Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-07-23
nothing that could distinguish him
In his calling.

nothing that could distinguish hin
In his calling.
RIVER GAMBLER.
He was one of the men who trav.
eled on the Lower Mississippi IL
the ante-bellum days, when the
entire long cabins of the steamer,
were given up to card parties, poker
their game, and the stakes thous-
ands. 1t was in those days tba'
the pistol and bowie-knife often
came in as referee i'm discussions
over the game, but that occurred
only when somebody did mean
thing with an ace or filed a pair
by stealing u card, or doing some
such little pleasantly in a way SO
shamefully bold and unskillful that
detection could not help but ensue.
Watts would not do that, it is said.
he played fair and demanded fair
play or fight. That these encoun-
ters were not of uhfrequent occur
renee with him two builet-holes in
his cheek, Others in his body, and
knife wounds of greater or less di-
mensions all over him gave testi-
moDy. For many years he
travelled on the New Orleans;
st. Louis and Louisville line OF
boats. His popularity of travel
ing was that he always made the
full trip; for instance, if bound to
st. Louis on one steamer, If there
was no play, or If luck went against
him, he would not not drop off at
Vlcksburg, Memphis or Cairo aud
try a new lay. He was always the
best dressed man on the river.
His jewelry was transformations
and his clothes of the latest FASH
ion. He had his measure at Bells,
in London, and that Regent street
artist supplied him. A swell tai
lor in New Orleans once solicited
Watts for an order aud importuned
him so that he finally gave it.
Waits wore the clothes for some
time and talked much and in
terms of high praise OF them, but
refused TO pay the bill when pre-
sented. By this means he found
defendant in q suit at
law, but, setting up the plea that
in condescendiDg to wear the
clothes he rendered the tailor full
value by adding to the reputation
of the maker, he thus won his case.
Although Watts professed to be
man of honor-althOugh gambler
he was by no means of the very
best morale, and he did not object
tn take advantage of his fellow
man in this way. For instance:
With his friend and accomplice he
would board the boat at. Louisville
and, scanning the passenger list,
pick out for his victim some old
card-player of wealth with whom
he was personally acquainted. To
these people he would 90 very quiz
etly and say of his own accom- plice,
There is man who plays high,
and we can beat him; you JOIN
with me and pll do it.n The VIC
tim agrees, and the party is made
up, but Watts always succeeded in
regulating success the wrong way
for his victim, aud thus the would
De Dlter Was bitten.
$500 AND a LIFE.
One time he was accused of
swindling in that way, the charge
being made in the heat of play by
man from whom Watts acconlplIce
had jusI won $4,000 "Is that your
opinion?" he quietly asked. ayes,
sir; THAT'S what l think,u roared
the loser; "you swindled me, and
you as u sc0undrel.n
The hour was late, aud ouIy the
watchman and the party engaged
in playing beard the charge, but all
of them drew back and held their
breath, for they We're suteJack would
take life to wipe out the insult. 1t
is said that he has done that thing.
II will give you $5 900 right here
ii you VIII not make that opinion |
any further public" SAID Watts,
drawing forth his pocket-book. |
mo, sir; 1 do not want the money.
You cannot buy my silence with |
money" Then Watts smiled in
his wicked way and held a pistol
in one hand and the money in the
other and said qui ,tly, as tefore:
my friend, for Lne Suppress ou OF
your opinion l offered you $1,000.
You refused. Now l offer ou that
amount of money and your life. |
Do you accept?" The man looked
INTO Jacks steel-gray eyes, and
what he read there was convInc.
ng. He took the money and his
ne and kept silent.
POOR TOM BOWLING.
Many stories are told of old |
Watts which are not traceable to |
any good foundation like this one,
but here is one he is delighted In
telling, and for which he vouchei
for the truth: "I was always an
ardent race course better, and I
followed the Kentucky stables for
many season. My last racing
was the season McGrath's great
race-horse, Tom Bowling, broke
down. | was breaking up myself
then. We were in Saratoga, and
Barron, the negro minstrel singer,
came into Morrissey's clubhouse
one night with "a party. and some-
body proposed that he give us
song. John Matthews, the actor,
was with him, and urged him to
go ahead. He acceded and sat
down to the piano. The boys
turned around from their game,
and Barron, striking a few chords,
without further prelude, struck up:
Here, sheer hulk, lies poor Tom Bow
ling
The darling OF our crew.
"He sang it through with feeling
and expression, and looked down
ON my cards, and-by Jove!-there
was a tear right on the ace! Just
thon in burst McGrath. he caught
Barron by tine hanfi nd prepsod 1t
fervently, trying to say Thank
you,' but he couldn't. All he could
ii ,culate as he went out Of the