Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-01-05
Talking Gamblers.
l'It's q queer lay out. any way.

son; / knew he'd give it to the boys,
but this business of trying to paralyze
him with Black and Thorman just gets
me-"
ME, too; why the devil they want to
use that old Wakefield stuff, and squirm
round the way they do, lis d. funny.
The boys can't make it out, and it beats
me. Did you hear that one of the fly
cops was down Last night at" (here a
well-known bagnio was named), land
he said they were getting something
about Charley, and had the dead wood
on himp heard that it was all put
up Job, and one of the rollers (keno twas
there to fix up story. I'd be kind O
scary if / was the boy; there's some
thing behind all this. Hanged if l
don't think it's game to draw them
out"
The speakers were sitting at corner
table in Pine street restaurant much
frequented by sporting men. One OF
them until lately was the keeper of a
faro bank; the other was once Ii dealer,
it said, but to reporter, who overheard
part of the conversation, he was not
known, although the identity of his
companion was beyond question.
They seemed to 10 discussing the
Johnson-Pohce Board lmbrogho with "a
degree of openness, not to say reckless
ness, very unusual among gamesters,
and this was explained further on.
THE boys are kind o down on me
for throwing up my hands when did. -
''Blest if ever saw into that either,
When / went East you were running
full blast, and the first thing after got
back fellow asked me TO pool with HIM
to buy out your traps. They told ME
You gave in the fIst thing when this
johnson law took hold.
"Yes, that's their story; but this Is
the way it was: | didn't want TO go 10
the penitentiary, no more did they. We
talked the thing over, and says |, the
first fellow they get hold of you bet
they'll railroad him through. Some OF
the others talked that way, but there
was boys from Pate's and the way they
shouted was different. Iwouldn't listen
to EN-, and told 'em to bring along the
old man to speak for himself. One OF
them said, Why, the old mans going to
sell out himself That settlesit, says l.
He don't take any risk; no more do i.
You see didn't tell EN-, but happened
10 know there was a detective pretty
solid with Pate at that time, and i
thought if he'd go back on Wakefield
lie might leave us TO hold the bag too.
Well, the end of it was four of us agreed
TO draw out that night, and next day,
when we heard Tony Huebler meant
business, we wanted the others out, too.
Some of 'em talked of going over the
river, but l saw lawyer there, and he
said it was just as risky i'll Illinois. So
l cleaned out entirely and went to see
my family My children are away of
to school, and while I've risked good
deal for the family to make money, you
bet don't risk getting measured for a
zebra suit.
But, the others, they"
Eyes, that's the deuce of it. After I'd
gone some time they started up again.
went to one of 'em, who was fixed like
me, with fine family away from here,
his children learning music and all that
in the East at seminary, and putting
on heap of style. Why, he'd go crazy
if anything should happen to them, and
they'd 60 crazy if they thought he'd
risk going up the road. Says /, How
Is 1ry oays ne, nurrledly, Come r. und
tonight d see. I'm going to the bar
ber's now Well, l dropped round at
the place that night, and there was fell
lows stacking tabs that had advised me
me to sell out / couldn't make it out.
When l was down III the saloon / asked
one of the boys: 'How's this? thought
Huebler was going to put it through.
The fellow laughed, and says he: Tony
amt running things now, you know, and
the old buffers Police Commissioners)
say we're all closed up--and so we are
you know. staid round, and hanged if
the fellows didn't suspicion me, and
Swore / was after some game, coming
round after I'd draw'd out.
"Who fixed it?"
'"There you've got me. don't know.
its all right, pard, says one of the
boys; i know good layout now you
can get into, and no risk Twas willing
enough if the thing was dead sure fixed,
but / couldn't find out. / said I'd
whack up my share if everything was all
right, but I couldn't find out who was
doing it. When tried to find out they
only laughed, and said if I started up
again I'd soon find out how it was
done; but you don't catch this chicken
that way. i don't go blind Oh anything
show up and I'm there"
''MaS be tisn't fixed any way?"
The entire reply was not heard above
the rattle of the dishes gathered up by
the walters, for nearly all the patrons,
except the Two gamesters, had by this
time gone. This much was heard.
"Think I'm a fool. / know it's
fixed. Nobody going to risk the Pen if
the church people up there pointing to
the Four Courts mean business. tell
you theirs divide, or something, and
the old duffer is getting fooled, for no.
body whacks up to them. It's the out
side chap I'm after, and he's slick
one"
The other grinned as he said: ''They
think the boys is too much for 'em. Can't
put 'em down.
A broad gufaw greeted this and the
chiet speaker retorted, Somebody's
fooled if they think that. 1 used to,
and was banking on that in Cleveland
once. Well, there was man runnin
the police and he had been there him
self. He told me to go. One night
was enough he said. l thought it was
shake and was just going to whack,
when he began telling me how nice the
road was to Cincinnati, and that he was
Just then very mad because q fellow