St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-23

garroting Gouffe
My heaviest winning at No. IL was
during the last month of the existence
OF this celebrated resort of the vOtarieS
OF the tickle goddess. 1t was an OctO-
Der day and | am never likely to forget
1t. as / made the highest winnings in
my career as sporting man that lucky
day. felt as if could win the bank
rolf myself. and so told the dealer, who
smiled doubling smile. The limit
was $50 on double card and S25 on a
single. | asked the dealer to put
marker on the ace for $50. It won.
then placed hundred in the square be-
tween the trey, four, ten and jack. 1t
Won. L was now 800 ahead. cop
pered in the pot. 1t was $500. By spe-
cIal dispensation | was allowed to cop
per the two hundred jack four | won.
| was now 800 winner. | put the 300
on the ace. 1t became $500. Now came
the call turn for which the bank
pays four to one. The cards were jack,
four and king. The dealer was imDa-
tient. He said: You cannot hold on
to your fish and win too. Put them all
down 1T you want to- 1t was late in
the afternoon. Upon that hint l spoke
and acted. called the turn for S4C0
Jack-tour. L put $500. coppered jack
king, and put 500 on the four to win.
The turn came my way, jack-four. l
picked up 81 900 on the call. l scOoped
S4OO, coppered jack-king and won $500
on the four TO win. ! was S2,400 winner.
l ordered a basket of champagne and the
dealer closed the game in disgust.
AT NO. Barclay street for twenty
years last past [ met an interesting
character whose sporting life finally
ended IN the deepest pathoS. Nobody
knew his name If the prOprietOrs of
Nos Barclay street. of which he had been
since the war a steady habitue, knew
his name, they never gave it away. He
was quiet, self-DOSSeSSed gentleman,
from New Orleans, known by no other
title but the professor He spoke to
nobody; nobody spoke to him. In his
earlier career as gambler-fOr he be-
came thoroughly saturated with the
passionate was Il natty, well-dressed
man, apparently of fifty-seven years of
age,or Whereabouts. GlimpseS only of his
early history somehow became known.
He was Louisiana planter and lawyer,
VINO. before the war, removed TO New
Orleans. A Union man at heart. he
realized the inevitable. He abandoned
lucrative practice. sold his slaves for
$4,000 and brought his savings to New
York. He brought with him his early pas
sion for the gambling table. He had no
of rooms at the GiISay house. He was
regular attendant at the II o'clock
breakfast at No. s Barclay street, and
was equally certain TO dine with the faro
bankers at +. He rarely left the gambl-
ing house from the hour the game
opened until 1t closed in the morning.
He had a system AtfrSt he played
with caution. His fortune lasted nearly
ten years. His swell appearance grad
ually gave place to worn SLOUGH nat,
and somewhat seedv attire. When his
capital was gone his passion still re-
manned. He moved to small apartments
in Houston street. He still pursued his
system, and his habit was, after he
changed from faro to roulette. to keep,
on old yellow envelopes, record Of the
running of the wheel. He soon went
broke and borrowed from the dealer,
as long as his credit lasted, enough to
pay at the end of the week for his
shabby rooms. He had influential
friends in many sections of the country,
and would sometimes disappear for ten
days at time. When he returned his
stake sometimes amOuted to 81. 900, and
he celebrated his return by buying a
$50 suit of clothes and silk
hat. He went at it again with
the same unvarying persistence. He
would often lose $500 a night on the
ZOO ZOO and the double % and the
number eleven, his favorite PLAYS.
Many a time l have accompanied him
to his dingy room. where he would open
an enormous sole leather trunk, which
was piled high with white and yellow
envelopes covered with the figures of
his mysterious SYSTEM In whispers
he would assure me that he had fort
une within his grasp, and | have even
when making lucky turn in diamonds
i'll Broadway-loaned him $500 to bet OH
the wheel.
But luck continued against him. His
face became a dim and weary witness
OF his woe In spite OF myself | was
deeply interested in the professors
career. He would tell me OF his great
cases while smoking his cheap Manila
cigars, of his many legal triumphs
in New Orleans. of how his sugar
and his rice plantations had disap-
peared in the days of secession, and
would always conclude the conversation
by urging me to introduce him to some
rich Philadelphian, for whom he
was sure he had. like Dr..
Jonson in the ThralI Brewery,
the potentiality of getting rich beyond
the dream of avarice.' As all gamblers
are suDerStitious, he imbued me with
cGIldlIlIf
success. | bought him a ticket, and
took him with me latter purchasing him
a new hat. a chinchilla oveFeoat ana a
pair of 81 kid gloves, along the Alger-
inc coast in Third street. year before
the DreXel building was finished, where
he found two coniding brokers who had
faith in his story and in his 'System,'
and who advanced 81, 600, with the pro-
viso that should go with the professor,
at their expense, and keep watchfuI
eye upon his play.
His confidence and naiyete of ex-
preston were truly delightful The
professors manners were always charm
ing. He reminded me in appearance of
Judah z. Benjamin, who left the senate
only TO fly from Louisiana TO the Inner
Temple. of London, where he grew
rich upon the fairness of English fees.
1t took him Just month to lose the
$1,000. reported the loss to his pat
ronS. who were, at the time, lucky in a
rising market. and they smilingIy met
me with, We told you So | made no
more efforts to borrow money for him.
Being detained in Philadelphia by busI-
ness for month [ did not visit the
metropolis until the following January
[ asked Pop Thomas, the 'looker-out'
at No 8, as | missed the professor for
two nights, where he was. In answer
was informed that he had not shown I'D
for month. 1 went to his room, and
found him sick unto death. 1t was a
snowy night, and after toilsome climb
L reached his third-story room. He
family answered my summons and babe
me enter. On a small iron bedstead
covered with a single blanket, and with
no fire in the room, he was dining on
cold Southern vans which some
thoughtful friend OF neighbor had sent
him He was still hopeful that he would
yet conquer the game and rise Su-
perior to his evidently falling fortunes.
for hope springs eternal in the gam
bIer'S breast He did not know that
the grim reaper was not far away. l
did.
The landlady. much the worse for
too frequent indulgence in the growIer.'