St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-01

lass furnishes the Chronicle with the fol-
lowing anecdotes of some of the most
prominent superstitions prevailing:
In Sacramento in 1850, member of the
guild particularly free from superstition
visited a famous gambling-houSe for the
purpose of renting one Of the numerous
unoccupied tables with the intent of open
ing faro game. One was pointed out as
''hoodooed" on account of a player having
been stabbed to death while bucking at d
faro game there several months before.
The gambler said that was just the table he
was looking for. He rented it, opened a
faro game, and in less than thirty days won
$500, 600 from players.
On another occasion a stranger entered a
saloon with closed umbrella in his hand,
and, approaching the bar. called for a
drink. While waiting to be served he
opened the umbrella and unintentionally
raised it over the head of gambler, who
drew pistol and discharged its contents
into the person of the owner of the UNI
brella, killing him instantly. The gambler
was arrested, and the defense set up in the
trial was that he had killed the stranger as
the only effectual method of removing the
hoodoo placed upon his luck by innocently
raising an open umbrella over his head.
''If | hadn't killed him." pleaded the MUIR
derer. Il would never have had another
days luck as long as l lived" The sequel
to the homicide proved lucky to the public
as the cranky sport was hanged for the
crime.
In the mining camps in California in
early days rabbits claw nailed underneath
the top Of table covered with faro or
monte layout was reckoned dead hoo
doc" and miners visiting towns adjacent to
their camp on Sundays would often stick a
cottontairs trotter underneath the top of a
gaming table at which they were bucking.
1t was not an uncommon occurrence at the
close of deal resulting unluckiIy for the
game for the deal, lookout and casekeeper
to light a candle and carefully inspect the
under part of the top of the table in search
of the obnoxious rabbits claw to which
| they attributed their bad luck. On one oc-
caSion dealer was shot and fell stone dead
| underneath the table while attempting to
| remove one of the ill-omene6 claws by the
player who placed it there.
When you see the proprietors of game
shifting the table holding faro layout to
another part of the room you can safely
| bet that the game is losing and that they
| are doing it to change their luck.
Players also have peculiar superstitionS
| and will frequently leash inn their checks
and quit the premises as soon as certain
persons, whom they designate as hoodoos,
enter room where they are bucking at a
game. Some players will never enter a
room except by the left-hand door. seat
themselves at the left hand of the dealer
| and handle their checks and coin only with
the left hand. If they meet woman
when crossing the street or sidewalk while
| on their way to a game they forego their
intention of bucking on that day.
EX-Chief of Police Morrison was an in
veterate faro player, and was never absent
from table long enough to get his meals
during the last few months before he alb
seconded His superstition almost bordered
on insanity. If certain persons entered a
room where he vas playing he would glare
at them like maniac, and becoming them
to his side would pass out a quarter and re-
quest them to go out and get drink and
stay out. stating that he couldn't win
cent while they remained.