Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1881-05-11
OId-Time Card-Players,


In the early history of Lafayette card
playing was more than an amusement
with a good many men it was "busi-
ness" The founder of Lafayette,
cold Digby, 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,
cold Dig" and the late Judge Petit
had many lively tussle at the card
table. On one occasion the two sat
down early in the forenoon at their favor
tie game of "Old Sledge," SIS game.
About o'clock in the afternoon, when
Petit WAS about $40 winner, he an
nounced to Digby that he must quit.
"What are you going to quit for % in
quired Digby. II want to go and take
care of my horse" replied Petit. In
those days every lawyer kept horse to
ride the circuit. II can go without my
dinner" the judge continued, "but I
am not going to abuse my horse 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 it again. Digby had big streak
OF luck, and before II o'clock had
bagged $12O 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 Unjust 90
and feed my horse, John" "Why,
you," replied Petit, you havn't got
any horse!'' Well, John, if haven't
got any horse, slapping his hand Oh his
breeches pocket, "I've got the money to
buy one!' The game was closed.
Digby, who was bachelor, had a
small one-story frame house put up on
Main street, close to where the canal
now is, as an Office and sleeping apart
ment. After it was finished, but the
plastering not sufficiently dry to be oc-
cupied, 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 certain sum of
money. The game was played, and
Petit was the winner. The next morn
ing he made bargain with house
owned on the south side of Main street,
a little east of the public square. The
wooden wheels were put under it and in
the afternoon it was started up Main
street with long team Of oxen before it.,
and at dark had just reached the public
square. That night Digby and Petit
had another game, and in the morning
there was a readjustment Of the wheels,
and the house was started on the return
towards the river. It reachedits proper
place in the street, and was left to be put
back in its old position on the morrow.
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 remained in the public square
over Sunday, and on Monday continued
it's way up Main street and was wheeled
on Pettit's lot. He soon moved his books
into it, and for many years occupied it
as law Office.
In the early days ION the Wabash
nearly all the lawyers played poker.
During court week the time was about
equally divided between trying cases,
playing poker and attending horse races,
It WAS no uncommon thing for Judge
Porter-the first Circuit Judge, and, by
the way, a Connecticut Yankee-to adj
journ the court to attend 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 mem
bers of the bar, in the Tippecanoe
Circuit Court, for gaming. The record
shows that he pleaded guilty, assessed
the fine against him and paid it.