Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-23
A DEAD MANS DEAL.
Being an Account of the Rem ark bic
Eeath of Gambler.
Denver News.

Denver News.
IT was just reading" said Denver
sport, s'about a man winklng his eye
after his head was cut Oft. Now. /
know that [ have seen something just
as strange. Twenty years ago this
month there was a lot of us took trip
to Old Mexico to see what we could
scoop in-and, by the way, we got
scooped-and went to bucking heavy
on every game we could strike. One
of our gang, Bill Brewster, was a
rafting dealer, good hand at short
cards. and always had pocketful of
money till he got stuck on Mexican
monte.
''Talk about your Greaser's infatue
alton for the game. | never saw one
of them VINO could hold a marker to
Bill He'd get broke. Then he'd get
a pack of cards and deal himself.
He'd turn the cards for anybody or
for anything when he was busted
Sometimes he'd make raise and quit
and go to playing faro, where be was,
as a rule lucky. But no sooner did
he get big stake than he would
tackle monte. and would invariably
get downed. Us boys tried to persuade
him to stick to a white mans game,
but no, he wouldn't have it, and was
almost all the time In a state of impe-
curiosity.
lone day Bill had established him.
self IN Pulque shop with his cards,
and was turning them for anybody
who wanted to wager cent. There
was a party Of Mexican bloods Ia the
room, and finally they sauntered over
10 Bills table, and one of them asked
if he would turn for 800. Bill said
he would, though he didn't have bat
80 in the bank. The fellow slaps
down his money and Bill wins. That
made the Mexican mad and he STARS
down another. Bill wins again. The
third time, and Bill sceoped the pile.
''The Mexican asked Bill if he would
turn for him for 81 900, and Bill told
him it didn't make any difference If
he made it 81, 900, 900, as the bank was
able to pay ten times that amount.
The Mexican bet and lost. Then he
accused Bill of cheating. Bill called
him liar.
II was standing right to one side of
Bill. He had the cards in his left
hand, and had hold OF the bottom
card with his right hand The Mexi-
cans hand was on his gun.
"'Hold on, said Bill don't draw
till [ make thus turn. I'll bet you
200 to 800 that it's the seven of
spades.
Done, said the Mexican, who
threw 800 on the table.
BILL commenced pulling the card
out slowly. The Mexican was watch
ing. There were two black spots
showed up, and Bills hand stopped
Quick as a flash the Mexican drew his
gun and fired. Bill never moved in
his chair, but his right hand kept his
slow motion until the card was drawn
from the pack and held up to view.
1t was the seven of spades. The hand
moved slowly back again and the
card was laid on the table. Bill then
leaned back in his chair and shut his
eyes.
1--WE we're all so excited when the
SHOT was fired that we didn't know
what to do, and, as Bill continued to
turn the card, we supposed he hadn't
been hit, but we found out differently
when whe examined him. He was
shot directly through the heart.
Now, | reason that thing out this
way: Bill was determined to con-
vince that Mexican that he didn't
know as much as he thought he did.
That thought was in his mind when
he was shot, and, though killed in
. stantly, his wishes were carried out
after death. Bill was game, too, and
| believe that if he hadn't realized
that he was dead man when shot,
and hadn't wanted to win the Mexi>
cans money, he would have grabbed
his gun and done some execution with
it.
''That's why say a man can do a
thing after he's dead"