The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-02-04
A wOmAH's CURSE.
How II has Followed Gambler over
Land and Oces for Ten Years.

How 1t Has Followed Gambler over
Land and Oces for Ten Years.
Isan Francisco Alta
IF you want to hear q strange story" said
gentleman to a reporter OF the Alta, yes
teIday, II Golden Gate Park. "engage that
gray haired man in conversation and get him
TO tell you his history. 1t will repay you
for your time,n and he indicated q prsms.
turely aged man with a sad face sitting in
the sun on one of the benches OF The park.
Tie reporter needed no second invitation,
and was soon seated by the man with the
strange history.
Il am told" raid the seeker after facts,
that you have life story strange in the ex-
IRENE: and that you are not averse to relat-
ing it,"
The eyes of the man we're turned on the
speaker for q moment, and then folding his
white hands in his lap he said: Yes it is
a story. i am a murderer and a reformed
gember; but you need not shrink so from
e. Ten years ago l owned the largest and
most popular gambling psrlors in the city
Of Chicago, and On Saturday nights [ dealt
my Own faro game in which business, OF
course, ! made great deal of money.
Many unpleasant incidents grew out Of my
business, but Isalways excused it on the
ground that men did not hsve to play my
Rsmee any more than they were Obliged to
drink poison. 6nally got to noticing
and expecting one young man in par
ncular, who always came when II
was my night 10 deal. At first he
played boldly, and as a conse
GueDce, lost heavily; bur as he grew more
familiar with the game he played carefully,
and acted as though life depended on his
winning, which in fact was the case, az it
sfterwsrd proved. got acquainted with
him. addressing him IS Brown, but knowing
that was not has true name. | think he fol-
lowed the game Tor months, winning little
sometimes, but generally losing heavily. At
- II l.
| flushed face that lie had been drinking, al
| though he looked apparently coal. He sat
| down TO The table, drew out small roll OF
| II one Y, and, lay ing it down before him, said:
There is III that little pile my fortune, my
| bCnor. and nv life. ] either win al or lose
all this night. Begin your game; am
| ready" Others Joined in at first and played
| for awhile. but withdrew from the game aud
watched the strange young man at my right.
\ lie pIaye ed to win. but fate was against him.
| for lie lost, won, and lost again, and huaily
! after two hours OF playing, evidently in the
I most fearful suspense, he lost hia last dol ar
Leaning back in his chair, with compressed
/ lips and face blanched to 8 desthly white.
! NESS, he looked me in the eye q moment,
/ and, rising, said: My money honor, and
! happiness have gone over the table, never to
! return. said my life would 20 with them,
, so 1t shall. Tell my wife | have gone too far
/ to return" Before we could prevent il he
put derriDger to his breast and shot him.
{ self through the heart, falling upon the Ia
! be that had been his ruin and death.
His wife came, swfui IN the majesty OF
I her grief, sn6, after satisfying herself that
/ her husband was dead, che asked: Where
| is the Keeper Of this dreadful placer L was
| pointed out, and, striding upto me so that
! her finger almost touched Iny pallid face,
/ sic exclaimed in tones that are ringing in
! my ears yet, "Oh, you soulless wretch, with
heart Of stone. Yoa have lured my hus-
| band from nee. sent him TO perdition, wId
| owed me and orphaned my children. You
| are his murderer, and may Gods curse rest
| upon you eternallyp Aud, with q wild
! scream, Oh, my husband my child! she
/ fell falntiDg on the body OF the corpse.
/ 81 fingered for weeks IN q brsi1 fever. that
[ curse seeming always to De the burden OF my
mind. On my recovery burned the fixtures
I Of Dy den and closed the llace, and have de.
/ voted most of my time to travel with the
I hope OF escaping tbst Toman's ;lst curse,
| but csn't / believe It Is Oh me forever and
! feel that I was the mans murderer. | am
I rich, and my first attempt was to get the
/ dead mans wife TO accept an annuity from
ice, but she refused III aid, and tried to sup.
/ Port herself by her own labor. l relieved my
! Mid 10 some extent, however. by settling
cerain sum on her and her children, which
I passes through her fathers hands aud osten-
sibly comes directly from him. Her children
| aIe receiving fine education By this means,
! and my will, safely locked in her fathers
/ Office, bequeatESto her and her children my
entire wealth, some 100000. My life, con.
! cluded he, 'is devoted largely TO visiting
aubling deDs, where I meet young men
( who ere on the highway 10 hell, and warn
/ them of their danger Thanks be to God, /
! have succeeded IN many cases in SAVING
! them; and now young msn. remember this
story, and let il always stand up as a white
I specter between you and the gambling-table
See TO 1t that tie poison does not enter your
veins" and be pulled his hat over his moist
] tned eyes and strobe silently away