Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-04-05
SOME CAPITAL GOSSIP.
a POKER STORY or the LATE
GEN. scHeNcK.
Ruhsic lGsu from Erie County, n. Y.--Cen.
nesnss. u Slississsppi : Henry Cabot
Hs1ss asA nis Lack-Obitusry Days..
1hs sslsas SENATOR Of Nevada

~o2SG - mssssWHPpt oe"ry NOs
nssAgs ana ME Lack Obituary Days.
xhs siisst SENATOR Of Nevada.
Especial ccrrespondencel
WARRINGTON, April al trust no one
win think am saying aught to the dis
credit Of the late Gen. Schenck because
I tell poker story Of him. Many Of the
best men in Washington play poker, as
do some good men the world over. The
iudglnent Of the times IL that It takes
something more than friendly, quiet
game Of draw to make q man very
wicked. Gen. Schenck played poker for
half century. He played 1t well, and
always, believe, for moderate stakes.
The poker story ! have to tell Of him Is
The story Of moderate, gentleman's
game. Moreover, It Is true story.
Many Of the poker stories printed about
well known men are imaginary. Thia
story is not imaginary.
About q week before Gen. Schenck's
death he sat down at a round table one
evening in his own house with Gen.
Schofield, Gen. Rucker and two United
States senators. Ono Of these senators
Is famous poker player, and his init.
mate friends call him "Charley." The
game was at SO limit. and this senator,
on the occasion in question, sat next to
the dealer. It was n jack pot, which
Gen. Schenck opened at the limit. and
which the senator promptly raised be-
fore the draw. TIE general "staid."
everybody else dropping out. When he
looked over his cards the senator found
the ace, king, queen and jack of clubs
and the six Of diamonds.
As it stood, of course. his hand was
valueless, and he had raised purely as
bluff. He drew one card, and Gen.
Schenck also took one. 1t was obvious
the senator had drawn to Oil either n
straight or a flush. II he had hand Of
sufficient value he would not have been
likely to let the opportunity to "open" 80
by, inasmuch as there was quite large
number of checks on the table. After
the draw Gen. Schenck bet the limit.
The senator saw him and went one
better. Again Gen. Schenck raised, when
the senator remarked.
"General, have you beaten. think
] have sure thing, and l don't care 70
bet any more money on that kind Of
hand"
"But l don't think You have me beat
en-" rctorted Schenck. "When ! get
enough Of it will quit"
So the senator "raised" the general
and was quickly raised back. Again and
again the blue checks were tossed into
the middle of the table, until each had
sstsltoIv ttx .fk kar
Then the senator renewed his proposition
for cessation Of hostilities, and offered
to fatten the stakes by a wager of din
ner for the five gentlemen present. This
was accepted by Gen. Schenck, and the
hands were shown down.
Schenck had started with three mines,
drawn one card in order to make his an.
.tagonist believe he had simply two pairs,
and had pulled in the fourth nine. -Four
mines was formidable hand, but the
senator's hand was stronger. 1t consist.
ed Of the ace, king, queen, jack and ten
Of clubs--a royal straight flush, the high
est possible hand. Thesenator had won.
But the little dinner for five was never
eaten. Two days before the evening set
for 1t Gen. Schenck died.
II have been playing poker for thirty
or forty years." said the senator today,
"and that was the first straight flush /
ever held. II it IL TO be the forerunncr
OF the death Of one OF my best friends,
and Of one Of the most estimable gentle.
men ard most skillful poker players
ever knew, do not want to hold another
one."
A few weeks ago wrote letter about
the remarkable number Of prominent and
successful men who were once poor boys
on adjoining farms in Ashland county,
o. II know of another instance Of tho
same Sort" said a gentleman to me re-
Gently. "At East Aurora, Erie county,
N. Y, is a country school called Aurora
academy. 1t is neither very large nor
a6amous institution Of learning, but !
wis counting up the other day the mum.
Der OF very successful men who were
educated there, most Of them farmers
boys from the immediate neighborhood.
"My list embraces Millard Fillmore,
president Of the United States; Nathan
X. Hull, postmaster y eneral under Fill
more: A. M. Clapp, for many years pub
lie printer; j. NJ. Humphrey, member OF
congress; Horatio e. Burchard, director
Of the mint; s. Corning Judd. prominent
Illinois politician and hi
eago, and Gover90
am sure there ar 4ual
reputation Yso sta1 life from
dat o,dsthool if ny think of
theif Names"
The house committee on elections has
decided in favor Of permitting Gen
Hooker, of Mississippi, to retain his seat.