, 1875-02-14

sessing buamer.-for faro thriyes best
under tho g'a1e OF the gaallsht,-anu
costly lace aud damask curtains pendant
from gtlded .cornices droop in graceful fo!us-
decorate tho walls A dozen glittering chan1e-
1ie,s 'dlfusc brilliant radiance throughout the
apartments. Easy chairs, luxurious. inviting
sofas are ready for the weary or indoleut Wnen
tired of the game. and at tho magnificent side-
hoard are vines and liquors With which the VIC
tins a1e excited to try the chances Of the gam
icg-tables and with which the '4'bastedn are
free TO drown theix disappointment. There
IN . ssealthiueEs, cat-take quletness'
about al the ,nmases ntsf ana ao{Se.s ss:aenes
soothing. subtle ca1muess about everything. The
games arc conducted almost as il dealsra and
players were mutes. Scarcely . word Is spoken.
Large sums are wun aud ottenes Lost without =
word Of comment, and scarcely uoise save the
click OF The ch'ps is audible.
ara deft-fugcred, obssrsaat, but impetturbabIe
ensi calm. .an adroit tur1, Of the cards sEindles
the deiuded player ont Of hundreds, bus no
changing shade o. expression be:rays their skill
ful raanipulstcr.
Such 10 brief is the Hankins establishment.
It has ac4ui'ca q reputation among houest
peot fe odious bcyond that Of almost any other
ga,nbiing-hell, but among certain Board Of
Traae men, and 'so-catied respectable classes,
who occasioually 1emps fcs1a fortune 1T. the
cards. it is looked upon "a the gambling -house
par excellence Of the city. The .Hankins have
the reputation Of playing
A SQUARE o1nE.
and Of bcipg-it the word can be 50 applied
honorable in their transactions. Taey take great
pains to Keep af1ve this deusivc inpi ession. and
it ia used as one Of tho most tempting paits to
which the house resorts The opinion that
m1n here has fair show for his money anti may
trust implicitly upou the s1uaroaess Of the
game, rs the game goes, is strongly enforced By
Af, S1>Hr MIN ht7S e
as it may appear, they find many q
gu1lb!o dupe VINO believes It. How. this
ainl-hole OF inlquity ever obtained the
reputation that it enjoys. it would bo
very difficult to determine. 1t is more elegant
better clsis OF people than tie ..store, and It's
proprietorB are, perhaps. more rieposseBsnE
and gracious in their manners, but It il neyer-
theless just AZ much thievlah deu and the
HankinR boys are just
AZ o. MPLErE Rlsc4is
az any OF the blac<egs who hang about McDo
aids den, or waylay aud rob the unsopb'sucated!l
Granger. In fact, they play 3 - brace-game, ~
auo the people who frequent tbeeplace thinking
that here they are safa from the knavish trlckY
that characterize other houses ate snost egreg,i-
The Haakins establishment lbs quite often
been tie theme OF Newspaper articles, some OF
which have pointed out Its lrue character, and
othefs Lave extended its reputation Tor honesty
Is fRT as honesty CAL oAA4e IL AeaA14ot1o bN7-
mess Of climbing.
THE HISTORY or THIS TRIO or SLEEK KSAyEs
has III iays began with their advent Into this
city. and The comme mencement Of their career in
It's gambling circles, It hAs been saia in the
various newspaper articles whlea have oorne
reference t. Their hei-hule that they came from
Tie West thai they were sportlng-nen in some
frontier toIn. But their history pr.or to their
appearance IN Chicago has never been Written.
1t is Interesting. aud mar 80 some ways 20 shoW
upon what they base their present reputation Tor
"s9uatepess" II fa.o dealing.
TnE tribune proposes to open the book Of
their past. and permit ats readers GENERALLY, and
the en1orcers OF the Ian, to glance at few OF ITS
t3ges. III them they may read story OF crime
ana vi11liny lie like Of which most OF ths jail
birds 1T Joliet have never bron tha heroea.
JEFF,
the eIdest CT the precious trio, be OF the game
LEG and balu hexd, comes first upt,n the scene,
acd hence demands the first attention.
Prior to 1864 but little ia kuoa n Of Je1,-eo
little iu fart tEat it IS scarce rbrth 1elatng He
appear. to have entered upon the careerofthlerery
which be Is still following with underwriting snc-
cess. quite early IN lie. Mach OF his adrultnese
ins man. .pula;ing the pasteboa1d, and much OF
bis cousummaio tact in maki 1g Tiilaiuy prepos-
seseing, aud his power to burnish perennial
'thievery into lustre sbat attracts and deludes,
was acquired in the school in which popular
romancer f1as located tie somewhat celebrated
gambler OF fiction. John Daknurst He picked
up tho requirements. which with much nddl-
tiopa{ cxpeiicuce he has brought to perfection,
in San Francisco We next hear Of him at
ALDEE dULcH,
q minipE-camp in the mountains. no. far from
Virginia CRY, in Montana. Here the +' 'Califor-
ria E1chanEo was bus headquarters. The
hardly realized the Impressions which it's name
conreyed- Alder Gulcl Was rude frontier set
t!enent of red -fsnnel-shirted miners. and none
Of It's buildings were Of a pretentious order OF
architecture. The IL California Exchange, as
matter Of fact, was low ganbllng-sa oon aud
eamb}ine-roon, where the thirst Of the delivers
Tor gold could be aIsaved st Is cents drink, and
tho product Of their toll taken from them at the
gaming table, With simply the effort thereat to
increase it. JEFF became an expert dealer IN
this establishment. He had pretty way OF
pulling the cards o1t OF the deal-bo1, and
could rake d3wn the eold-dast with fingers
Of great deftness.: and with smile full
OF anliabi'ity which WAS exceedingly pleas
ing to behold. He acquired reputa-
tiop,> and amused considerable money here.
right title, and interest IN the s. Exchange" aud
left Alder Gulch forever
I've next hear of him at
BLAcKFooT CITY,
smelling and mining camp iu Ophir Gnleh, IN
the fast0esses Of the mountains Here no De-
came prourietor OF the place known as "The
Headousrtcrs," an institution similar to the one
be had Just left. It wbs one story frame
building, and wzs devoted to the double pnr-
pose OF intoxication and robbery. At tho
bar, which was located in the front, the
brawny miner cou'd nrisate his Internal
ANATOMY With 'buet-head' u whisky, and 1t the
various games in the rear lie fconld drop his
euperfous gold dust Every gamo Of chance
was here operated Jeff at that: time did not
contine his talents to faro. but allowed them to
shine in that worst of thieves games known as
three.card monte. He was very skllItul in
throwing the cards. and the quickest eye Tas
readily deceived thereby. g.,
His plsce became very popular resort. It
was the foremost establishment OF the k1nd IN
Blackfoo. City. jeff found numerous victims,
whom l1o plundered. and made money hand-over-
fst. Such rich field did he find it for industry
and enterprise OF his sort That he persuaded his
illustrious brothers,
Al AND GEORGE,
to unita their fortunes With his OVID. Accord
ippiv ne hear Of the three brothers. now OF no.
121 Cark street, at .Elackfoot City ID the latter
cart of tbs year 1865. Al, who nov is ostensibly
1t the head OF the Ch1cago tlrm, took
IN active part in tho department ', OF
the house devoted to the gambling
George, WHO was undedged, and mex
perienced in the siles and tricks Of this trade a.
thot +,,ea uar ina+si1ad behind the bar. where