The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-09
DEicoy PARKER ON DRAW POKER,
The Secret History OF some Recent Lcgi sla
ton In Virginia.


Deacon Parker OF Arkansas, known
throughout the South aud Southwest for his
moving eloquence and his very remarkable game
Of poker. Is sojourning In this city. He ex-
presses himself with much warmth ON the sub
iect OF the recent resolution Of the Virginia
House OF DELEGATES for tho removal from Of
nce OF a county court judge. for the apparently
frivolous and absurd re ,son that he ocu slonally
INDUCED in a little game OF draw. The Deacon
holds that no Christian gentleman Is really ntted
to adorn the hi ber circles OF polite society who
is unfamiliar with the ruIos that govern this
classical game. He swell aware that there has
always existed In the Old Dominica strong
preference for euchre and seven up, IN fact that
several Of her most eminent statesmen, and
large majority OF both the Senate and the House
OF Dele gates mad. from long and constant prac-
ticc, attained to great perfection In the ART oil
cleaning out their friends aud aoqulintances BY
means Of these pleasant social games but all
this was no reason wny the people Of virgins
at large should. through their Representatives
in Richmond assembled. be made 10 stultify
themselves By declaring the gamo 81 poker, I'M
der any circumstances, Inconsistent with the
judicial dignity Of n county court Judge. .
Perha, =, however, when we get al the details
reloting to this legislation, the facts may in q
measure exOnerate the delegates from this
seemingly deliberate attack upon the riRhts o.
| the people, and tho time-honOred privileges OF
! the bench. Deacon Parker limited that the
| tragic end OF Col. Randolph Slaughter who loss
h,a ife last summit err mt the hands OF den. Brown,
| through an unpleasantness, Resulting irom
/ frankly avowed difference OF opinion between
these two gentlemen rs regards the pr"pes
mode of PLAYING draw poker, might really nave
! heen nj the bottom OF the unconstitutiona reso-
luton passed by the Virginia House OK DsIe-
The Deacon explained. that among the limo:
! vations that have of late years been introduced
Ice Of plsvins It with packs Of cards contain
0g more than four aces, IL 10 some places look
have been found ia one pack. These revoin-
tionary practices were strongly condemned oy
much confusion and they were the immediat
cause OF the trouble that led TO the sudden de-
mise OF the late nmented slaughter ~ the
Springs OF Virginia in August last.
IL seems that Gen. Brown and the Colonel sat
down for litle game OF aw one sItrn Satsr,
six aces in tho pack. and slaughter iancieo ne
was PLAYING with one OF the OLD iashioneu dI I
latiOns on the part Of Slaughter whlch hhMiy
ended In is being entirely cleaned OUT ~, -.
the end Of the game he becline aware OF WA
exlstence OF an unusual number OF aces, ana
theTeat he approached Brown In LANGUAGE Iuote
vigorous than polite. In fact he used such "o'u'
as swlndllng ana cheating. ., u.t,rcan
, brown could bear. with great presenc of
mind he produced his bowie knife ana rarefuliy
inserted about six inches 81 the na1e ,n1o .
conversation, and enectualy ended the diIn'
Guilty. Tina next day Sllught'r VIA planted IN
n cnesrful little graveyard near the springs.
some VI Col. slaughter's friends held meet
: ing to examine into this very peculiar case
Gen. Brown having been cited appelred ln nS
lea insd that he, more than dnN one else (Wltn
l the single exception OF slaughter, prob 'bly
!, rogre ted tho melancholy terminatlnn q
, this Misunderstanding; but That Slaughteri
language had been more IN u indiscreet
8 lilo mad actually aud without the slightest quail
o | urntiOn accused Gen. Brown Of cheating Al
cards. This no man could say TO his face nnt
!. live. lie asked the gentlemen Of the committed
| | whether under the circumstances he had AM
= ! other course open 10 him. Before going to OK
- trruiites he had endeavored TO explain TO Col
Slaughter that, 50 far AS regards the actu u win
0 nlng, IL was of no moment how many aces there
D were IL the pack, AS each player had an tPIh
Q chance OF getting four or five aceH every d ~
Hut slaughter would not listen 10 reason hhu
while the committee exoneg4,ed "a H. IT. W. os
J.. the ground that the PROV cation "i- very sl'N.
i they mildly marked their dsappro7l ~ the hcl
n by deliberately putting theW'r''en ,l IvV ~, az
: being Of the opinion that hs hau peeh "No'
- hasty in ms action. , ~
J, Deacon Packer believes M untowatl even
Tn have led % the pls,'te OF We lecsn. .as ,a
o uon by the Virginia House Of Delegates A9al"S
Il jUdiclai poker.