The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-11-26
THE GAMBLERS DOOM.

THE GAMBLERS DOOM.
In the autumn of 1854 business COM
pelled me to make trip down the riv-
er from Cincinnati to New Orleans.
1t was not my first experience. l had
had previous opportunities of studying
life on Mississippi steamboat, some
of the phases of which were so unlike
those Of to-day that an unvarnished de-
scription of them would seem to the
traveller of the present generation the
widest kind of fiction. At certain sea-
sons of the year the boats were thronged
with a motley crowd of tourists, emil
grants, pork and cotton speculators,
negro-traders. land swindlers, gamb-
lers, laborers, invalids, either on their
way to or returning from tho south,
and adventurers of all sorts and kinds,
With a bar doing active business
twenty hours out of twenty-four, and
the cabin tables occupied with gamb-
ling parties day and night, one can
imagine there was no lack of incident
or excitement during the Journey
The Mississippi gamblers of those
days were q singular class, and diff
cult to classify according to any known
standard. Some of them had the in
stincts and manners of gentlemen while
others were murderous ruf1ians, who
would think no more ofcutting a mans
throat than of dealing hand at cards.
One of this latter sort, Joe Belcher, was
particularly prominent at the time L
am describing. lnnumerable stories
were told of his ferocity and brutality.
He detied all law and openly boosted of
having killed his dozen men. His face
was familiar in every river town from
Cairo to New Orleans, and whenever
he made his appearance in any of them
the local ruffians who infested the sa-
looms and wharves kept carefully out
of sight. He was man whose out
ward appearance would hardly inspire
a stranger with desire for his ac-
quaintance. Rather above the ordinary
size, he was of immensely muscular
build, with neck and shoulders like an
OK. His hair was long and straight,
and of rusty red color, while his
SCARED and bloated face had a peculiar
ropulsive expression. His dress was
curious admixture of that of the two
extreme classes of the section. He
wore red shirt, with black broadcloth
coat and pantaloons, the latter tucked
into pair of roustabout's boots. An
expressive protubcranco under his coat
on his right hip suggested the where
abouts of his revolver, while the handle
of huge knife obtrusively displayed
itself in his tight bootleg. He knew
his reputation and gloried in it. No
one dared 10 refuse his invitation to
play, and few dared object to his meth
cd of winning. 1t was hard to say
which he most delighted in, gambling
or fighting. If there was no opportu-
nifty for the former he would make one
for the latter. 1t is not to be supposed,
however, that he went through all
these little unpleasantnesses unscathed.
He carried on his body many marks OF
bullet and knife, but the wounds of
neither had gone deep enough for tie
public good.
Another OF the fraternity, but of a
wholly different type, was man named
Macgregor, who was popularity known
as preacher Jim," from the fact that
he had been educated for the pulpit,
and for the still further reason that,
although he had participated in many
a desperate and bloody fight, he had
never been known to utter profane
word or to touch glass of liquor. He
never mingled socially with the other
members of his profession, and rarely
entered into conversation with anyone.
Slender and 1.-THE as panther. with
an eye like hawk, and hand with
grip like iron, he was looked upon by
those who knew him rs man to be
either left alone or, treated with pecu-
liar respect.
We reached Evansville on the trip
of which j am speaking without par
ticular incidents. Here a party. came
on board which at once attracted my
attention and interest. 1t consisted of
q young man and his Invalid sister,
who, learned, were on their way to
New Orleans The young girl had been
for some months in decline, and in
the hope that the miltler air of the gulf
states might give her strength to over
come the disease that had fastened
upon her they had started upon their
present journey. They had made fire.
Quent stops, the brother informed me,
but she had grown weaker every day,
and there was danger that any little
excitement or sudden shock might
break the slender thread which held
her to life. The weather was sitting,
and she lay all day upon the deck. un-
der the shade of an awning, talking but
little, and listening to the conversation
going on around her.
At Cairo what was my CONSERVATION
to see among the passengers who came
on board the burly form of Joe Belcher.
1t was evident that he was fresh from
some broil and in dangerous humor.
For the first two hours after the boat
had left the landing he confined him
self to the vicinity of the bar. Then.
as had dreaded, he began the tour of
the boat. The little group about the
couch of the invalid attracted his at
tention and he drew near, evidently
supposing some game was in progress.
When he saw his mistake he uttered a
curse, and seating himself few steps
away began a series of remarks adj
dressed to those around him, inter-
spersed with the fouleSt profanity.
They were intended for the ear of the
little party, and more than once the
young man yainly attempted TO discn-
gage his hand from his sisters clasp to
call the ruffian to account.
All at once Belcior rose from his
seat, walked deliberately over to the
couch of the sick girl, and surveyed her
with brutal stare.
She shuddered and closed her eyes.
The gambler burst into u loud
laugh.
1t was drop too much. Half crazed
with grief and Indignation, the young
man sprang to his feet, and with the
rapidly of lightning dealt the ruffian a
blow in the face that sent aim stagger-
ing back agains! the rsiliEg. With a
howl of rage Belcher drew his knife