Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-02-19
A COLD DECK FOR SMELLS.
New York Club Men Swindled by
Poker SharpS.

Hoffman House," Poker as she is
Played " on New York Victims.
New York Times, February l1th.
Uptown select poker circles are
greatly agitated over an occurrence in
the Hoffman House the other evening
at the card table, and which has cast
cloud over the reputation of two men,
who have lately been winning large
sums of money, at the favorite American
short-card game.
One of these persons is flashily-
dressed individual who came to New
York some time ago from the Pacific
coast, where his father is wealthy
merchant. The young gentleman from
the 0ccident cut quite alswell in Del
monico's, the Hoffman House restau-
rant, and other fashionable resorts for
well -to-do men about town and made
numerous acquaintances. He disclosed
marked sporting procliyities early in his
metropolitan career, and it was not
great while before he was invited by his
new friends to sit in q little game Of
"draw"
He accepted with alacrity and was
soon hail fellow in select coterie OF
lawyers, merchants, actors, brokers,
wine importers, politicians, and hotel
men, who were wont to amuse them
selves once or twice week, or oftener,
as the occasion offered, by playing
poker. The individual from the placid
shores of the Pacific was such liberal
player and so genial withal that he be-
came very popular. Such q tavorlte
did he become, in fact, that any game OF
poker in Delmonico's seemed incomplete
without his presence. He seemed to
enjoy his popularity and the confidence
it indicated
One evening, when this confidence
was at its height, the Pacific individual
turned up with friend. The latter
was q dapper person Of genteel man
ners, good address, and exquisite wear.
ing apparel. Coming as the friend of
the representative Of the slope, it was
/ hut an act of common pnliteness to in
yte him to join the game, which newt
! ably followed such meetings. The
stranger refused the invitation at first,
but a gentle urging from his friend in
duced him to accept finally. When the
game ended it was found that the
stranger had lost, but the good-natured
| gentleman from the gold coast had won
| literally A few nights later these two
individuals turned up again in Del
monico's as the game was about to be
started and both joined it, this time
without invitation. The result was the
same as at the previous sitting, except
| that the winnings of the man from the
far west were much heavier, while The
| losings of the stranger were consider
ably lighter.
The result was repeated again and
again until the original members OF the
poker coterie began to reckon theil
losses. The sum total was found to run
| well into the thousands, and then 1t oc.
Cured to some one TO ask who the
plausible stranger was anyway. The
only answer to this pertinent query was
that he was friend Of the popular per
son from the Pacific coast. This was
not satisfactory, and further investi
CATION was instituted with this result;
The dapper stranger was found to be
professional gambler from Chicago
He was or had been a member of we'll
known firm of Chicago bookmakers
and subsequently, had figured as the
hacker and joint manager of vaud
vile company which toured the country
in the early part of the theatrical season
but which came to grief on the road {
few weeks ago. When these facts wert
clearly established the Delmonico poke
coteric became suddenly imbued with {
commendable spirit of caution. AL
the circumstances Of former sitting
were carefully reviewed, and, while nj
charge of cheating could be made anC
proved, there were many incidents re
| ~ I,;, In, !,
light of the newly acquired history o
the stranger. There were many argu
ments pro and con, but the indubitabl
fact always remained that the strange
never failed to lose lightly, while Thu
man who had introduced him Away
won heavily.
The balance on the winning side, be
tween the losses of the one and tn
gains of the other, was SO great that III
Delmonico poker coterie stood aghas,
AT the time for the next regular meet
ing of the gamesters the Pacific Goa:
man and his friend wandered into tn
poker room with apparent unconcer
4 and seated themselves at the table. The
= waited at first with patience, but whe
! no one came they We're SURPRISED
, Whereas seats at the poker table had a
I ways been at a premium betore,t they wei
8 now deserted. The next night was th
! same, and so was the next, and the
: the guileless man from the west and III
G hoI,,a,1;oa 5r9so Nh aaasal la,;r
l'eliir9llico s9tse llau eeascu ny ~
~ ,"em ne os7s gooso i wa s ,nnch hSttl
r - - f + + anaiber liye ono + 49, -,
!. y p ,M acrass No straet ~ tbo ITofFro
: g. is ~ 49,, ~ ~ l,,ni,
riJuse ~ NJ L., 49, aantio,a
g nro ai1nwaJ y r,v M IL nn ~
49, p a'o a a. ~ ~ NV sne
- NV = "oi' H. sWas' ~, w." NJ Yn,L
] eoulss' iis wac NV wv aoiN VT
IS sentative OF q large business tlat