St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-14
The Town Site Of Pembina
Staked on the Result by
the Latter.
The Host Intense Interest
Manifested in the Betting
by the Spectators.
Speaker williams, of the Low
err House, Deals the Cards
to Decide 1t.


was founded by Enos Stutsman. Some
readers OF the GLOBE may remember
him. He was a man as remarkable for
his eccentricities as he was for his phys
zeal deformities. Enos emigrated to
Dakota from the huekleberry dis
trictS of Connecticut, and located
in the upper Red river valley,
where he filed and proved up
on go acres of government land, which
was the ground on which Pembina now
stands. EnoS was a prodigy. He had
the head and body of a giant, but his
legs were hardly more than foot long,
and he was unable to travel without the
aid of two short and powerful crutcheS.
He WAS Shrewd. calculating fellow,
and soon became the recognized leader
among the handful of emigrants who
had taken up their residence i'll his
neighbOrhOOd. As political diplomat
he has never had an equal in the terri
tory. and for four consecutive sessions
he was chairman of the council, the
upper branch of the territorial legisla-
ture. and the old war horses who
Weathered the political battles of early
" i'll the territory, when the old
story-and-a-half Shanty in YanktOn that
did humble duty as capitol building
rang is often with the report of re-
VolVer as with the voice of a laW-maker,
to-day testify in glowing terms to the
wonderful ability of EnoS StutSman as
parliamentarian. Eight years ago he
was taken suddenly i'll and died. He
was buried in the lonely cemetery on
the hillside half a mile north of Penn
bina. The only monument that stands
to his memory is the county of Suits
man, which is now one of the most pros
porous districts in the northern half Of
Dakota.
Among his other accomplishments,
EnoS had acquired a Thorough knowledge
of the game of draw poker. for which
he had All uncomfortable passion, and
many are the stories told by his old ac-
QuaintanceS of his reckieSSneSS at the
card table. He numbered among his
most intimate friends Judd La MOure,
a pioneer who owned line of stage
coaches plying between Grand Forks
and Pembina. The advent of the rail-
roads killed Jud' S coach line finally, and
he settled down into profitable gro
Gerry business in Pembina, which he
now manages, giving a share of his
time TO local politics, keeping sharp
eye on territorial affairs generally.
Probably the StiffeSt came of poker
ever played in the territory was the one
contested by these men in '62. The
game was played in the old Levee
hotel in Ianktou and lasted from IL
o'clock Friday evening till 3 o'clock
Sunday morning, and at the close of
the game Jud La Moure had won
$500
AND THE TOWNSHIP OF PEMBINA,
the greater part of which he OWNS to-
day. The game created public inter
est and during its progress the people
of the town visited the room and watched
t! e two men as they fought like bull
dogs over the piles of red white and
blue chips. The legislature was in
session and as StutSman. who was chair-
man of the council, refused to leave the
game, that branch of the legislature ad-
jOurned until the following Monday
and the m9mberS watched the game I'M
til the finish.
When the game started Alex Nc
Kenzie. sheriff of Burleigh county, and
Maj. Edwards, editor of the Fargo
Argus, were interested in it, but otter
few hours tuSSle, with no change in
their fortune, these men dropped out
and left the battle TO StutSman and La
MOure. Early in the game the formers
luck was wonderfully good, and he
played with brilliant reckleSSneSS that
surprised his friends. Later Oh the tide
turned against him and the chips
began to flow in the direction
OF La Moure. who sat with his
SLOUGH hat pulled down over his
eyes, closely watching every move of
his opponent. Slowly but surely Suits
mans chips went over to La MOure'S
side of the table, and work what trick
or artifice he would, he could not turn
them back. Matters went this way
until past midnight Saturday, when
Stutsman threw two fiTty-dollar bills OH
the pile of chips in the center of the ia
BILE and called hundred-dollar bet
made 10y La Moure. Stutsman held a
king full on queens, and he felt sure
that the pot was his, but when La
Moure threw down his cards there were
four deueeS, and StutSman, gritting his
teeth, exclaimed, Oh it, Jud, the
devil himself couldn't beat you tonight.
I'm broke; you got my last dollar"
Cant help it. Slut. 1t come my way
and L had to rake it ill.," calmly replied
Jud as he showed big roll of Suits
mans money into his pocket.
Stutsman eyed the roll enviOusly, and
just as it went out of sight he struck the
table with his fist and said:
'Jud, I'll tell you what I'll do
You've won $500 OF my money. II
you'll put s., 800 more with it FL stake
the town site of Pembina against it and
Will play for it in lump, TO win or lose
at one deal"
do you mean it?'' asked Jud, i'll
credulOuSly.
You bet 1 do" replied Stutsman,
emphatically.
'All right, it's CO." said Jud. as he
threw down $1,000 in bills and drew 6
check for 5000 to make up the bal
ance.
MY word is good, amt it, JUDI
asked Stutsman, looking across the ia
bic.
''As good as gold" replied judi
Then" continued Stutsman, eff
lose, I'll deed you $40 acres of land il
the center of the town of PembiDa."
The men shook hands. According Il
agreement the hand was to be bs
dealt by
4. A. WILLIAMS, OF BISMARCK.
speaker of the house of representatives
the cards to be thrown on the table fac,
up. Wien the five cards had been deal
each man was to discard and draw, tn,
cards being thrown face up by thu
dealer as before, and when the card
had been dealt, the man holding tn,
highest hand was to take the pot.
Excitement ran high, and to proven
any trickery on his part Williams wa
seated in the center of the table, will
his legs turned under him like Turk
I'm the full glare of an oil lamp that wa
suspended from the ceiling. The friend
of the two men crowded around tn,
table, and Williams was threatene,
with summary treatment if he shoult
in any manner manipulate the cards s.
as to give either man an advantage
Deity Williams shaffied the cards
and. squaring them. slipped one iron
the top of the pack and laid it dow
under Jud'S nose. 1t was a deuce
StutSman caught the queen of spaces
The next card came off and Judd caugh
another deuce. The four spot of spade
turned up under Stutsman's nose an
his brow wrinkled little. Again tn
cards fell and Ind nIacad fha aoa n