The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1879-10-04
AT PORTLAND PRICES.
Three Card Monte.

Three card monte is swindling game
at which it is impossible to beat the on
orator, and it has been so thoroughly
exposed that there ought not be any VIC
tims. Nevertheless, the monte spider.
seeing human flies of present wealth.
dextrously handling his cards and talk
ing the while, makes his living about as
easy as he did in the days of the war.
when money was so plenty. An old rail-
road conductor, now passenger for the
Chesapeake and Ohio road, but who ran
q train on the Baltimore and Ohio durino
the war, relates that he knew ssCanasio
Bill to gather in 5000 in one train from
Martinsburg to Baltimore, a distance al
100 miles. y
Canada Bill is name well known
to the gambling fraternity, although he
who was known by that title. was some
years ago laid to rest. His death. which
cut of from earth the smartest operator
OF three cards that was ever seen fool
place when he was trife more than 20
years old. Just as well to die now
said he, when told that medicine eauld
not save him. Might as well cut the
game, because the cream of the monte
has been skinned. There will not be
another war, and they amt going to build
no more Pacific railroads. and it's hard
for me to play for ten, when l used to
catch hundred twice as easy" When
his last minute came, he sat up in he'd
and called out, Fifty dollars to ten Won
can't pick up the ace,' and then he fell
dead.
That is the story told of his last mo I
ments and may be true if the old saving
mas no exception that the ruling passion
is strong in death. Bills great boast
was that he had beaten a minister. Chi
cago newspaper reporters of the year
1874 remember of the excitementthe city
editors of the papers there, except one,
We're thrown into by the exclusive publi-
cation by that one Of the story Of q well
known minister who became victim TO
Bills wiles on a train on the Chicago.
Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. He
had lost nearly $1,000. Canada Bill did
not bear thg reputation of having been
the most skilfnll operator. In the slang
OF the profession, ..he could ring in
suckers better than anybody, . and here
Is a sample of his proceedings that came
under the observation of the writer few
years ago:
The Illinois State Fair held at Deea-
tur, was just over, and the grangers
were filling the trains. homeward bound.
Bill, wearing cowhide boots and coarse
clothes, got into the train Just moving
from the station and attracted attention
by saying in loud tone. well. no
farmer has show with railroads. They
kill his stock and laugh at him when he
wants pay for it. What's up?' asked
his clever eapper, and Bill related: 81
bought three head of Durham calves
down here from Winnebago county and
got premiums on all of them. I was
having them put on the car to send
home, by this time the attention of
every granger in the car was attracted
when one of the consarned fools let one
of them break a leg on the bridge from
the cattle pen to the stock car, and they
had to kill it to put it out of misery. I
wouldn't have taken $500 for the calf,
but the railroad tells me was shipping
at reduced rates and amt got any claim.
The conversation that ensued and the
statement that Bill had made put him ON
the best possible terms and IN the conf
denee of all the grangers, and so when
he presently spread his overcoat and said
first, ssI'll sue the road, anyhow" and
then, Il found this little game thatll be
funny for the Winnebago folks, anyway,
he had no lack of listeners and Interested
watchers, and after that is accomrj1 rj1isiiss-.2
the work of the three-card monte man is
easy. Human nature, rich ayerice. does
the rest Bill drew out his cards and
proceeded to tell how he had won $3.50.
after losing $50, ''just as easy" he went
on, s'as this Now hero's the money!
and he pulled out pig-skin pocket-book
tied up with twine, which he undid and
exposed pile of notes to the amount of
several hundred dollars. mo discount
on that; easier made than turning long
furrow." His capper asked for an ex-
PLANTATION and Bill told him all there was
in it, and lost forthwith $40 to his ac-
complice. By this time half dozen
pocket-books were out and bets came in
freely. In half an hour the train reached
Tolono, where the passengers change for
Chicago, and Bill, about 500 ahead. got
up, remarking: We'll, gentlemen, I'm
going to Chicago to see lawyer about
recovering damages on that calf. Good
night" And before the astonished gran
gers could realize the situation he had
disappeared through the door. Half an
hour afterward he WAS seen on the north
bound train, dressed In the height of
fashion and looking like anything but
the coarsely-clad man on the Wabash
road.
He was great player of draughts AMI
won much money that way. OF his
early life not much is known. Hewas
born and lived some years at Peekskil,
N. Y, on the Hudson river. just below
Poughkeepsie. He was often arrested,
but never stayed long in prison. AftAr
the war his field of operations was
mostly on the Pacific railroads, west OF
Omaha
Himself man of daring and person II
courage, he had often to face man mors
desperate than himself, but his presen 4,
of mind never deserted him, and whe.I
everything else failed, he was as rea Is
with his weapons as his adversary. Hs
never drank to excess. and had no inti-
mate friends. Some years ago he visite.t
Philadelphia. 1t was In the days whc.l
faro fiourished. and the strict orders of
the police had not submitted poker III
private for faro in gambling rooms. Bill
came with 5000 in his pocket. He VA
the guest of a Sansom street sportin !.
man. and Bill remarked TO his host, Tn
only going 10 lose $500 night, so Til
stay ten days" He went into a Ninti
street room that evening and left the en-
tire 5000 on the table in less than two
hours. For month or two he operate I
in this vicinity. Every week he wonl |
come back from his trip with $500 os
$500. and at every visit he left it befor,s
the box. One night he put oat 500.
and when it had gone he turned IN hi )
chair and said to the owner of ths
house, Lend me 500; I'm going TO Chs
cago.s He sent the money back tbs
next week, with a letter which rea.. !,
Much obliged for the nioaey. Chicago
is good enough for Canada Bill.
The application of the alloy OF TIN an |
phosphorus for casting journal axls
boxes has for some time bsen carried 0
in Berlin. It is said to be easily fusiblss.
melts at 626 Fab, does not heat at [
when in use. and hence requires but liz
tie II any lubricator, and, as it is scarcely ?