The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-08-14

homcward bound. Bill, wearing cOwhide
boots and coarse clothes, got into the train
just moving from the station and attracted
attention by saying in a 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 up2" asked
his clever cappcr, and Bill related: sT
brought three head of Durham calves down
here from Winncbago county and got pre-.
miums on all of them. I was having them
put on the cars to send home"-by this time
the attention of every Granger in the car
was attracted, when the consarned fools
let one of them break leg on the bridge
from the cattle pen to tho stock car, and
they had to kill 1t to put it out of misery.
| wouldn't have taken 5000 for tho cali,
but the railroad tells me I was shipping at
reduced rates and amt got any claim"
The conversation that ensucd and the state
mcnt that Bill had made put him on the
best possible terms and in the confidence of
all the Grangcrs, and 80 when he presently
spread his OycrCoat and said first. tI'll sue
the road, anyhow" and then, 81 found this
little game thatll be funny for the Winnie
bago folks, anyway" he had no lack of la-
tcncrs and interested watchers, and after
that is accomplished the work of the three
card monte man is easy. Human nature,
rich with avaricc, does the rest. Bill drew
out his cards and proceeded to tell how he
had won $3.50, after losing 800, stjust as
easy, y he went on, 'tas this. Now here's
the money!" and he pulled out pig-skin
pockctbook tied up with twinc, which he
undid and exposed pile of notes to the
amount Of several hundred dollars. teNo
discount on that; easier made than turning
long furrow." His cappcr asked for OK
planation and Bill told him all there was In
1t and lost forthwith $40 to his accomplice.
BY this time half dozen pocketbooks were
Out and bets came in freely. In half All
hou. nc train reached Tolono, where pas
sengcrs changc for Chicago, and Bill, about
5000 ahead, got up, rcmarlsing: ssWell,
gentlemen, Pm going to Chicago to see a
lawyer about recovering for that calf.
Good night" And before tho astonished
Changers could realize the situation he had
disappeared through the door. Half an
hour aftcrward 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. 1t Is said
that Canada Bill made 500, 900 during his
career as card throwcr, but when he died,
III Council Bluffs, Iowa, lie left just enough
of money to give him a decent funeral.
Like many of his profession, he found at
the faro table his greatest pleasure, and his
winnings went from him more easily than
they came. lie was great player Of
draughts, and won much money that way.
or his early life not much is known. He
was born and lived for some years at Pceks-
kill, N. Y, on the Hudson river, lust below
Poughkccpsic. Hc was often arrested, hut
never stayed long in prison. After the war
his t1eld OF operations was mostly on the
Pacific railroad, west Of Omaha. Himself
man OF daring and personal courage, he
often had to face men more desperate than
himself, but his presence of mind never de-
serted him, and when everything else failed
he was rs ready with weapon as his ad-
vcrsary. lie never drank to excess and had
no intimate friends. Some years ago he
visited Philadelphia. 1t was in the DAYS
when faro llollrshcd there and the strict or
dcrs Of the police had not substituted poker
in private for faro in gambling rooms. Bill
came with $4,000 in his pocket. He was
the guest of Il wcll-known Sansom street
sporting man, and Bill remarked to his host;
'l'm only going to lose 5000 night, 30 III
stay ten days" lIc went into n Ninth
street room that evening and left the entire
$4,000 Oh the table in less than two hours
For month or two lie operated in that vi
cinity Every week he would come back
from his trip with 5000 or 5000, and at
every visit he left it all before the box.
One night ho put out $700, and when it
had gone he turned In his chair and said to
the owner of the house: "Lcnd mo 300;
Pm going to Chicago" He sent the
money back the next week, with letter
which read: "NIuch bligcd for the money
Chicago is good enough for Canada Bill"