River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-07-17
THREE-CARD MONTE.

Monte sharp" Canada BILL
Philadelphia Times.
Three-card monte is a swindling game
at which it is impossible to beat the OPP
orator, and 1T has been so thoroughly ex-
posed that there ought not to be any VIC
tins. Nevertheless the monte spider,
seeking human flies OF present wealth,
dexter ously handling his cards and skill
fully talking the while, makes his living
about as easily as he did in t days of
the war, y hen mo ey was so plenty. An
old railroad conductor nov passer ger
agent for the Chesapeake & Ohio road,
but who ran train on the Baltimore 81
Ohio road during the ar, relates that he
knew "Cauada Bill" to gather in $4,000
IN one train from MartIrsburg to Balti-
more, a distance of one hundred miles.
canada Bill is name well known TO
the gambling fraternity, although he w o
was known by t at title was some years
age laid to rest. His death, which cut
off from the earth the smartest operator
of three cards that ever was seen, took
place when he was trifle more than for
tv wears of age. ''Just as well to die
could not save him. "Might as well cut
tie has been skinned. There won't be
another war, and they amt gong to build
no more Pacific railroads, and it's hard
for me to play for ten when | used to
catch a hundred twice as easy" When
his last minute came he sat up in mis- bed
and called out: Fifty dollars to ten you
can't pick up the ace, and then he fell
dead
r at is the story told of his last mo-
ments, and may be true if the old saying
has no exception at ruling passion
is strong in death. Bills great boast was
that he had beaten minister G icago
ne spaper reporters of the year 1874 re-
member of the excitement the city editors
Of the papers there, except one, were
thrown into by the exclusive publication
by that one of the story OF well-known
minister W became victim to "Canada
Bill's'' wiles on train on the Chicago.
Rock Island and Pacific railroad. He
bad lost nearly thousand dollars. Can
ada Bill did not bear the reputation of
having been the most expert dealer, but
he did that of having been the most skill
ful operator. In the slang of the profes
ion, che could ring in the suckers better
than anybody" and here is sample OF
his proceedings that came under the OBJ
servaton of the writer few years ago
The Illinois State fair held at Decatur.
was Just over, and the Changers ere fill
ing the trains, homeward bound. Bill,
wearing cowhide boots and coarse clothes,
got into the train just moving from the
station and attracted attention by saving
in a loud tone, "Weli, no farmer has a
show with railroads They kill his stock
and laugh at him when he wants pay for
| it." "What's up?" asked his clever cap
per. and Bill related ~ brought three
head of Durham calves down h re from
Winnebago county and | got premiums
on all of them | was having them put
on the car to send home"-by this time
the attention of every granger in the car
was attracted-'Ewhcn enc Of the con-
sarned fools let one of them break a leg
on the bridge from the cattle pen to the
stoc car, and they had to kill it to put
it OCT of misery. | wouldn't have taken
5000 for the calf, but the railroad tells
me | was shipping at reduced rates and
amt got airy claim"
The conversation that ensued and the
statement that Bill had made put him on
the best possible terms and in the conf
dence of all the grangers, and so when
he presently spread is overeoat and said
first. In sue the road, anyhow" and
then. Il found this little game that'll be
funny for the WinLebago folks, anyway
he had no lack of listeners and interested
satchers, and after that is accomplished
the work of the three-card monte man is
easy. Human nature, rich avarice, does the
rest. Bill drew out his cards and proceed
ed to tell how he had won $3.50, after losing
$50, '.iust as easy" he went on, Gas is.
Now here's the money!" and he pulled
out pig-skin pocketbook tied up with
Irvine which he undid and exposed pile
of notes to the amount of several undred
dollars. ''No discount on that: easier
made than turning a long furrow." His
capper asked for an explanation and Bill,
told him all there was in it and lost forth
with $50 to his accomplice BY this
time half a dozen pocketbooks were out
and bets came in freely. In half an hour
the train reached Tolono, where passen-
gers change for Chicago, and Bill, about
5000 ahead, got up remarking "Well,
gentlemen, I'm going to Chicago to see
lawyer about recovering or that calf.
Good night" And before the astonished
grangers could realize the situation he
had disappeared thror gh the door. Halt
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, and
won much money that way. Ofhis early
life not much is known. He was born
and lived for some wears at Peel skill, n.
y, on the Hudson river, just below
Poughkeepsie. He was often arrested,
but never stayed long in prison. Alter
the war his field of operations was mostly
on the Pacific railroads. west of Omaha.
Himself a man of daring and personal
courage, he often had TO face men more
desperate than himself, but his presence
of mind never deserted him. and when
everything else failed he was as ready !
with his weapon as : is adversary. He |
never drank to excess and had no intimate |
friends. Some years ago he visited Phlla- |
dephia 1t was in the days when |
faro fiourished here and the strict orders |
of the police had not substituted poker |
in private for faro in gambling rooms. |
Bill came with 5000 in his pocket. He |
was the guest of well known SAMSON |
street sporting man, and Bill remarked |
to his host "I'm only going to lose $500 |
a night, so I'll stay ten days" He went |
INTO Ninth street room hat evening and |
left the entire $1,000 ON the table in less
than two hours. For month or tao he
operated in this vicinity. Every week
would come back from his trip with
5000 or 5000 and at every visit he left
it all before the box. One night he put
out 800, and when it had gone he
turned in his chair and said to the owner
IF the house: LEND me 500; I'm going
to Chicago" He sent the money back
the next week, with letter whica read
Much obliged for the money. Chicago /
is good enou- h for Canada Bill"
Etiquette Extraordinary.