The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-09-14
FROM POKER TO PULPIT.
The Career of steve Holcomb, r.,

rfOu The Louisville COQrier-JO OurnHl.
The frequent passer on the south side
of Jefferson, between Fourth and Fifth
streets. has noticed q man who is usu-
ally standing in front OF the Gospel Mis-
sion rooms. He is tall, thin, and with
form that is just beginning to stoop under
the weight OF the years which have thin
ned his hair and sprinkled in it a few
threads ofsilver. His complexion is sal
low, his eyes dark blue, and an intellect
ual-looking forehead imparts character
to the face. That man is Steve Holcomb
the sometime noted gambler, and now
the zealons city missionary. AT one
time he was one Of the coolest and most
daring gamblers in the south, over
which he travelled for nearly score of
years, losing and winning with the vary
ing fortunes OF his calling. He became
perhaps, the most noted and successful
poker player in dozen states, and
scores of anecdotes are retailed of the
wonderful luck which attended his play
ing. No stake was too high, no game too
daring to deter him. The "luck" of
which men of his calling speak and be-
lieve in 80 firmly, always attended his
playing, and with anything Of economy
he might have become millionaire.
A reporter of the Courier-J ournal met
him the other day. and had a long talk
with him over his past history. He
told his story with simplicity which
left no doubt OF the genuineness of his
feelings.
"I was born in this city," he said, Gin
1885, and have spent the most of my
life here ever since, though l lived
in Nashville and other cities in the south
think I was born gambler. My repu-
tation got to be pretty bad in this re,
spect, and when / wanted to marry
which did in my 21st year-I had to
run away with my wife We went to
Nashville, and the war breaking out at
this time, quit work and became a
professional gambler. l had done well
before this, both in playing and at my
business, but when I commenced play.
But loafed around the saloons, and
gradually picked up the points of the
game till was able to start bank of
my own with money | borrowed from
some friends. had good run of luck
in Il very short time. And made a great
deal of money, though never able to
accumulate more than few thousand
dollars at time. The reason for this is
because faro had such fascination for
me that was continually playing against
the bank"
"What games made you the most
money, Mr.. Holcomb?" asked the re-
porter.
81 made great deal at banking
games, but | suppose more at poker
than at anything else. l studied that
game for twenty years, and | under
stood it pretty thoroughly"
"l'id you ever learn system that
would always win the gamer"
"Yes:l met a.man once who had stud
led out a system which beat me, al
though I had been playing for twenty
years, and thought / knew as much
about it as any gambler livina. 1t was
in Nashville at the time when there
used to be the squarest lot of poker
Of US there, all good players. But Il
man named Buchanan came up from
some place in the south, who beat every
one fus. He won all the mouey had,
about 81 900 or S. 900 in two or three
nights and did the same with ali the
others. | watched him closely, for |
knew he wasn't as good d player as any
of us, but couldn't see his trick with a
spygass, though l knew he had one. At
last | went to him and told him that if
he would tell me bis "system" we would
travel together. and, as | had very
large acquaintance all over the south we
could make a fortune easily. Buchan-
an was rather green, and the idea struck
him favorabls, so we became partners.
We travelled together, a good deal and
won a pile of money. might easily have
got rich, but I had such passion for
faro that couldn't help playing, and
would lose every dollar that won when
went to playing. My partnership with
Buchanan came to an end rather sud-
denly, at Shreveport, when | lost sever
al thousand dollars one night at faro.
We made up the Qnarrel next day, but
we never travelled together after that:
He kept the secret Of his System and
/ don't suppose that any one besides
myself knows it to this day.
81 came back to Louisville after thai
and settled on Fifth street, where
took an interest in two games, one with
Henry johnson, the other with man
named John Morton. We made money
fast, and | was well to DO when | was
converted and quit gambling. 1t came
about in singular way too" he contin
ued musingly. "The Rev. Bruce Alex
ander, now living at Middleton, came tt
me one day and wanted to rent a honst
I owned at shippingport. Learning
that he was preacher. | remarked
"
tween us, as I was gambler. He pu
his hand on my shoulder at that and re
marked that he hoped the meetin!
would be profitable to us i'll more senses
than one His words impressed m,
and | went to hear him preach, ant
from that day / was changed man.
gave up my interest in the two games
was running and sent word to my part
ners that l intended quitting the bus
mess for life. What gambling imple
ments owned | would not sell, bu
gave away to friend. l had hart
time after that, / went into several diff
erent kinds of business, but, though
had quit all my bad habits, my luck was
changed, and I lost at everything
touched. The little money I had wa
soon exhausted in this way and il
charity, for from the time l was con
verted did everything could to re
claim my former companions. l &c
down to my last dollar, and, after fail
ing to obtain employment, Brothe
Alexander, who has always stood by m
drew out $6l he had in bank. und wit
it l went to Silver Creek, Colorado; :,
got there penniess, and Will
standing around the gambling saloo
of an ED friend | heard that a waite
was wanted at hotel. / got the plac
and washed dishes for beggarly pit
tance, though l could have got an intel
estin big game that was going on ther
at the time. Then l was cook in min
ing camp, and at last saved up enoug
money to buy an outfit and so prospect
ing. | failed at that, too, and ate
tramping over the mountains | cam
back and went to cookingin brickyart
AS soon as l could got back home, hr
when | reached here | was again witt
out q cent. Well, sir, try as hard as
could, couldn't get thing to do her