quincy Adams Rollins.
He was trotting past Mitchell's coal mine on
broad gentleman, with pleasing face and
manners, and iron.gray hair. He looks like
son of toll. He was dressed in ministerial
black, and wore white shirt, with common
China buttons in the place Of studs. Mr..
Rollins is pretty we'll of. He sold gold
mine once for $3.50, 900, and has succeeded
in keeping the money He is celebrated
throughout the Territory as the man who
made Gil 100 At game Of billiards.
HOW HE MADE 1T.
In 1866 Mr.. Rollins turned up.,n. Denver.
That city was filed with men who won for.
tunes at various pursuits ono day and lost
them the next. About two o'clock in the
afternoon Rollins dropped into billiard
room over Brandlinger's cigar store, ut the
intersection of Blake and 4 st:ccts. The
room was filed with amateurs and profess
sionsls. Among the former was Mr.. Chas.
A. Cook, at that time banker, and since
then, strange to say, one of the wcalthicst
men IN the Territory. Cook and Rollins
entered into conversation. After exhaust.
ing the subjects Of real estate and mining.
the talk ran upon billiards Cook appeared
tn h0vs 0,1o los, 1,,a n&v,,
skill, and laughed at Rollins when the latter
said he could beat him. This excited ROl.
lins' indignation, and he finally asserted
that he could give Cook twenty points in u
hundred and lay him out. Cook said that
he couldn't do It for $4O0 game, ind Roll
Inns thought he could. So match was
then and there arranged, playing to begin
Immediately. Rollins was TO give Cook
twenty points in game of o hundred. The
stakes were to be $4OO side, and the games
were TO follow each other until one of the
parties was exhausted. The man who
squealcd first wss to forfeit 81 900. The
men sgreed to settle all disputes among
themselves, and thus avoid the necessity for
a referee OF umpire. They kept the run of
the games by chalking them upon the floor.
THE FIRST NINE HOURS.
All the preliminarlcs having been ar.
ranged, both gentlemen drew off their coats
ard selected their cues. They began play.
ing ut 3 p. m. Rollins took the lead from
the start. Cool. seemed TO be having unu-
sually bad luck. The balls broke horribly,
and unfortunate kisses robbed him of many
a carom, but he showed remarkable cool.
ness. INs misfortupes did not haze him for
an instant. Every shot was made with
firnness and deliberatiOn that deserved sue.
cess. Darkness came on. Lamps and cigars
were lighted, and the game continued. A
rumor Of what was going on spread over
the city, and the saloon was crowded with
spectators. Everybody examined the marks
on the floor. There was q perfect nest of
tsllics for Rollins, and but few chalks for
his antagonist. Nine and ten o'clock passed
and still they were at 1t. The money was
steadily oozing from Cooks pocket into
that Of Rollins. The lookers>on watched
the game with interest, and the lights dane
cd within their figured shades, bringing into
clear view the eager countcnanccs OF the
players.
THE STRUGGLE IN THE MORNING
At midnight the spell was broken. Roll
Inns showed signs of fatigue, and Cook be.
gan to win. So clatcd was the latter that
he proposed 10 raise the stakes from $40O to
$500 side. Rollins assented. The interest
in the game was rcd0ublcd. The room was
together about the doors. Cook continued
to win until an hour before daylight, when
Rollins got his second wind. The wheel Of
fortune began 10 run the other way. Cooks
bad luck returned. He struggled like man
in the slough of dcspond, hut it was no usc
The chalk marks ran up against him despite
every effort.
DENVER EXCITED.
All day long the game continued. The
city became excited. Some men closed
their places of business for the purpose Of
watching the playing. Occasionally the
banker made brilliant squirt. and seemed
TO surprise even himself, but tho steady run
of luck was dead against him. The players
were tho centre of all eyes, Intense pcr>
sonal interest had eaten up their desire for
sleep, but their haggard cOuntcnances bore
witness to tho fearful strain upon their
nerves. Al noon Rollins was several thou.
sands dollars ahead. But he dbl not relax
his cautiousncss. Every thrust was based
upon . deliberate reckoning. lie would
calculate upon tho position OF the balls
while chalking his cue, and all his energies
were bent upon leaving them in bad place
for his adversary. Cook played more ike
CICUCuulUU. 1lc uSNCu ut UNcCS IcouAS9 uuU
made sor,c surprising runs. During the
afternoon he lbsaled up considerably, and
his tally began to make respectable ap.
pcarance, but after the lamps were lit IT. the
evening fortune again deserted him. and he
began to so to the bottom.
TIE ASHES OF TnIRTY.Two HOURS.
Thirty. two hours had gone by. The
players looked like ghosts. They were as
white AS the points Of their cues. Cook
had lost $12, ,O0O, but was pluck to the last.
At the end Of each game he had spotted the
balls o. If he were sure Of winning in the
end, but fate and tho terms Of the match
were against him. Rollins had dragged his
weary feet about the table until nature was
exhausted. An hour before midnight he
threw up his cue, forfeiting s, 900, but win.
ming $l1.OO0. The spectators drew long
breaths, and overwhelmed the bar. The
worn out players shook hands, drank u
parting champagne cocktail, and went to
bed. Neither OF them ever made any effort
to .enew the match. and it is reasonable 10
suppose that both were satisfied.