Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-08-16
POKER IN WASHINGTON.
Notable Players In the Days When Money
Was Plenty at the Capital.
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an old Wsshipgtonisn, "tbe game IN ITS
glory has practically come to an end IN the
Federal capital When | speak OF poker
playing mean the game INDUCED IN by
gentlemen, not professional gamblers.
During the war, when money was plenty
the game fourished space, but after
the war, when sll sorts Of schemes
Welded rich harvest and times were good,
then we're the hslcyon days OF draw poker
When both branches OF Congress were
largely Republican and the Treasury vaults
we're opened wide through the payment Of
war claims and various other money-yielding
processes, gaming in all its branches, both
public and private. was commonly INDUCED
IN. When the District of Columbia was
given q territorial government and Aieck
Shepherd inangurated his grand scheme
of improvements, expanding some
SIS, 000, 000, money was plenty as black.
berries, and almost everybody possessed OF
influence got q slice, directly or indirectly
Governor Shepherd started the Washington
Club with an initiation fee of $500. A mag
niEcently appointed mansion was pur-
chased and then blossomed forth in full tru-
itiou. Poker tables were kept running
nipht and day, and money by the cord
changed hands. Why, the sum OF $1,000
was a mere flea bic, hardly sufficient to get
in with and last an hour.
The sturdiest poker player IN Washing
ton at that time was ex.Congressmsn Eoen
C. Ingersoll, Of Illinois, commonly known
as Clark Ingersoll, Bob IDgersolrs brother.
He played the game for all it was worth,
and was usually successful in Winning large
sums.
Fernando Wood was also poker player
of the FIRST class, almost, if not quite, equal
to a professional Many member OF Con
gress has dropped his last dollar at Fernan-
dos table and mortgaged his future pay. to
the FIVE per centers 10 get home with
Fernando was the coolest headed csrder l
ever saw. Whatever the play, great or
small, winner or loser on the hand he never
blenched q muscle nor turned hair
Cold, calm and impanetratable, he played
the game without tinge of emotion and as
immobile as q milestone. He rarely lost,
even among the best of gentlemen players
and never permitted himself to sympathize
with the guests he made his victims. he
always gave good supporters, however, and
many a splendid teed' has been enjoyed at
his mansion on Fifteenth street, at this
date occupied BY John Chamberlain's res
taurapt.
Joe Cbaffee of Colorado delighted in
playing poker when delegate and Senator
in Congress, but Joe could never play the
strength of the game. He was a cunning
old fox on stocking mining properties and
selling land claims, and could get away
with the best of land sharks in such deals;
but in poker playing he was the veriest
tyro, although be labored under the delu-
sion that he understood the game.
The ctnsequel o. was the boys ate him up,
dividing him out few hundred apiece at
every sitting. In fact, they kept him wet
nursed for that purpose, and the swag he
made in outside schemes aud large per-
centsge Of tare, tros and debenture at cards.
Joe was godsend to the boys. and enabled
them to pay for many wine dinner at
Welckers. tsilors' bills, opera tickets, and
the like. But bless your soul, he did not
realize it.
Senator Tom Robertson, of South Caro-
lima, man of wealth, was Unfortunately fond
Of poker, bet usually sought o game he was
likely to beat He never took the big
chances or lost much money. When he
struck game at which he was overmstched
and lost, the suggestion that he could
have his revenge whenever he desired
Welded him little satisfaction
He preferred seeking satisfaction from out
some other less formidable poker party.
When he discovered a suitable crowd he lost
no opportunity 70 make them pay well for
his Senatorial company. Occasionally he
caught tartar, but his rule was to play in
game he could boss to his hearts content.
Senator Nesmith of Oregon, recently
deceased, may be included within the cate
CORY Of the poker kings. 1t is related that
he played in game Of poker on one occa-
sion at Portland, Oregon, continuously for
six weeks. Ben Holiday and Rufe Ingalls,
v ere in the same game. AT the com.
mencement of the seventh week it incident
ally occurred to Nesmith that he left
home for only few days soiourn
at Portland, and had not provided his wife
with sufficient money to last longer. Per
hsps she was starving or had been forced to
beg food from neighbors. The thought was
msddeniag. and the longer he dwelt upon
the possible condition in which his deserted
family might be placed through his infatua-
ton for poker playing the more moody he
became. He could stand the narrowing re-
Election no longer, and, rising from his seat
exclaimed
Gentlemen, you must excuse me, | sm
going straight home, possibly to find Mrs.
Nesmith starved to death. | left her only
$40 when | came away, expecting to return,
but forgot ali about her. This is cruel ! am
too wretched to play longer, and must 90
home at once. / am a few hundreds win. |
ner, it is true, but heaven grant that Mrs. |
Nesmith is not cold corpse If she is it is
my fault and you are partly responsible
Ben Holiday, who would rather play
'oker than eat, being loser in the game, |
'ecsme angry because his friend Nesmith !
insisted upon returning home. He at once
,lu rted out:
'Nesmith, don't believe q word of your
nfernsl wife story. You're ahead and
rant to jump the game. Why don't you
sy so like man, and not lsy it on your
ife. You must take US for idiots.
"'Great God, rejoined Nesmith, lump
be game! jump the game when we have
cen playing night and day for SIX long
eeks, adjourning only for few hours
eepi How long do you expect man to
lay before he may decendy jump the
anne? Curse me il lever play with such
poker hog as you sgain-you never know
hen you have got enough, and your wife
light die and be buried hundred times
yer before you would jump the game to
tend the funeral
Away went Nesmith in a towering pas
On, while Rufe Ingalls,, who knew Nesmith
IS sincere in the matter, came near
rangGDg himself with suppressed laughter :
Ben Holiday s important rage. The six
'eks game therefore broke up, and Ben
olhday swore that he would get even with | {
ssmith some day for jumping that game.
THE FUNNY MANS BABY,