The Mineral argus., 1883-09-20
FROM POKER TO PULPIT.
The Career or steve Holoomb. . Re-
formed Louisville Gambler.

streets, has noticed a man who 10 usu-
ally standing in front Of the Gospel Mis-
sion rooms. He is tall, thin, and with a
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
10 the face. That mar is Steve Holcomb
the sometime noted gambler, and now
the zealons city missionary. At n
time he was one Of the coolest and most
daring gamblers in the south, over
| which he travelled for nearly a 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 a dozen states, and
scores of anecdotes are retailed of the
wonderful luck which attended his play
ing. No stake wal too high, no game too
daring TO deter him. The 'luck" Of
lieve In so firmly, always attended his
playing, and with anything of economy
he might have become q millionaire.
A reporter of the Courier-Journal met
him the other dav and had a long talk
with him over his past history. He
told his story with a simplicity which
left no doubt OF the commences OF his
feelings.
"I was born in this city" he said, Gin
1885, and have spent the most of my
life here yer since, though / lived
in Nashville and other cities in the south
I think l was a born gambler. My repu-
tation got TO be pretty bad in this re.
spect, and when / wanted to marry
which 1 did in my 2lst year-I had TO
run away with my wife. We went to
Nashville, and the war breaking out at
this time, l Quit work and became a
professional gambler. l had done we'll
before this, both in playing and at my
business, but when l commenced play.
ing faro bank l was soon dead broke.
But l loafed around the saloons, and
gradually picked up the points Of the
game till l was able to start a bank Of
nv own with money l borrowed from
some friends. l had a good run of luck
in q very short time. And made a great
deal Of money, though never able TO
accumulate more than a few thousand
dollars at a time. The reason for this is
because faro had such a fascination for
me that / was continually playing against
the bank"
"What games made you the most
money, Mr.. Holcomb2" asked the re-
porter.
81 made q great deal at banking
games, but l suppose more at poker
than at anything else. l studied that
game for twenty years, and l under-
stood IL pretty thoroughly"
Ibid you ever learn a system that
would always win the gamer"
"Yes:l me a,man once who had stud
led out a system which beat me, al
though / had been playing for twenty
years, and thought / knew as much
about il as any gambler living. IL was
in Nashville at the time when there
used to be the squarest lot Of poker
players / ever knew. There was a ring
ofu there, all good players. But a
man named Buchanan came up from
some place in the south, who beat every
one us. He won all the mouey l had,
about 81, 900 or 5000 in two or three
nights and did the same with ali the
others. l watched him closely, for /
knew he wasn't as good a player as any
of us, but / couldn't see his trick with a
~spyglass, though | knew he had one. At
last / went to him and told him that If
he would tell me his system" we would
travel together. and, as | had a very
large acquaintance all over the south we
could make a fortune easily. Buchan-
an was rather green, and the idea struck
him favorably, so we became partners.
We travelled together, a good deal and
won a pile of money. l might easily have
got rich, but l had such a passion for
faro that l 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 l lost sever
al thousand dollars one night at faro.
We made up the quarrel next day, but
we never travelled together after that.
He kept the secret Of his SYSTEM and
/ don't suppos that any one besides
myself knows it to this day.
81 came back TO Louisville after that
and settled on Fifth street, where 1
took an interest in two games, one with
Henry johnson, the other with a man
named John Morton. We made money
fast, and l was well to do when l was
converted and quit gambling. 1t came
about in a singular way too" he eontin-
ued musingly. "Fhe Rev. Bruce Alex
ander, now living at Middleton, came to
me day and wanted TO rent a house
l owned at Shippingport. Learning
hat he was a preacher. / remarked
that there wasn't much difference be-
tween us, as / was a gambler. He put
his hand on my shoulder at that and re-
marked that he hoped the meeting
would be profitable 10 us in more senses
han one. His words impressed me
and / went to hear him preach, and
from that day / was a changed man.. /
gave up my interest in the two games l
was running and sent word TO my part
ners that l intended quitting the bus
mess for life. What gambling imple-
ments l owned ! would not sell, but
gave away to friend. l had a hard