The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-12
GREAT GAMES OF FARO.
LIE PECoLLEoTIONs OF THIRTY
VARS AGO.

.riobt-A Big streak or Luck IN the
go of Joe Hall, the Great Virginia
Gambler.
T. was a November night in this city in
,osf ssvs a writer in the Philadelphia
Dec when James Buchanan, 'the sage Of
1rhootland.n was candidate for President.
.fter "whooping up the boys" at Chester
distinguished PARTY of politicians left
not town, reaching the old Broad and
pine streets depot, were driven thence to
1oa Halls palatial faro bank, at the corner
~ Walnut ard Juniper streets, over DIR.
,f,rlellsn's office 1t was the same Joe
III MI whose bank" in Broadway, above the
I'D S. Nicholas hotel, with stone dog on
oitber side of the door, was favorite re-
oort Of the gilded youth north and south
rom 1852 to 1862.
In this CITY at that day Joe Hall, with
,vbom the Virginian, Pendieton, had a
,nterest. was the swell gambler. He con-
J,,cta1 the biggest game" ever known IN
philadalnh q. save old Pettitone's-a gamb
iorsi ganle-and extended all the hospitality
81 6rince to United States senator's and
aombers of congress who occasionally
noIevad the labors of law-making or opera
lions in coal or futures in wheat spend
ino a night around the roulette table or i'll
co1pering the ace and playing the deuce to
win. -
ino his Attic wit eniivening the supper
table and while he never drank in public
and verv little in private the old Pennsyl-
vania commoner did not object to ''pota-
tions polite deep" in those who liked that
sort of thing
was portiy man with considerable dptonlb
and the manners of diplomat, and was a
decided favorite with all public men of
snorting proclivities On the night in ques
tion there as a distinguished sena or from
Delaware present, James A Bayard, and a
statesman from the same state, William u.
Whitelev, who afterward became a con-
gresham and died a judge. Thaddeus
Stevens. Ellis Schnable, still alive with
intellect impaired, and then the most
brilliant democratic orator in Pennsyl-
vania, and Jerry McKibben made up the
party that sat down with some of the jelt-
IeSse dOre of Philadelphia to a midnight
supper at Joe Halls.
There was every delicacy that could
tempt the appetite of a gourmet; frog legs,
with tartar sauce, canvas-backs fresh from
the Chesapeake-"A gift, sir" SAID the
suave Virginian, ''from my friend and
4 partner, Pendleton, at Washington, sir. "
4 Thad. Stevens was very light player, so
4 was the senator from Delaware, who only
q sought recreation from public cares. Such,
Fl indeed was the main motive for playing
faro in the Gnte-beLLltnl days. The game
was a green spot in the oasis OF politics,
where northern and southern statesmen
a could meet ON common ground.
1t is told, by-the-by, as a Substantive
fact" that Sergeant S. Prentss OF Missis-
sippi, jeff Davis grea and victorious rival,
once sat down to a game of faro at Hall
& Pendleton's "bank" on Pennsylvania
avenue, Washington, ard, as he asked for
and was handed $1,000 worth of blue
Al - ,lV,n lraA ~,
that deep and melodious voice of his: 81
feel as if 1 could win the very stars from
heaven tonight"
He did win $40, 900, but about 4 o'clock
in the morning the tide turned.
Prentiss lost his entire stake and in a
single deal staked four cotton warehouses
against $40, 900 which he owned in VickS-
burg on the Mississippi river, and be ore
daylight the deeds conveying the property
4 from Prentiss to the gambling proprietors
was signed, sealed and delivered, Prentiss
4 showing no more interest or excitement
than if he had been selling $500 saddle
horse. The next year the crevasSe struck
the gamblers warehouses and they were
washed away. S. s. Prentiss, at the end of
the single session of congress, in which he
brilliantly represe ted Mississippi district,
removed to New Orleans, where he soon
after died from the effects of swallowing
part Of champagne glass at a midnight
supper
But to return to the night at Joe Halls.
Among the guests was young democratic
orator, Who had never before seen q faro
lay out and lad never played a game of
4 cards.
Jerry McKibben, one of the kindest-
hearted mt n, called the Young man aside
and said: Pardon me; you seem to be a
stranger to this game Well, it is one in
which the more you put down the less you
take up. Take my advice and don't learn
1t. 1t will cost you $4,000 in ten years"
But flushed with wine and full Of fat veni-
son and canvas back the young orator
seated himself in front of the table. The
dealer was named George Irving, an old
habtue OF Washington who affected Phila-
delphla wben congress was not in session.
The young player, while Jerry McKibben
and the older politicians sat around the
table with eager eyes, tossed down 500
bill The only had 5000 with HIM and placed
the whole stack of blue chips which he
received in return, on the ace.
The ace won. In those days there was
no limit as to betting on single cards. As
requested the dealer stacked another 500
on the winning ace. Old Thad. Stevens
SAID: by the Almighty! that boy has
nervew
The dealer looked inquiringly before he
pulled the next card from the box. No
answer
The ace won again
The novice quietly raked in his $500 and
renamed as cool as a cucumber salad
on lce He "planted" two stacks of blues
on the deuce, and beng told that the black
button was copper" and made the play
ers bet win when tue bank did, promptly
placed copper on his deuce bet, and the
deuce came cut on the right side for him.
The young orator had won ten straight
Dets, and big ones at that. All the other
payers suspended cuisines" to watch his
pay. Jerry McKibben leaned over to the
pelaware politician and said: GA fool for
ilCK and poor man for children"
Il, me newly-fedged gamester began to
leel his oats. " He put four blue stacks in
Vue pot" between the six, seven and eight
spots, and the dealer reluctantly reached
I9r his inside vest pocket aud laid down
eght 300 bills and ''scooped in" the checks.
oIh luck pursued the youth. Irving's
oank-roll was rapidly diminishing, for the
!!ouhg orator had won fifty straight bets, a
tnll which old Thad. Stevens, striking the
green baize with mis- brawny fist solemaly
SGeclared had never happened before since
Uoa made little apples"
All hands came to the 'front.' and while
ene champag lasted the game went on
S Snu u grew solitary battle between the
frightened dealer and the boy from the
wild west
,Gall the turn" said Jerry McKibben.
WHAT'S thatm said Wild West Jerry