St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-04-10
GAMBLERS, sUPERsTITIONs.
A Sporting Mans Dealings With
Lucky Signs.
Alta Californian.

sporting Mah's Dealings with
Lucky Signs.
Alta Californian.
mo. Pm not betting to-day" was the re-
mark of porting man in answer to an in
quiry from another of his like whether he
had bought any pools ON the races last Sa-
turday.
''Busted?" was another laconic inquiry
mo, but l laced one of my shoes up
wrong this morning. It's bad sign. I'll
let them alone to-day"
Are you superstitious?"
II frankly confess that i am" he replied
as he lit cigar, land | don't know of a
sporting man or a gambler who is not sup
erstitiouS, and Furthermore, l do not believe
there is a human being who is not. Of
course, some are more so than Others but
take gamblers and horsemen as a class and
| you will find that each one has his own pc
culiar quilp. Now, this morning l laced
my shoe up wrong. If 1 had left it that
way it would have been lucky day for me,
but 1 didn't; unlaced it and I'll bet two to
one if bought pool on horse he would
break his neck before he came under the
string"
THAT'S quite interesting. Would you
mind giving me some of your experience?
y
You want to know what l call lucky
omen, eh? That's just as the idea strikes
me. When 1 was in New York last sum-
mer l used to count white horses. Say 1
would be standing at the corner of Fulton
street and Broadway. I'd take out my
watch-when l had one-and time myself
and count the number of white horses that
/ turned from Broadway into Fulton street
during five minutes time. sometimes
would go on the odd numbers and some
times on the even. Like this: If l made
up my mind on even horses and an even
number went by during the five minutes
then would be lucky. and vice versa
Il have heard of gamblers visiting for
tune tellers for tips. Do you ever visit
them?"
Many time, sir. Here's one instance.
am red-hot Republican, and was back
ing Jim Blaine to shoel and gone, when 1
went one day to see fortune teller. Says
she: You have been making foolish bets;
go and bet the other way all that you have
all the money you can beg or borrow l
told her was betting on Blaine, and she
said: Wait Then went into another
room and came out in about minute
Cleveland will be elected, as sure as you
sit there in that chair, but he will never
serve his term OUT That was a paralyzer,
but l took stock in it. for she never fooled
me in her life. Ihedged and bet on Grover,
all on her account, and made 50, 900 clear
above my hedge and of Kelly, the book
maker. Here's another instance from the
the same woman: had been playing in
hard luck. till only had S12 left. went
to her and told her how was fixed and
that wanted tip on the races. She told
me to read the names of the horses to her.
L did so and when got through the list she
said 'TilfOrd is the only one l am sure of;
bet your money on TilfOrd.' l went down
to the track and when the horses went to
the post there were only four tickets on
him. That was bonanza. you know, if he
won. / bought one five dollar ticket. The
track was regular duck pond, slOsh up to
the horses knees. TilfOrd came in last
Oh, forgot; he was entered for two races
that day. The next race he was in l heard
that Mike DAILY, who owned him. wanted
to scratch him, but the judges wouldn't
have it. That wasn't very encouraging,
but stuck to him and put my last flyer on
him. His jOcky famed him every Jump
and brought him in winner by two
lengths. / got five hundred odd dollars for
my five-dollar ticket. So much for fortune
tellers' tips Some fortune-tellers are snide,
but take one educated, or that has it natur-
ally born in them, and they get there as a
general rule"
You gamble with cards, do you9"
"0h, yes; make my living as a sporting
man."
docs your superstition affect you any
in playing cards?"
"Yes, indeed. If am going to play
cards for money l always hunt up beggar
and give him some money for luck. l have
walked sometimes two miles to find beg
| htrt Il hat- 10 10
is one on every corner. l know gambler
in New York who goes daily to an italian
on Green street. who has these little canar-
les who tells fortunes by pulling an envel-
Ope out of a pack. He always follows the
advice of the bird, and / have actually seen
him shed tears over some of the slips he
got, not from grief, but from veXation, if il
went against his grain"
"Have you ever been at any of the Euro
pean gambling places?"
''Oh, yes, was at Monaco"
} Elbow does the old thing work there?''
''Oh, the same as here or anywhere else.
l suppose when you were boy at school.
and chose sides for tOwn-ball you chose up
for innings by splitting on stick and cali
ing wet or dry for choice, haven't you?"
YES, many time"
} ''Ha. hal Well, one evening 1 did the
same thing at Monaco. l threw up the
stick and called dry and dry it was.
went and played roulette. L quit ,000
francs winner at midnight. l have had
gamblers tell me that they had acquired the
habit of trying their luck IN different ways,
but claim it's not habit-its nature,
born in man, and it never comes out.
Why, know dozens of people who laugh
at superstition that will have regular case
of the dumps If they see the new moon ovel
their right shoulder for the first time. They
think If they see it over the left shoulder
and make wish they will get their wish