Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-01-29
Sf1istellanepns &eading.
POKER IN THE CABINET.
From the New York Times.l

POKER In THE CABINET.
From the New York Tmes.]
There is a general impression at Washing
ton that the soldiers in our frontier fort
spend their spare time in gambling Natural
ly the Congressional mind is filled with hor
ror at the thought that sinful games should
be played by men in the service Of the Uni
ted States, and bills have been introduced by
various legislators to put stop to the prac
tice. The President is understood to have
been greatly panied on learning that the Of
fcers aud men of the Federal army are ad'
dcted to gambling, and the other day he
called meeting of the Cabinet to discuss the
propriety of requesting Mr.. McCrary's sue
cessor to issue an order to prohibit gambling
under heavy penalties. Mr.. Hayes opened
the proceedings with brief speech, in which
after passing allusion to the crops of the
past season, he said that he had learned that
gambling prevailed to very great extent
among the troops on the frontier. This
gambling, the President said, was carried on
not only in the usual way by pitching pen
MES and playing marbles to keep, but by q
game of cards called, if he remembers right.
Iy, "sledgehammer" or "tongs." With this
game he was glad to say he was totally un.
acquainted, but he feared that there was nc
doubt, it was wicked game, and one which
was so fascinating that the soldiers would fre-
quently sell their bibles and hymn-books in
order to raise money with which to play. He
wished to hear the views of the Cabinet on
this subject, and their opinion as to the ex-
pediency of an order from the department
forbidding all games of chance. -. q
Mr.. Key begged to correct the President.
The games to which he referred were doubt
less "old sledge" and "poker." The former,
he was free to say, was game unworthy Of
officers and gentlemen, and as to poker, he
must confess that it was ruinous both to the
body and the pocket-he should say soul. u
remember pursued Mr.. Key, 'that while
was an erring Confederate soldier we used to
play poker every payday. I once raked
$4,000 in Confederate currency Git was
worth about 5000 in single night. / just
did hold the most ALFRED hands. There was
twice l drew three kings and filled. | reckon
I made about four times my pay by poker
while in the army"
Permit me to inquire" said Mr.. Evarts,
eff my learned friend adduces these facts as
evidence Of the ruinous consequences of po.
ker? If 80, will call the attention of his
Honor, the President, to the fact that they go
to prove that this so-called poker is one of the
most profitable of American industries"
81 cannot blay any Of your boxer" said
Mr. Schurz, but I know my biano is far bet.
ter. I will blay Something's for you now il
you like. But SO {! gan believe ita Is der
biano away from the room gone z?
The President explained that Mrs. Hayes
had moved the piano upstairs 80 as to make
more room for the Cabinet meeting.
ut is curious" continued Mr.: schurz
"when I game to Washington there is blanc
in every house to which vent. Now every
one has been upstairs taken. I Cannot agount
for it. What is"
ri recklect," broke in MI. Thompson, with
out the slightest apology for his interruption
of Mr.. Schurz,; 81 recklect when was 8
boy raftin' on the Wabash, we used to play
old sledge and poker, and
60 THE ODD MAN FOR QUARTERS
all day long. One v'yge scooped the cabin
and all hands, and came into New Orleans
with all the money of the whole crew in my
pocket But as Mr.. Hayes says, gamblin' if
wrong, very wrong. While the soldiers are
playing poker they can't be readin' Popish
books or listenin' to Jesuit priests, and there's
no manner of doubt that Romanism is a sight
worse than gambling. I'd like to see gen
eral order requiring every soldier to make
an affidavit once month that he is a good
Protestant and is determined to fight the
Pope to the last gasp" =.
The President here asked if Brother
Thompson would kindly explain what he
meant by quarter of an odd man. ...&
"Mr. Thompson said that he could illus
trate what "going the odd man for quarters
meant very easily, if Mr.. Hayes and Mr.
Key would each put quarter Of dollar
on the table and cover it with their hands
while he did the same with another quarter
He then asked them to lift their hands and
show the coins. Both the Presidents and
Mr.. Keys quarters lay with their "head
up, while Mr.. Thompson's lay with its tall
up. "You see," explained Mr.. Thompson,
"that your quarters were just alike while
mine was different so I'm the odd man
AND SCOOP IN YOUR MONEY"
Mr.. Hayes regarded the disappearance Of
the quarter of dollar with some uneasiness
but suggested that they had better try il
again as he did not understand the game
and wished to know the full extent of its
wickedness. In the next three experiments
the President won, and remarked that he did
not see but that if it we're played within
proper limits it would be an innocent and
amusing game. As the investigation still
proceeded, Mr.. Evarts and the rest of the
Cabinet, with the exception of Mr.. Key and
Mr.. Thompson, gradually withdrew. Twice
Mr.. Thompson sent the boy out for change
and his brow grew darker as the hours went
on. 1t was fully 10 o'clock when the Presi'
dent rose and denounced the game as being
OF CLEARLY SATANIC ORIGIN.
Mr.. Thompson coincided with him, observing
that its character had entirely changed since
his early Wabash days, but Mr.. Key, with his
pocket loaded down with silver, protested
that he saw nothing wrong about the game
and would be glad to assist the President in
any further investigation of the kind that he
might feel disposed to make
This is the story of the Cabinet meeting
which certain wicked army officers assert is
the only true and authorized account Of its
proceedings. There is reason, however, to
doubt its literal truth. Is it probable that
either the President, the postmaster-general
or the secretary of the navy would have told
what occurred at secret meeting of the Cab.
inets? If they did not, it is evident that We
have no trustworthy account Of how the game
stood when the meeting broke up.
A COMBAT FOR A BRIDE.-A curious at.
fair occrrred recentlv on q farm near Little