Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-02-13
A RACY WITNESS.
John Witcher Unfolds the Hitherto
Unfathomable Mysteries Of Stud
Horse Poker.
A Labyrinth Of Calls That Might Have
Bewildered "Der Most Innocent
Man on Der Road.-
Broad and Innocent isthc Faith Tint Bet
on This Game, and Many suckers
There he Tint Possess IL.

ihere hc Ibut ToesesS it.
The examining trial of Chas. Coylng-
ton, Lee Jordan. Harry Arlington, w. b
Mckenzie and "Catflsh,r charged with
robbing w. X. Conley of $500, which
has been in progress, was concluded Ia
Justice Iinn's court yesterday evening.
"Catfish' was discharged, and the other
defendants were held over. The bond OF
Jordan was fixed ut $500, and that of the
others at $1,000 each, which neither OF
them as yet has given.
No similar case has ever elected so
much Interest In Fort Worth as this one.
The defendants are ably represented by
the law firms of Pendleton & Powell,
Chapman Swayne, and Ayres & Lassi-
ter, while Messrs. Ray and Ross Bowlin
have vigorously prosecuted the case The
events OF the trial were sensational to
high degree, attracting continuously a
crowded courtroom. The efforts OF
the defense have been directed toward
showing that Conley lost his money at the
gaming-table OF his own free win, and
that to this extent, and this only, are the
accused guilty. The prosecution holds
that Conley was entlced into the place by
confidence man who assumed false
character; that he was drugged, aud
while In dazed and stupetied condition
was robbed of his money through the
agency OF "cold deckn and fictitious
game.
Conley's statement has already been
| given in TIE GAZETTE. The most inter-
esting witness placed on the stand was
John Wltcher,a companion Of the prison
ers, who turned states evidence. His
testimony is the first expose of the stud
horsepower racket ELECTED from one OF
its apostles. AS illustrative OF the means
and methods of the crooks, il is deemed
OF sufficient interest TO justify the publ
cation of synopsis
wITCHER's STORY.
! am acquainted with all the defendants
on trial. know the witness, Conley, by
sight. first saw him on last Friday
morning about 3 or 10 O'Clock at McKin-
zie's saloon. Then he was with Mr. Ar
llDgton, standing at the door outside the
saloon. and Covlngton and Jordan
were in the back room used as gambling
ROOM i opened the door and looked out
and saw them at the front door. / went
back and took my seat and In few min
utes Arlington and the young man came
into the room We were sitting at the
table playing cards when they came in.
didn't know at that particular time how
many decks were behind the table. We
were playing with one deck That was
all the deck saw before Conley and Ar
| lington came in. / can't say positively If
anything was said about another deck or
not. 1t seems to me there was. sorter
think there was. ] think me or
| GAyfnnfnn nth
decks. Jordan was behind the
table and was dealing. | think Coving-
ton asked him if the other cards were
behind the table. Am positive that did
not ask him. That was all that was said
about that conversation. Jordan looked
down under the edge of the table and
said:
"TIIE CARDS ARE ALI. HERE
At that time he was sitting behind the
table. When Conley and Arlington came
cial game of poker, are your" and Jordan
or Covington replied eyes, sir" airing
ton turned to Conley and asked him II he
ever played. Conley replied, ono sir;
have never played cards much.r He then
said he was no card-player. Arlington
said; 81 will buy dollars worth OF
chips and see If | will wln," aud told
Conley to take a seat and wait for him
III don't eremember whether Conley
sat down or not. Arlington bought
some CHI, cks and began playing
He played along perhaps five minutes anc
won some four or five dollars worth
Then Arlington took about dollars
worth of checks from his pile and placed
them over to one side and remarked to
Couley, "Mr. Conley, here Is u stake, come
up and play some" Conley says, II don't
know much ABOUT the game and had rath-
ernot PLAY" Arlington says, 'come on
and play" Conlcy sat down at the table
and began to play. We all played along
about ten minut s, when Couley had d
hand that be did not want to bet on. He
did not have enough checks to call bet
After Conley and Arlington sat down tc
the game they were wlnners-won checks
CoyiBgton made bet, Conley didn't hay,
enough checks in front of hin
to call it; Arlington took stacl
of his checks, and handing then
to Conley told him to bet them. Coving
ton objected; Arlington asked why. Gov
ington says: "Yuu have one hand and
don't propose to play against two men,
Arlington replied: "You can't keep Mr.
Conley from betting ON his hand Gov
ington says; "No; Ii he wants 10 pet OF
his hand let him do it; If not let him pass
it in" Arlington asked Conley;
,'wnAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT
n?"
He replied: az don't know; how much
will 1t take TO call it?" The dealer says
"Two dollarst. Conley put his hand In
his pants pocket and drew out sl.tO In
silver saying; "This is all the money
rye got.n Arlington asked the dealer II
he couldn't lend Couley enough to call the
bet. The dealer says: III Mr. Coving'
ton is willing 1t is nothing 70
lme.r Arlington asked Coyington
Inf he objected Covington says 'it isn't
right, but I'll let 1t go this time :" ar.
Iington let Conley have 80 cents worth OF
CHECKS. Up To this time only two cards
were dealt around to each OF us-me,
Coy:ngton, Conley and Arlington Jordan
was the dealer, was on Jordan's right,
and across the table sat Coyington, TO
the left OF the dealer, Arlington next to
me. and Conley In front Of the dealer. AT
this time there were two carde dealt TO
each hand. don't know what they were
-one was turned up and the other down;
Jordan made the remark that this deck Of