The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-03-02
OLD TIMES IN KENTUCKY.
A Chapter of Poker "Reminiscences Told
by an Old Player.

MY lf1e0u OOl. Duuu CulAOu III oObCA-
ton to the increase of morals on the
part of the Legislature, only this morn
ing. He said: 81 can readily forgive,
sir, any omission of my correct title in
addressing me, as | see was the case in
your report of the meeting between my
self and Ensign Alulligan few days
ago; but Notwithstanding my modesty,
and small desire for blood, when it
comes to friendly greeting day after
day, must, in honor to my soldierly
achievements and to my position in
social life, insist that you shall either
call me Mister or 'Colonel-just as
you please; butn-with dignity am
not a major, sir"
The necessary correction was made at
once, when the Colonel proceeded, with
an affability and politeness that l have
rarely seen excelled, even in the more
southern States, to tell what he knew
about poker-playing in Frankfort. He
said: al have frequently seen, sir, in
this capital-and | am sorely hurt, sir,
that things have SO vastly changed-as
much as $500 bet on pair of deuces."
ain money?' eagerly inquired.
gentleman has no occasion to carry his
bank around with him. He marks his
winnings and losings on his shirt cuffs,
and when the latter exceed the former
he sends his linen to wash, and the whole
score is wiped out. l shall never for
get" the Colonel continued, shaking
his fat sides in mirth, "the hand that
was played between Judge Puterbaugh
and Col. Tanzy, five or six years ago. l
don't know what either of them had,
but both had all their money on the ia.
bic, and Col. Tanzy, drawing a check
out of his pocket, filled it up, and said,
Il raise you, sir, $50 Judge Puter-
baugh gave an anxious glance at his
hand, and being satisfied with its con-
tents apparently, called for bank
check himself, and, radidly filling it up
and throwing it on the table, said: i
see your raise, sir, and 90 you 5000 bet
ter Il am sincerely grieved at the
circumstance the Colonel replied,
'but must play my hand > and, calling
for another check and filling it up, he
went the Judge a thousand better.
'Oh, that's a mere bagatelle,' remark
ed the Judge; Il have a check
here for the balance of the money in
the world, and l guess you can't raise
me above that That was a settler,
and the Judge took the money; but |
don't think l ever enjoyed myself so
much as when the Colonel's and the
Judges checks were taken down to the
bank the next day, and both were found
to be quite worthless. The Judge, =" the
Colonel went on to say, I" was very fond
of quiet game of draw, and when he
could come in on two pair didn't care
whether his judicial circuit went to h
or not. AT the Capital one night there
was a big pot on the table, and it came
down between the Judge and a member
from the sawlog region. They both
seemed to have good hands, and after
the preliminary betting the Judge raised
his antagonist twenty dollars-au the
money he had before him.
"'I see that raise, exclaimed the saw
log man, nervously showing his cards
together, 'and 90 you this pocketboek
better, producing an old leather wallet
with fifty or hundred wraps about it.
"'Oh, you do, do you?' said the
Judge, suspiciously cycling the battered
receptacle of wealth. well, then, L
am forced under the circumstances
reaching down into his overcoat pocket
and producing half dozen brand new
wallets to go you five pocket-boOks
better Both gentlemen got their pis-
tolls out about that time, and the deli
cate matter of examining the pocket
books was referred to a committee of
three of the bystanders, who reported
that there was nothing in any of the
wallets, when the Judge and the lum-
herman cordially shook hands across
the board, and the game went on.
al never saw the Judge lay down
but one hand" the Colonel remarked,
as he carefully brushed some particles
of sand off the curbstone with the end
of his cane, "and that was under rath-
er peculiar circumstances. The Judge
and l had been up at Louisa, on the Big
Sandy, getting some counterfeit money,
and few poisoned chicken gaffs, to
fight main with at Louisville, when
we fell in at Catlettsburg with a
Sandian, h bent on playing poker.
He didn't know any thing more about
poker than the babes in the wood, but
we humored him when we got down to
business on the boat, and he came very
near breaking the whole party by his
raises and big bets. Once the Judge,
who had tours, called him. 'Oh! I've
got you this this time the fly-up-the-
creek said; they told me before l left
home that full was three of one kind
two of another; hese they are, three
spades and pair of heartsi' Well, the
Judge warmed him that time, but not
liking the idea of having laid down so
many good hands previously on the
suckers conception of full, set up a
little job on the stranger. We all came
in, and each one drew a card. 1t was
the Big Sandy mans age The first
man bet $50; the second man raised
him $50; / saw the raise and went 800
better still. The Big Sandian went
clear down into his boot and produced
his roll, and a huge navy revolver.
From the roll of greenbacks he care
fully counted out lot of money, and
said: There's the $500 that it takes me
to call; now, what have you got?" The
first fellow said: well, I've only got
two little pair-tens and tens The
next man said, Il just spot you; I've got
four jacks myself had four queens,
which l showed upon the board, when,
greatly to my establishment, the Big
Sandy man threw four kings upon the
table, and putting his immense pistol in
dangerous proximity with the Judges
head, muttered in an assassin's tone of
voice, Now, you id son of Satan,
there are four kings; what have you
got?' The pistol was too much for the
Judge. He had the small matter of
four aces, but there was business in
the strangers eve. So he just threw
his four bullets into the deck, and said:
'Oh, my dear fellow, you beat me;
was only bluffing.' And so the Judge
laid down, and the Big Sandy ruffian got
away with the DOODLE"