The Mesilla Valley independent. [volume] (Mesilla, N.M.) 1877-1879, 1878-07-13
THE FATAL CARD.

Some yearslag the Mississippi River was
ne;ed foF its :. floating palaces, as the large
steamers plying between New Orleans and
the ports above were called. Nov the rail
ways have driven nearly all tie 6ue boats of
the river, and left the field to the frelgtt
boats, whose accommodations for passengers
are by 10 means paiatial. The former class
Of steamers were in many respects delight
fol, but they aever ceased 10 be subjects Of
tiread to umid psople, Tor If tie racing,
which Was reduced to system, Gid not re-
salt IN the loss Of the boat, thcre was sure TO
be one or more encounters between the law
less portion Of :he travellers. in which pistol
bullets would fy rather too thick for the
comfort af steady going people. The cause
Of such Disturbances wss generally aqusrrel
over the gambIiag-iabl TIE regulations Of
the boat usually required that 81 such
smusemenls should be conducted in a saloon
provided for that purpose in the Texas, or
officers cabins situated on the hurricane
deck; but the sporting gentry were By no
means careful to obey this rule, and the
gaming was mast COMMONLY carried on on
the dining tables in The main saloon Of the
steamer, to the great annoyanceof Of tEo-thirdls
Of those On board
Many professional gamblers used to make
these boats their home, travelling back and
foFih with them. aud fieecing all who were
vertiant or foolish enough IN fall into their
clutches So well, indeed, was this system
managed, that the various members Of the
craft seemed 10 have their disfcrentsteam-
| ers marked out for them BY common con
sent, so that no one vaaId trespass upon the
domain Of the other. OF course, these men
were warm frteats Of the officers Of she
boat, who we're either too sincere in their
friendship TO put a step to the practice, or
tno much afraid of the gamblers to care to
provoke quarrel with them. for IN those
days it was . common afsair for such men to
resent any faneied sfTront with pistol-shot.
One Of the most remarkable men Of their
class was named Daniel Stufdivant, French
| man, the sou Of broken down scion Of no.
bilIty who had settled in New Orleans be-
fore the transfer nf Louisiana to the United
States Sturdlyant had been raised as a
gentleman by his arissocratic father, lnt
upon coming of age, and finding his fortunes
very lIad, had taken to cards KS means Of
bettering them. His success in this field
was 50 great that he was iudGced 70 coatinue
in IT until at the time write, and he was
one Of the most notorious gamblers between
ST. Louis and New Orleans He was forty
i've years old, bat had kept himself so we'll
that he seemed much yoauger. He was a
man Of iine personal appearance aud great
| physical strength. He was also noted for
his personal courage. As a gambler he was
most expert and successful.
There were dark stories Of deeds which he
had committed while under The influence of
plsy aud liquor. and It was said by some
that he had killed half dozen men In his
lifetime. Yet 10 one cared to speak these
stories openly, for no one cared to bring
upon himself the anger of such a msa.
| There were Few who knew him who really
cared to play against hin, bat feared q. re-
fusal to do SO might involve them in a quar-
rel with him, and rarely declined his iayita-
tions.
| About fifteen years ago. the time Of which
| write, he had attached himself to one Of
! the magnificent steamers plying between