The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-05-12
wEsrEKs GAMBLERS.
Experience. of Returned Tourist.

greater part of my Western trip because it
is there that one is brought in contact with
the people of the country and has the best
opportunity ofstudying Western life While
travelling down the line of the Atchison, To-
psks and Santa Fe Railroad, my attention
was one day attracted BY an individual in
clerical costume whose physiognomy seemed
decidedly out of harmony with the white
necktie and long black coat. Presently an
army officer entered the car, and, after light
ing his cigar, proposed game of cards. The
pseudo minister at once responded and they
began game of poker playing at first for
small amounts and appearing quite evenly
matched. The officer, however was slightly
ahead and, flushed with success, proposed
higher stakes, TO which his adversary ac-
ceded After few deals both apparently
held strong hands The betting grew fasts
and furious, and soon 1900 lay upon the
table The sanctimonious expression which
my clerical friend had assumed now dropped
off like a mask and "blackleg" appeared
written on his face. Unbuttoning his coat,
he pulled out huge mass of bills, threw
them down and exclaiming," ] raise YOU
$4,000" drove his huge bowie-knife
through the pile The officer calmly
looked at him, and in an easy, lazy way
said to his servant tom, bring nv small
trunk" The servant did so, and his mas
ter piled up bundle after bundle of bank
bills. Then he quickly said: Il raise you
s150,OO0," and the gambler found the
muzzle of cooked six-shooter pointed at his
head. He took in the situation, glanced
sadly at the dollar: lying on the table and,
without a word rose and left the car.
A day or two later, while on my way to
II 4 ell Al
good-natured miner. On reaching La Junta
Junction L left the train, meaning to spend
the night there. | had noticed that my min
ing friend had ticket good only for con-
tinuOus passage and l spoke to him with
some surprise when L, saw him leave the
train. He answered, however, that he only
meant to stretch his legs for few moments
As he walked up and down beside the train
he was accosted by two men, evidently
sharpers who welcomed him as an old friend
and asked him into tent near by for a drink
He demurred, for fear of losing the train, but
as they solemnly assured him that the deten-
ton would be fifteen minutes, he finally con-
scented and accompanied them. The canvass
door had hardly closed behind him when the
trained moved off. / entered the station
house and asked the depot master if there
was a hotel near by. AS spoke, another
individual, evidently from his face COM
panion of the two sharpers, stepped forward
and seizing my valise, exclaimed; "Tll show
you the best accommodation around, sir.
We have a large tent near by"
A warning wink from the statioo agent
induced me to regain possession of my valise,
and. declining the mans offer. repeated
my question. The agent informed me that
he feared 1 must spend the night in the
depot, as the hotel was not yet built. How
evea, after some persuasion / induced the
proprietor of the future hotel to take me into
the unfinished house. In the middle of
the night we were reused by loud knock
ing. My host warily approached the win
dow, pistol in hand, and asked what was
wanted. A plaintive voice responded with
an inquiry for the gentleman who left the
train. appeared and recognized the minerin
"A woful plight. His story was soon told. In
the tent he had found a number Of
professional gamblers. They had
given him drugged whiskey, induced him to
play poker by means of the usual innocent
countryman acting as decoy and, after they
had robbed the psOr fellow of his last dollar,
he was pitched out at the muzzle of pistol.
NV host took the situation as a matter of
course. Struggling his shoulders, he
and went back to bed. The miner rested as
best he could on the floor, covered with my
blanket.
The next morning as 1 walked into the
depot l noticed a quiet, understood, keen
eyed man sitting near the station agent.
made some casual remark about the miners
ill-fortune, and the stranger at once asked
me to go over to the tent and tell him what
| saw. With an amused smile at my refusal
and evident suspicion, he threw back his
coat and exposed his badge, showing that he
was the detective of the railroad company.
81 am here for the purpose of breaking up
this nest of gamblers and making some ar
rests" he said. IL have force of men now
concealed in the freight-house here, but they
are all known tothese blacklegs, and / want
some one TO find out for me the number Of
men and the condition of things inside that
tent. Some of the men i know. They are
all criminals, there are murderers among
them who have been chased out
of other places and settled down
here" Backed by the detectives assurance
that if / did not return in fifteen minutes he
would come after me with all his force, felt
brave enough to walk over to the tent. In
side found eighteen men, with faces as vii
famous as any to be found in the New York
slums. On the ground were strewed saddles,
pistols, cards and bottles, while on one side
was rude bar. My entrance excited no
comment. was scrutinized closely, but no
one spoke or apparently gave me any partic-
ulsr attention. On my asking the barkeeper
for some beer, he produced bottle previously
opened and filed my glass. poured the
beer on the ground and told him to open
fresh bottle, saying that l would pay for the
whole. He understood my motive-the fear
of being drugged, and did as he was asked
Upon drinking my beer l left unmolested
After telling the detective what had seen,
he asked me to 60 back and notice the mems
faces more particularly. / did so and from
my description he was able TO identify two or
three as the men whom he was in search of.
"Come in to the freight-house with me- he
said. AS we entered he exclaimed, "Come
out. boys" and from behind the boxes and