Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-07-23
The Monte Gamblers of the Overland
Route.


card monte men" Not one person in a
thousand has the slightest idea of the
magnitude of their business, the number
of passengers they fleece, or the amount
of money they win. Their operations
are confined exclusively to the smoking
car and freight cabOOse, hence many who
travel the road never get glimpse of
them. Those who lose by the game
feel SO mortified and chagrined to think
they have been guilty of betting that
they seldom make any complaint. Hence,
though these men have infested the road
for over two years, little attention has
been paid to their movements.
The monotony of the long ride across
the continent is admirably adapted to fit
mems minds for the appreciation of any,
thing that is droB or laughable. At
EIko, Toano, Winnemucca or Battle
Mountain, just as the passengers begin
to find the hours tedious, the most conf
cal figure imaginable steps aboard the
stage. An old threadbare coat with the
largest Of brass buttons and the largest
OF sWallOw-tails, pair of pantaloOns that
sport ample patches OF divers colors one
leg of which is stuffed into heavy COW
hide boot and the other torn square of
at the knee, a fashy red shirt, an old
fashioned velvet vest, and a broad
brimmed hat whose sides are fastened up
by means of guys, complete the costume.
In his hand is a long blacksnake whip,
and attached to his boot is a pair of
heavy Spanish spurs. His long, black,
matted hair and bristling beard, his awk-
ward, stumbling gait, the iingling bells
on his spurs-but, above all, the ridicu-
lous self-satisfied grin which overspreads
his cOuntenance-attract the attention of
all.
He has evidently been running to catch
the train, and as he pulls a red bandanna
handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the
perspiration from his brow a dozen
twenty-dollar pieces roll upon the floor.
Picking them up he puts them into a
leather bag or purse full a foot long, that
is literally crammed with glittering gold
pieces. He giggles and laughs over the
mlShap, and informs the astOnished by
ISLANDERS that he had "lOts more money
than that" when he first sold his cattle
: lie lost right smart sum bettin' agin
a game of keerds," but he didn't mind the
loss because the fellows showed him
how to do it, and when he got back to
Texas he could win all the money he
wanted, and he chuclled and grinned
over the way he was going to nip those
Texas boys. Just by way Of illustrating
the trick he takes three greasy cards
from his pocket and commences to throw
them clumsily backward and forward on
the corner of his coat-tail, which he has
spread across his lap. His nOnsensical
talk never ceases for an instant He eX-
plains that the jack of diamonds is the
winning card, and that the Jacks of clubs
and spades lose. Here, now, you Jest
try it; jest bet in fun" he says to Il we'll
dressed
laughingly complies, and turns up the
right card The greenhon laughs and
giggles harder than ever, and protests
that it was accidental, or at least that Il
little more practice would enable him to
DO better. Again they try for fun, and
again the passenger wins. Some one else
now tries the experiment, and likewise
turns up the jack of diamonds Just
then gentleman steps up who has
" through check" stuck in his hat. and
offers to bet $40 Oh, no; the greeny
couldn't think Of it. He had just learned
the game, and must practice it some
more, but he "reckoned" he would be
ready for the boys by the time he got to
Texas. The stranger wanted to bet the
cigars, and finally the fellow consented
and, of course, lost.
He took out that wonderful purse to
-,
in looking for quarter turned out $4,000
in golden eagles, double eagles and gold
notes into his lap. Attracted by the
magical clinking of the coin every man
in the car is standing around. The pas
senger who won the cigars is exceedingly
anxious to bet. He urges that even if
the greenhorn loses he will have enough
money left. At last $50 side is put up,
and the stranger winsl A hundred dol
lars, and he wins againi The cards are
shutfled so awkwardly that no one could
possibly make mistake The green
horn refuses to bet any more because he
is too lucky. The first passenger now
offers to bet, but the greenhorn will not
accept a wager of less than $3.50, because
he wants chance to win back his money
The money is placed upon the card, and
when the latter is turned up the stranger
has won. Two hundred dollars a side is
now wagered, and, while something at
the back part of the car attracts the poor
greeny's attention, the passenger lifts up
the card, shows the crowd that it is the
jack of diamonds and for future refer
ence pinches up one corner. The unsus-
pecting dealer loses the bet and hands
over the money, but bars out this man
also, us being like the former one, too
lucky
Somebody else lured by the tempting
success of his llow-passengers, offers
to try his luck. No bets will be taken of
less than $500. 1t is such dead sure
thing that the man plankS down the
coin. Of course he puts it upon the card
with the corner denied and turned up.
The imprint of the passengers thumb
nail Is as plain as day in the corner, and
with it thus marked no one could be
mistaken. The card is turned, and 10! it
is the jack of spades, and the greenhorn
pockets the money. No more bets are
made. It is too evident that the dealer
is not quite SO yerdant as was supposed.
There are some pretty angry words
used by the group of friends who have
gathered around the victim With one
accord they start toward the dealers
seat! He is missing! The train is under
full Roadway. Its speed is not less
than twenty-five miles an hour; vet the
greenhorn has disappeared. The strict
est search fails to discover his where
abouts. The mystery is told to the
brakeman, who instantly explains it by
saying:
"Oh, that was Jack Roach. He is
chief among the monte sharps He Just
now jumped off the train and is walking
back to the depot"
The two passengers who won were
"cappers. Their well-dressed, genteel
appearance, their apparent ignorance of
the dealer and his game disarmed suspi-
cion and readily "roped in the victim.
The game is so perfectly sure that men
~, L. 4. 1.