Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-05-23
BIG HANDS AT DRAW POKER
senator Farwell's Four Aces Beaten by Sen.
ator Cameron's Straight Diamond Flush

senator Farwell's Four Aces Beaten by Sem
ator Cameron's Straight Diamond Flush
WASHINGTON, May 1S.-A quiet little
game of poker was played in this city
Friday night by six distinguished gentle
men, each of whom is well known as an
expert The result of the game adds an
interesting incident to the history of poker
playing, and was subject of much gos-
SIP In the Senate cloak room and other
genteel resorts TO- day. There was moth,
ing particularly remarkable about this
game except the fact that two of the plqy-
ers were pitted against each other. and
each hell one of the strongest hands ever
turned up in poker.
Inc party met in one of the well-known
uptown hotels, and the players were SEN
ators Quay and Cameron, of Pennsvlv, mia
Farwell, of Illinois, the Hon. Dave Littler.
OF Springfield, ex.Pacific Railroad Com.
missioner, and ex-senator Sewall, of New
jersey. 1t was ten-dollar limit game
and there had been three raises before the
draw, when all the players went out ex-
cept Senators Cameron and Farwell Mr..
cameron stood pat, and Mr.. Farwell drew
TWO cards. Then the fun began.
Inc gentlemen VINO had withd lawn saw
'hat there was a fight ahead, and eagerly
scanned the faces Of the two rivals. The
sympathy of the party was largely with
hlr' Cameron, for the reason that Mr.. Far.
well is reputed to be one of the best poker
players in tue United States, and the verv
best in Washington. During the nost few
thohths he has come off victorious IN a
majority OF the games he has played. His
victims included several of the gentlemen
IL Friday Lights party, and they were
rather anxious to see Mr.. Cameron get
satisfaction. They were not disappointed.
When Mr. Farwell saw Mr.. Cameron
stand pat he at once concluded that he
was bluffing, and he started in to catch
him. 1t was Mr. Cameron's bet, and he
went to the limit. Mr.. Farwell saw him
and Don bet him again. Each saw that
the other meant business then, and they
settled down to work in earnest Mr..
cameron continued to bet, and Mr.. Far
well continued to raise him until the nro.
cess had been repeated by each of them
ten times. Then Mr.. FarweI became
compassionate, and dropping his cards.
said
" See here, Don, don't want to carry
this thing any further. have a hand
here that is simply invincible, and it's
foolish for you to buck against if.
don't want to bet further on a sure thing.
Remember, drew two cards."
Then the players all looked eagerly to
Nr. Cameron to see what he would do.
Don has great nerve and told Mr.. Farweh
to go ahead and play his hand for all it
was worth, but Mr.. Farwcll would not
take advantage of his colleague, and with
the remark that he did not like to rob q
man, he said, " call you, and carelessly
threw on the table four aces.
The gentlemen of the party who had
been IN. suspense all this time drew a sich
OF relief, and turned sympatbizinE,y TO
Mr. Cameron. Don did not need their
sympathy, however, for ne quietly spread
out before the astonishcd gaze of Mr..
Farwell a straight diamond flush, seven
spot high. Mr.. Farwvll's only remark
was: " Well, FL be damned :" and MIR.
Cameron drew in the pot, which con-
tanned little more than three hundred
dollars. Every gentleman present ex-
pressed the utmost surprise when they
witnessed these two remarkable hands,
and each of them said that in his long ex-
perlence as poker player he had never
seen two such hands pitted against each
other. The same opinion was expressed
by all of the Washington poker players
who gossiped about this noted game
during the day.