Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-11
CANNOT BE BEATEN.
EXPERIENCE WITH A NOTED AND
SUCCESSFUL GAMBLER.

"Crooked'' - RobbIng . Countryman.
Wonderful SIanipulation of Cards-A
Faro Box for '.skin" Gambling.
I had an extraordinary experience a few
days ago with one Of the most noted and sue
cessful gamblers in America We occupied
adjoining chairs coming from Philadelphia.
and we talked about gambling in New Yori;
on the way.
~ have heard good many stories,n said.
"of high playing up town within the past tw.,
weeks. Is it really soF'
81 have been in New York twenty five
years. said the gambler quietly, ''and have
never known them to roll as high as they arr,
rolling now. There is combination of four
Jews who are playing faro in fashion that
would make the old Mississippi gamblers hold
their breath Every bet is four figures, and
they have crippled DIS bank to the tune
of $50, 900 in three nights. 1t is curious
thing, by the way, that nearly all Hebrews
will bet recklessiy ON cards, though they are
so cautious in business matters. They are in
some respects the best gamblers ever played
against If jew sees chance of getting
back dollar by taking a risk, he will take
the risk every time"
"Are most games straight now in New
York;"
II don't know crooked game in the whole
cit.. The fact is that gamblers have learned
at last that it Is just as easy to run straight as
crooked. The percentage in favor of the
house is enough 70 make any man rich if he
sticks TO the game. It is exactly like any
other business. A merchant who is straight
will succeed, and merchant who is crooked
will fail in the long run. There are lot OF
fash mushroom establishments along Broad
way which show up in great shape for year
or two and tnen go under. They can't last if
they are crooked. The straight houses come
out ahead"
| mentioned the name a few moments later
of well known actor, who has prediction
for high play, and the gambler said, with a
chucl1le:
That particular actor made 81 COS in the
course OF an hour few nights ago.
"How!'
"a friend Of his, a gambler in very hard
| luck, went to the actor and said he had a
friend from out of town who was anxious to
play against the bank and he suggested that
the actor and the other should go in and
fleece him at faro. They went to skin gam
bier on Sixth avenue and got him to open a
faro bank with stacked cards, and about II
o'clock at night the actor and the country
man came in together They had agreed to
pool their issues, and the actor put up 81 ,005
against similar amount by the countryman.
They then took their 5000 and the actor
agreed to do the playing. Within half an
turned out and the countryman was sent on
his way. Then the gambler went up to the
actor to get his half of the money, but he got
nothing. The actor took the 81 ,005, gave the
dealer $3.50 for his trouble, and left town the
following day $3.50 ahead. The busted sport
who engineered the whole thing has got his
revenge by telling everybody about it"
If were to give the name of the actor who
INDUCED in this transaction it would cause an
immense amount Of establishment, as his
newspaper interviews are invariably full of
bitter and heartfelt woe at the prevalence of
gambling in America.
1t occurred to me little later that it was
good opportunity to introduce man who had
system for beating games OF chance to the
gambler. l told him about my friend and he
said that no system was ever invented that
could play successfully against luck
well, :" said l. 1.-The man whom | have in
view has been sending me letters and tele-
grams about his particular discovery, and l
would like to have you look at it,
Il will examine it with great pleasure"
said the gambler, heartily, Elf you will both
como around TO my hotel this afternoon. but
tell you beforehand that you will go away
convinced that no system can play against
game in which chance figures as an important
factor l have been in this business a great
many years. and I have made and lost many
fortunes, SO that l speak by the card"
At O'Clock that afternoon | telegraphed
man that had a new system the is a colonel a.
militia and we went together to the hotel.
We were met by the sailow faced man Of
nance, and lie wandered up to his room
ahead Of US. He opened a little leather
sachel, took out faro box, put it on the ia
bic, and then brought out number of cards
with the seals still unbroken. | ought to state
that the colonel's system had been tested
with extraordinary success by ali the devices
that we could call to mind, and that he had
continually and persistently come cut ahead.
The gambler ran his slim fingers over the
faro box and said:
Do you think Herman, Goldberg or Keller
knew anything about cards. Because if yot:
do ] will prove to YOU that they are shoe
makers
He then asked me to select package of
cards ard shuttle them. did so. Now" he
said, name any card you please and You viii
dnd it between my leg and the chair"
amy one of the fifty-two cards.
"Any one"
.rr},o o;oht y
He shuffed the pack twice and then asked
me to look on the chair. ! did so and took
the eight Of spades from beneath his leg. He
had found it and distracted it from the pack
while shutting them and placed 1t there with
out our being able to detect him. de then
amused and astonshed US by forcing four
kings or four aces 70 come to the top Of the
pack whenever he wanted them, although we
shuffled the cards, aud later lie did what con-
slider the most extraordinary trick that can be
performed in this world. He would take
a fresh pack Of cards and deal them rapidly
in the regular way, except that ne would
deal US three hands precisely as we called
for them. To DO this he WAS obliged &c
read the backs of the cards and extract them
from different places in the pack with such
marvellous auickness that the eye could not
follow him After be had thus proved that
no man could play with professional gam
bier who Lad any desire to be crooked, lie
took his fac lay out and began to knock the
colonies system TO splinters Before he had
operated Ave minutes the colonel slammed
h:s fist on the table and said enphasicaily:
- have seen enough 20 make me decide
right here that VIII never play anotber
game Of faro As long IS live