The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-04-20
oLD-rIhE CARD PLAYERS.
Prolonged Bouts at Old S1edge Between
'.Digby'' and the Late Judge Petit.
nafayette Sunday Times


In The early history of Lafayette card
playing was more than an amusement
with good many men il was "brsiness. "
The founder of Lafayette, "Old" Dig5y, was
/ for many years the most noted card. player
on the Wabash. There are many anecdotes
of him that have been handed down
and are worth preserving.
If the old settlers are to be believed, "Old
Dig and the late Judge Petit had many a
lively time at the card-table. On one occa
sion the,two sat down early in the forenoon
at their favorite game Of "old sledge," s. g
game. About 4 O'Clock in the afternoon
when Petit was about so winner he an
nounced to Digby that he must quit. "What
are you going to quit for?' inquired Digby
81 want to go and take care of my horse,
replied Petit. In those days every lawyer
kept horse to ride the circuit. ~ can &c
without my dinner" the Judge continued
but am not going to abuse my lorse just
| to accommodate you at this game" Petit
retired with Digby's $40 in his pocket
The next morning, bright and early, they
were at 1t again. Digby had big streak OF
luck, and before II O'Clock had bagged S12O
of Pettit's money. Raking from the table
the last $40 put up, he announced to Petit
that he was going to quit What are you
going to quit for!' inquired Petit. why,
| must go and feed my horse, John" ''Why,
- YOU replied Petit you haven't got
any horse" well, John, if haven't got
any horse" slapping his hands on his
breeches pocket, 1--WE got the money to buy
One" The game was closed.
Digby, who was a bachelor had q small
one-story frame house put up on Main
street, close to where tie canal now is as an
office and sleeping apartment After it was
finished, but the plastering not sufficiently
dry to be occupied, Digby and Petit sat
down to play their favorite game of old
sledge. Digby's money was soon exhausted
and Petit declared the game closed. Digby
proposed one more game, stalking his new
house against a certain sum of money. The
game was played, and Petit was the winner.
The next morning lac made bargain with
a house mover TO remove the building to q
lot he owned on the south side OF Main
street. little east of the public square. The
wooden wheels were put under It, and in the
afternoon it was started up Main street with
a long team of oxen before il, and at dark
had Just reached the Public Square That
night Digby and Petit had another gam ?
and in the morning there was a readjust
ment of the wheels and the house was start
ed on its return toward the river Ii reached
its proper place in the street, and was left to
be put back in its old position on the NOR
row. But the next morning it was started
up town again. The next day it took the
other direction, and by this time the whole
| town came to understand it. Finally it re-
manned in the Public Square over Sunday,
and on Monday continued its way up Main
street and was wheeled on Pettit's lot. He
soon moved his books into 1t, and for many
years occupied it as law Office.
In the early days on the Wabash nearly
all the LAWYERS played poker. During Court
week the time was about equally divided
between trying cases, playing poker and at
tending horse races. 1t was no uncommon
thing for Judge Porter---the first Circuit
Judge, and, by the way, Connecticut
Yankee---to adjourn his Court to attend a
horse race He was very fond of cards, but
would enforce the law against gambling.
And thus it once happened, as published in
the Sunday Times, of February 6, that he
was indicted along with several members OF
the Bar, in the Tippecanoe Circuit Court
for gambling. The record shows that he
pleaded guilty, assessed the fine against him
self, and paid it!