Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-09-03
No. 200

Orleans, and he became a conspicuous
equestrian figure there in time. He owned
a big black stallion, for which he had paid
one Thousand dollars, and when he was
astride of the animal he was an attractive
object-he and the horse. He thought
much of the animal, and money could not
have touched him Well, ON the after
noon L am speaking about McCool got into
poker game good old draw poker il was)
with a wealthy gambler named Brady
Neither McCool nor Brady belonged to tenn
perance organizations, and a feature of the
game was the frequent turning of the
low card for a drink 1t WAS about sun
down when the deal began which ended
the game and left McCool afoot and bank
rupt.
THE deal was Brady's, and the first
card had been given to each of them, when
McCool wanted card tnrned for another
round of drinks. Brady turned it and q
four spot fell to each. With a reckless
ness and gambling informality which had
characterized the game throughout, Nc
Cool threw a large sum of money ON the
table and Brady called il. Ii seemed to
be merely a bet before the draw, and the
players tacitly understood in what manner
it would be lost or won McCool called
for another card to be turned, and il was
done. Each got "A five spot McCool
made another addition to the pot, which
Brady covered, and a third card was
turned. Each got six. Up to this time
the players had intended that, after decid-
ing the question of drinks, the draw
should be proceeded with; but now the
game took another turn, and it was deci-
ded to settle the hands without drawing.
The fifth card was accordingly turned,
and it was deuce. There was an i'm
mense pile in the pot, and the interest
among the crowd, which was packed
around the table, was SO intense and the
silence so deep that the ticking of the tall
clock behind the bar sounded like a ham
mer striking on an anvil. Both men sat
deeply absorbed in study. McCOOrs bur-
led card was six spot, and he was GER
tain enough that his pair had Brady beat
en-. Brady's buried card was a tray, and
he had a straight and a sure thing His
credit, sitting behind that hand, was un-
limited, and he was prepared to play it
out
''The scene at this time was the most
impressive that believe ever witnessed.
l never saw an aggregation of men so
thoroughly impressed with the fact that a
tremendous stake hung in the balance.
The betting proceeded slowly but heavily
until finally McCool had all his earthly
possessions represented in the stake on
the table except two objects. One of these
was his stallion, who stood champing his
bit on the street outside; the other was his
old negro slave, who stood holding the
horse. Finally McCool ordered the negro
to be brought in and Brady deposited two
thousand dollars against him, at the same
time raising McCOol five thousand dollars
'sAfter some moments of cool study
McCOol told Brady that all he owned was
on the table with the exception of his
horse. He was willing to put him up
against the last bet that Brady had made.
The proposition was accepted, and McCool
ordered the horse to be led in. and he was.
The interest which have described as at
tending the game before now seemed in
tensified, il that were possible, and the
picture there presented, with the faithful
old slave standing by his masters chair,
the agony of the suspense which he was
undergoing plainly depicted upon his face,
the magnificent horse, who seemed all but
conscious of the wealth at stake, and last
ly the PLAYERS and spectators, WAS one new
er to be forgotten When the betting was
| at last over and nothing was lacking 20 de-
eide the game but the appearance of the
two buried cards, McCool called for 9
glass of LIQUOR. 1t was not until he had
emptied this that he asked to see his oppo-
/ nent's card.
sswhen it was shown down he silently
got up from the table and walked through
the crowd, which parted for his passage
out into the street. He never sat in I
| game that drew a crowd again. and IL was
but a few months from that time when hs
/ disappeared permanently from the river
/ He was the first man TO lose big money al
| .stud-horse sol1er, and he has had my re-
4 spectful sympafny~ever since.