Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-01-25

A Once-Noted Three Gard Monte Man and
His Final Trick.

His Final Trick.
In the early days Of the Union and Cen.
trail Pacific roads, says the Alta Cali.
fornfd, there was no more noted character
on the road than George Duval. Unlike
the majority of his companions, be was in.
variably dressed in the latest fashion, and
possessed a bizarre manner that enabled
him to pass muster as jolly good fellow,
If not gentleman. At all events, he got
in his work ON the thoroughbreds wher-
ever he met them. He died recently in st.
Louis, and one of his friends who stood
over his coffin outlined his character in
the simple sentence:
HE was monte man from way back.n
He was, indeed, and, perhaps, some-
thing more. Sharper and gambler as he
was, he had generous instincts, and did
many a deed of goodness.
1t is told Of him that one day when the
Union Pacific overland ran into CHEYENNE,
poor emigrant woman got off the cars
with dead child in her arms. She had
no money. The pathetic story of her mis-
fortune reached the ears of George Duval,
and, Fastening to her relief, he furnished
the means for the little ones burial, and
then emptied his pockets of greenbacks
into the woman's lap.
II can get raise in day or two" he
said, "and you are in hard luck" And
not waiting for thanks, he turned away.
This was the bright side of his charac-
ter. He had another that was not so at.
tractive. On one of his trips from Chey-
enne to Reno he fell in with some gentle
men from Boston, one of whom was ten.
derfoot Of pronounced type. For some
reason George selected the tenderfoot for
victim. 1t may have been the inherent
wickedness of his heart, or it may have
been his love of fun. Any way, he at
tached himself to the tenderfoot, who was
as demure as innocence ITSELF and filed
his astonished ears with wonderful stories
of the rough West and its lawless ways.
do you know" he said, ~ had a Gu
rious experience on this road few months
ago"
"Indeedv interjected his friend.
"Yes; fell in with a gang of sharpers,
who fieeced me out of several hundred
dollars"
They were alone in the smoking room at
the time, and George determ ined to utilize
the opportunity. ''You see," he contin-
ued, "they had a game they called three
card monte, played, as the name implies,
with three cards. have been trying ever
since to learn how il was DONE" and with
these words he produced three pieces of
pasteboard. "The trick consists in guess
ing certain card" And the trickster
manipulated the pasteboards.
THAT ought not to be difficult" sug.
gested the interested tenderfoot. II think
could pick out the card every time.n
The fish was hooked. An hour after
ward the red-headed rascal emerged from
the smoking room with 81, 900 of the inno-
cents money in his pockets.
1t was ON the Central Pacific that Duval
and the famous Canada Bill met for the
first time. They were each a prince In
their calling, and by n strange coincidence
each had set down the other for O ''suck-
er" Finally the gentleman from Canada
opened his game, and Duval took in the
situation. He at once sat down opposite
the card manipulation and commenced
betting heavily. He picked out the right
card every time. In very few minutes
$4,000 of the Canad ans money had passed
into his hands. By this time the dealer
felt convinced that he had encountered a
master in the business But he was too
game to squeal.
well, shall the game go on?" inquired
Duval
II think not" replied the ratified gam
bier. "But I'll tell you what pn do! I'n
put up the. champagne at Reno il you'll
tell me your name"
"With pleasure. Pm George DuyaID
Il thought so, by heavens, and Pm
Canada Bill"
The two sbarpers, thus strangely met.
shook hands, and from that moment COM
menced partnership that many a
heeced victim on the overland had reason
to remember. For years they followed
the Central and Union Pacific, making
their headquarters by turns at Omaha,
Salt Lake, Reno and San Francisco.
Finally their depredations became SO
numerous and the complaints against
them so general that the very strictest
measures had TO be taken by the railroad
lines to rid the cars of their presence. In
time they found their unlawful business
Improbable, and finally abandoned it al.
together.
Duval went to st. Louis, where he en-
gagged in legitimate trade. But il is said
at times the love of adventure overcame
his reformation, and he would disappear
for weeks, to be heard of in some Of the
Territories, where for brief season he
piled his tricks and games on the foolish
and unwary.