Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-18
coNGREssNrRN AND POKER.
,.,oiuisoences of Gambler in the
Capital.
From, tie Nea0 York telegram.

.,.onad an oId-time gambler in one of the
town restaurants to-day to the TEE
.'., correspondent, ''times are not what
.a.y used to be, although there is occa-
s,onallv a good stroke of work done IN
Toshiugton here and there. Fifteen years
..o everybody had plenty of money, and
Kan the poker playing ran high. DO l
-aember nything about the playing Of
r',n,,ressmen? Well | should say l did
viii tell you one which is still spoken OF
ami ioked about by the gamblers here.
,bopt six years ago there was a certain
western Congressman who was one of
,be best poker players l ever met. de
GAS short card player"
eWhat is a short card playerW
.tWeU. it is a player who cheats. ls
.,,lain enough? To resume, this Con-
.- -.-.nan. VINO is now the Adjutant Gen
80 of his State. was approached one
5,~ nv n crony named Hoover. Now,
IlI.over was a professional Rambler-that
- ii' IN say. he made his living out of it and
III rot6ing else. The only difference be-
.soer Hoover and the Congressman was
tt,t the latter was ostensibly a statesman,
frt can tell you that he made
most OF his money by gambling.
p .ker was his great game, lie
iidu't care much for anything else. AS
s.as saving, Hoover approached the Con-
FRESHMAN and told him that he had ran
ee.ross a stranger from Cincinnati who
Sod no end Of money, and who was seized
,r,tb an overpowering desire to play
r.Ter. sOf cOurse,' added Hoover, 'he
I'm not play with me because he has
haen in my place and knows that am
confessional gambler. Now, propose to
introduce him to you. ! will sit behind
him and tap his hand so that at the end of
M ga,ne he won't have cent"
nVhat Is tapping a handW
81 viii explain. When a confederate
sins behind the victim, looks over his
shoulder and signals to his partner the
cards out against him, then he does as the
gamblers say, taps hand.'
BEATEN AT HIS OWN GAME.
uNlr. Congressman was fairly crazy to
get into the game. That night Hoover in
froduced the stranger to the Congress
man. A social game of poker was pro-
posed and both sat down. There was no
limit to the game. They played and
MAYED. but somehow Hoover's signals
JAILED to connect. At the end of the game
the Congressman was trifle over $4,000
out of pocket. The stranger turned out
TO I've a professional gambler from Cincin-
1ati who had been brought on to Wash
ngton for the very purpose Of swindling
the Congressman. OF course be kicked
q good deal, but what could he
he game with the deliberate
Intention OF swindling his opponent and
had been victimized by his own tricks.
Now that was one instance. Sometimes
The professional gambler moves in the
very best circles of society, so to speak.
can tell you something that has never
before appeared in print, and it is the
living truth. Two years ago several men,
0ers of the Metropolitan club introduced
his Young man as his friend to the various
members of the organization. The friend
was well dressed and had every APP
pearance of being the New Yorker
tnat be represented himself to De. In the
evening be was lounging about the club
room, when game of poker was started.
He was invited TO take hand. The club
men who observed his play said that they
never in the whole course of their ex-
perience saw such run of bad luck. He
lost quite heavily, but said that he hoped
to meet them again. The next night the
same operation was repeated, and so on
for a week. At the end OF the weeks
play the young man was out just 81 900.
He was very respondent, but said ne
should continue to play until he had made
himself whole.
TURN OF LUCK.
Ills luck was so phenomenally bad
that his opponents began to regard him in
the light OF an inexperienced hand. One
evening the limit was extended, and at
the end Of the game the young man arose
with $4,000 worth of clear daylight be-
tween him and his lOsngs. In other
words, the elegant New Yorker was no
more nor less than one Of the cleverest
professional gamblers on this side Of the
Atlantic. Well, YOU can just believe
That there was a howl when the facts
We're turned up after an investigation. At
hrst there was some talk OF expelling
tue member who introduced the gambler,
but, bless your heart, he was innocent
enough. The job had been put up in New
York months before, and ne was only
used asia means 10 get the gambler upon
good social footing with his club friends.
The governors of the club found this out,
ana they made up their minds to suppress
Tue whole matter. After this experience
you wouldn't suppose that the same
game could be worked again, and vet it
metropolitan club house only a few months
ago. This time the gambler assumed the
roe OF wealthy Englishman. He was
more English than the members OF the
brush legation. His drawl was per-
.ecllQH Itself. The girls dotted on him and
Ne men dotted on him. Now it is pro-
vi " Dial that no American thinks that an
hosishman can play poker. He was in
'I'eu TO take hand and the subsequent
o'euJs were pretty much the same as
lluse IN the other case. The matter has
Deeh Investigated and the club has found
uiat It's members have been victimized
Vuce more by precisely the same game as
.1ai OIL TWO years ago. An effort has been
uAue to keep this "A secret, and not
gehDer OF the club has lisped a word so
;;aa', Dut the gamblers have gotten wind OF
i' ana II ia regarded as the best joke o!
.Ae season,
"Hf GAMBLERS NEVER GROW RICH.
). VOW ! want TO tell you something
Dooit the subsequent history of these
Nv gamblers. After hearing me tell
n 'D41 the manner in which they feeced
r, '~ilDS at the club you will agree with
1 ~g mat they We're above the average
W. SI VI the men in our line Of business.
my neither one OF them has a dollar in
XII "o,lu' How did they come TO lose
w., ''l money! Well, / can tell you. While
"o o .eeard gambling in the light of bust
.i. YET every one OF rs Is possessed
6. 'l tne oyerpowering desire TO
n e"A a faro bank. That is to say,
y, considered to be the height
~. pleasure II we can 90 into another
e sp,H'.ers place and win all his money
m. COMPEL him TO shut up his shop.
M tse 5,~"o men who played the members
~ metropolitan club 30 successfully