Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-06
A FAMOUS POKER GAME.
The Story of How william M. Scott yyo,
&15O,OOO Recalled Hv NE noo41

nam VI. scout, who died here the other
DAY, was heralded from one end of the
continent to the other about two wears
ago when he won the sum of $50, 1000 in a
single game of poker. Scott was a native
OF Newburgh, n. Y, where he lived when
he played his famous game. The players
In the game were three well known citi-
zens of that town, one of whom, the vic
tim, had just become heir to half a mil
lion. This was a man named Weed.
Scott also had money, and was surround
ed by wealthy friends. The third member
of the party was former Sunday school
teacher, dentist named DR.. Montreville
NJ. Hedges. 1t was shown afterward that
the poker pot was adroitly run up to $780,
600 on bets of at least $1,000 each. The
dealer was DIR. Hedges, the shrewdest
player of the three. As he deity dropped
the last card on the little round table he
called out to know what the other PLAYERS
wanted. Scott said he wanted only one
card. OF course the question arose.
Was he drawing to fill a straight or a
flush? Weed applied to the dealer for two
cards, and the question to be decided in
his case by the others was whether he was
drawing to get tour of kind or to fill a
full hand, a straight, or a flush. Hedges
rested on his oars. He had enough, which
was of course interpreted to mean that it
was anything from a straight or a full
hand up to a straight flush. The drawing
over. the faces of the three frightened up,
and it is safe to say that never before had
three lonely men in a little game held
three such hands of cards. When the
netting had got up to $4,000 or $4,000
Weed wanted to stop, ''because," as he
said, "there is not one of us that will pay
il we lose such an amount" 1t was not
stopped, however. After a little Hedges,
who had stood pat with his hand and en-
gagged in the betting as it went around
until the pot was pushed up to $150,000,
called Scott. Then came the lay down.
and afterward Hedges memorable words
to Weed, ''This is dreadful,
isn't itr' OF course, the simple
minded Weed was taken in.
He had received fac hand that would
have nerved even the most timid gambler
up to a strong betting point. 1t was four
of a kind, and they were aces at that. In
any ordinary game bold better would
have done as Weed did, 90 to the bitter
end. ScOtt's one drawn card was the corn
breaker. Did it fill a full hand or a
straight? was the question that ran
through Weeds mind continuously,
while the chips, representing thousands
of dollars, were being thrown into the
pot. "Of course, if it's either my four
aces Will beat him, he argued, "while it
isn't possible that Hedges drew better
than four aces in the DEAL"
When the end came Weed was struck
almost dumb. His four aces were worth
less, for while Hedges stood pat on king
full, Scott had drawn in the one card he
took the right color and the proper num-
Der of spots to make his hand a straight
flush, the only thing that would down
four aces. Weed attempted to cOmprO-
mise by paying $4,000. He then thought
the game had been honestly conducted.
But Scott was Obdurate and would not
settle. He not only wanted the whole
amount, but he wanted it then and there,
or at least something in settlement that
would bind Weed and his fortune to the
payment of the debt. If he didn't get it,
he said, he would publish Weed all over the
town, where his family stood high in so
ciety. This was more than Weed could
stand, and at the same time, it is said,
there were other strings that were pulled
to bring him to terms. Hedges told Scott
to retire minute, and he went out. Then
Hedges approached Weed with smiles and
offered his assistance. OF course, Hedges
was also a loser of $3.50, 900 to Scott, which
made the latter's winnings on the game
$780, but as it could not be paid, proba-
bly, no notice was taken of such trifling
thing.
"Tnis is dreadful, amt it?' said
Hedges, and added: "There is only one
way we can get that money back" Then
he proposed to Weed to mark the cards
and go at it again and clean Scott out. He
took his knife and marked a card with it.
''NOw," said he, "we can tell in this way
which are aces and which are kings, and
Wen get square with him that way"
mo" said Weed, who still innocently
believed he had been treated fairly and
honestly; "nO, if | can't play a square
game l won't play at all.'
The doctor was now at his wits end,
and the victim of the plot walked out. At
the bottom of the steps which led to the
street he met Scott, who was still stub
born. His pleading with Scott was una
yailing. Weed said to him that he'd al
ways been his friend, and he didn't think
it square to exact all of the $i50,000 from
him. They parted that night with no
understanding about payment of the
money.
The next morning Weed met Hedges
and Scott in the Hedges laboratory,
where the game had been played. Scott
still demanded payment OF the full
amount owed. Weed did not know what
to do. He dared not seek advice for fear
of publicity, and the only way he could
see OutOf the matter was to foot the bill
and to let it be the last. Hedges stood
ready to give his note in payment of his
Sl50,000 loss. "And why shouldn't Ip'
unused Weed. "Probably Hedges will
never pay his note, but that is no reason
why l shouldn't act the part of an honest
player. Yes, that is best, and I'll do it,
So Weed and Hedges both paid their debt
of honor with notes.
In a few days compromise was effect
ed and Scott let up on each to the amount
of $50, 900, he agreeing to accept $4,000
from each in payment of the debt. This
Weed assented to, as did DR.. Hedges,
who gave Scott his note for the full
amount, and perhaps it can now be found
among the dead mans effects. Weed
paid $4,000 in cash and gave notes for
the balance, which was paid with the eX-
ceptiOn of $4,000, which he refused to
pay by the advice of a friend named
Moore. The case finally got into the
courts, and Weed got some of the money.
But the poker game was a small one in
comparison with the game that followed.
1t was game of faro. Weed was again
the loser to the enormous amount OF
$3.50, 900. The game was played between
Scott and Weed for the purpose of giving
the latter a chance to win back his $780,
600. If Weed won, it was to Offset the
claim against him and the two were to call
it square. Weed jumped at such an OPP
pOrtunity. The game was played in the
dental laboratory, and the betting ran uI
very fast, until it stood at S450,000 in ia
vor of Scott. OF course, the money was
never paid, and it was after this that the
trouble over the poker debt got into the
courts.
Scott died here at the house of his sister
and his remains were taken to Newburgl
for interment. He was only 80 or SO years