Omaha daily bee., 1874-05-22
Three Card Monte on the Rail.


Soon after the express train for
Omaha from Chicago, over the Chi
cago, Rock Island and Pacific rail-
way, had left Davenport a night or
two ago, Conductor Smith discov-
cred three well-known monte men
aboard, and as he PASSED through
the cars he warned the passengers
of their presence,;and advised all to
look out for them, but as the sequel
will show, this wise counsel did not
prevail. What followed is thus de-
tailed by the Iown State Leader:
Shortly after the train had left
Wilton Junction the attention of
the occupants of the smoking car,
who e mostly emigrants, was
attracted to q short, thick set, dark
eOmplexioned individual, who
stretched himself and inquired in a
loud, drawling tone, the distance to
Omaha, following the same with
imprecatiOns on Chicago, where he
said he had been to sell q drove of
cattle, and had been swindled out of
$1,000. This individual is known
among the gambling fraternity as
"Old Kentuck," and is usually
to be seen with a planta-
ton hat upon his frowzly head.
His exclamation was answered by
q rough drOver-like man, sitting a
few feet distant, who was none
other than the one who succeeded in
swindling a minister of Sioux City
out of several hundred dollars worth
of butter q few months since. He
inquired carelessly of Old Kentuck,
how he had been swindled, where
upon Kentuck replied, "Wa-al it
was by a game. 1 got pretty tight,
up in Chicago, and tried to learn
this game, but I don't understand it
very well yet. You e il was
done some such way as this"
and the worthy produced the
three fatal pasteboards. He COM
menced throwing them about. But
terman fastened to look on, and
was soon joined by a confederate-a
large dark man. The three were
soon talking loudly and betting
lively. A crowd gathered about,
and it was apparent that Kentuck
was a large loser. 1t was also no.
ticeable that the card shown always
had a corner turned up, and on this
account was easily distinguishahae.
Finally the cards were thrown, and
outsiders were invited to join in the
game. An old emigrant, who had
been an interested spectator, offered
to bet $50 he could pick the
card. No doubt 1t was perfectly
plain to his mind. There lay the
identical card with the corner turn
ed. Of course the bet was prompt
ly taken by Kentuck. In the act
of drawing his money the emigrant
unfortunately displayed more cash,
w%hereupon Kentuck declared that
he wouldn't bet less than 800.
Emigrant, poor fool, laid down an adj
ditional $50 which was Immediate
ly covered; then with a trembling
hand, while great drops of cold
sweat stood upon his brow,
he turned the card-it was
the wrong one. He sank
into his seat with a groan, and Old
Kentuck almost Immediately
changed his position. He was fol-
lowed by his cOnfederates, and in a
few moments betting was as lively
as ever. To the novice it
would certainly appear that
the two rough looking
strangers (?) were winning large
sums of money. A young emigrant
was allowed to win a small bet, and
finally an old grey-headed mana
resident of Avoca, was induced to
lay SsoEall the cash he had-upOn
the turn of a card, and again q fool
had parted with his money. BY
-. time the train had reached
West Liberty, and the pasteboard
devils subsidized into pe,.e"t quiet
until after the conductor had passed,
when they again commenced opera
tons,
1t would hardly seem credible,
but it is nevertheless true that
another 800 idiot was found before
Iowa City was reached. Here the
monies got off the train, one by one,
to meet elsewhere, no doubt to
divide S2SO-net profits of the
nights work.