The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-05-04

"Do you think can handle hima" said
Devol. "Of course you can" said Bill
"I'll try" said Devol. He carelessly APP.
preached the sucker" engaged him in
conversation and proposed walk. The
sucker" assented, and they walked out
together. While they were gone Devol
told the Sucker" just how to play the
game. Said he: "Pretend that you are
going to turn the spotted card, but don't
do it. Turn the one l motion to-" After
awhile they came back, and Devol gave
Bill the wink that the sucker" was ready
for the bait. Bill opened out. The usual
preiminaries were gone through with,
and the sucker" united the knots In his
stocking and put up $4,000, and Bill
covered it, Devol being stakeholder, for
the reason that the sucker" would not
bet unless Devol would hold the stakes,
as he, the sucker" "knew that Devol
was an honest man" Everything was
all ready; and even then it looked so
fair that the "spcker" wanted to turn the
card with the spot on it, and it was all
that Devol could do to prevent it, and
had to whisper to the Sucker" several
times which card to turn. This whisper
ing Bill took to be part of the plan nee
essary to induce the Sucker" to bite.
Finally he reached out, let his fingers
linger a moment over the card with the
spot on it, and then suddenly turned the
right card. Bill locked like he would
sink through the floor, then at Devol and
then at the sucker" and said, "That's
the first rub" The sucker" said, Grub,
HILL want my money ~ and pulled out
a six shooter that Devol had given him
and pointed it at Bill. and Bill said,
George, give it up" The sucker
wheeled and pointed the pistol at Devol,
who says, "Bill, shall l give it ups"
EYES," said Bill, and the money was
handed over. After the sucker" walked
off, Bill said, "George, by Cd, have
seen six cooked pistols pointed at your
head, and you didn't give up nothing.
How is it that you give up so easy nows"
Devol replied, II thought that id fool
would let that gun go Off" Afterward
Devol told Bill how he had played it on
him, and gave him back all but the 5000
which he thought Bill had "held out" on
him. After this, Bill and Devol worked
together, and made a great deal of money.
1.-THE closest place was ever in in my
life," said Devol, twas in 80. l was
coming up the river from New Orleans on
the steamer Fairchild, and had won a
great deal Of money. The boat landed
at Napoleon, and about twenty-five of
those killers there, who in those days did
not think any more Of killing a man than
they did rat, got aboard. l opened out
and won good deal of money and four
or five watches. Everything went along
smoothly enough until about four O'Clock
in the afternoon, when they began to get
drunk. One of them said: Where is
that d-n gamblera I'm going to kill
him. I'm with you,' said another. Il,
too said another, and the whole party
rushed to their state-rooms and got their
pistols. I slipped up and got between
the pilot-house and the roof. They
searched the boat from stem to stern, but
did not think of looking under the pilot
house. I whispered to the pilot tina,
when he came to a bluff bank to throw
her stern in and give me the word, and
would run and jump off. About o'clock
he gave me the word and ran and
jumped. was weighted down with the
watches and gold had won and the dis
lance was more than / thought, and
missed the bank and stuck tight, waist
deep, in soft mud at the waters edge. The
killers saw me, and as the boat swung
out they opened fire. l could not move,
and the bullets whistled past my ear, and
spattered mud and water all over my
face. had given the pilot 500 in gold,
and he threw the boat out, SO that was
out of sight very quick. 1t was mighty
close place for little while.'
Devol invited me to his room at the
Milan Hotel, and showed me the modus
0perandi Of three-card monte. 1t looks
mighty easy to tell the right card, but it
is not. Devol does not throw the cards
now. A confederate does that. He is
better. he says, on the outside. His
splendid address and unlimited cheek
eminently fit him for the position. Dur
ing the war he had the racetrack at New
Orleans, and had a fine lot of trotters.
Ben Butler confscated them and threw
Devol into Jail because he had won a
large amount of money from Buffers
paymaster.
81 have made more money than any two
gamblers in America" said Devol, "but l
can keepit. My travelling expenses alone
are $4,000 year. lisa gay life, though
a risky one, and have lots of fun. III.
G. o., in Courier Journal
THE ELEPHANT AND THE COCKNKY.-
'That's VERY knowing mammal of
yours" said a cockney gentleman to the
keeper of an elephant.