Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1879-07-31
LEADVILLE GAMBLERS.
Poker and other Flats In their Glory.

| Poker and other Flats In their Glory.
Correspondence Of the Providence Journal.
Leadville is the paradise of gamblers
Gambling saloons are more than five time
as numerous as churches and are twent.
times as well patronlzed. The gam
bling saloons are upon the ground foo
of some of the best buildings upon both o
the principal streets. The doors stanC
wide open when the weather will ALLOW
and crowds go in and out openly. Their
are twenty.one regular gambling house
besides gambling enterprises in connec
tion with many other kinds of business
| noticed faro 'lay-outs" in drug store
grocery and in an office. Nobody apollo
gized for them or seemed to think it any
thing out of the way for game to bC
started when business was dull.
Gambling is as natural as breathing il
Il mining camp. Of course there are mer
here who do not gamble, but they are il
the minority. The gamblers do not wal
for nightfall, but begin to play in thu
morning. A majority of the men il
Leadville do not live, they only board
and after supper they pour out on thu
street in flocks. The stores are full;
music is heard here and there; an illumin
ated muslin sign and gorgeous posters tel
the attractions OF variety theatre, and 9
line OF men extends from the ticket Office
out into the street.
At the corner of Chestnut street and
Harrison avenue is famous saloon, con
spicuously labelled "The Little Church on
the Corner" A printed card proclaims
Denver prices: two drinks for % cents. v
Just beyond the saloon is Il large building
into which a stream Of men constantly
pours.
The room is large and low. 1t contains
nothing in the way OF ornament, and but
little that could be considered luxurious.
A long bar graces one side of the room,
a picket fence runs down the middle, and
long tables stand at the further end and
upon the sides of the apartment.
There is man in Leadville who struck
the camp without a dollar. Somebody
gave him his supper and he slept in his
blanket on pile of boards. The next
morning the inward voice" as perhaps
the friends would say, babe him 90 to a
gambling saloon. He had never gambled,
knew nothing of the rules of 'money
game" He would not go at first, but after
while strolled along Chestnut street and
noticed the very gambling house in which
the reader is supposed to be.
He went in and stood by the faro table.
A man sitting there looked up and said:
Stranger, there is the last of $3.50.
Luck is dead against me. lwant you to
play it for me"
II don't know the game" said the new
conner.
80 much the better, roared he of the
ill-luck; "a green hand always wins"
PLAY" said the voice.
The young man sat down and pushed a
few chips upon the king and the king won.
He "coppered" on the ace and the ace
lost He "called the turn" and called it
right. He sat at the table until he had
won over $1,000. The next day he put
$1,000 into prospect hole and within
torty.cight hours mineral was struck and
he was offered SIS, 900 for his interest.
In one week from the time he entered
Lcadvillc he was worth between $50, 1000
and $4,000. His luck said; stop
now" but he was intoxicated by success
and continued his ventures. In less than
a week he lost over $4,000.
The crowd around the faro table includes
all classes of men. There are laborers
Just in from the streets; furnace men, who
have not stopped to wash the CRIME from
their faces; long-haircd miners, white
handed boOk-keepcrs, eedy-looking pro.
fessionals and well-dressed professionals.
One of the well.drcssed, waxcd-mustachcd,
high.toned gamblers in Leadvillc always
wears gloves. People want very much to
know why he wears them, but he declines
to tell.
Two or three months ago a citizen who
had inadvertently swallowed the serpent
which lurketh at the bottom Of the cup made
IL bet that he would find out why the PRO
fcssor" always wore gloves. He adopted
very simple method. Watching his
chance, he hurled the Professor back in
his chair, and after choking him a minute,
remarked, "Now, am going to choke the
life out of you if you don't tell me why
you wear them gloves all the time"
"All right, drawled the Professor, with
out showing the least anger or surprise.
The grip on his neck was released. "Be-
cause choose to, he said sweetly. His
revolver exploded as he spoke and the
inquisitive young man staggered back
with bullet in his shoulder. "Would
any other gentleman like to ask me any
questions?" he continued. Nobody cared
to make any inquiries, and the Professor
put up his pistol and went on with his
game.
AS the evening wanes, every table Is
surrounded by players. The services of
the barkeeper are in active demand; wait
ers run with liquor to players who are un.
willing to leave their seats, and lunch
stand where can be obtained what has
been appropriately called "a photograph
of sandwich" is well patronized.
No sketch of gambling in Leadville, or
elsewhere, for that matter, would be
complete without allusion to poker. Ev-
plays poker, and it is not gener-
ally penny ante" Tall stories are told
of the RAISES" which rich and obstinate
men have made upon one another, and
how fortunes have changed hands in an
evening. There was quiet game at the
Clarendon only few nights ago, Luck
ran pretty evenly for an hour or two and
nobody made or lost much.
At last there came "big blind" Two
of the players "went out" at the earliest
opportunity. The other two "stayed in"
and elevated each other until there was
$50 on the table. One of them said,
"Well, if this is to be money game, |
guess will raise YOU $780," The man
opposite smiled blandly, and observed.
"See your $500; go you $500 better"
The first speaker took long look at his
cards and said, 81 CALL" The "hands"
were laid down when it appeared that
the caller had a"pair of fours" and his
an "ace high"
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