The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-26
DEATH TOOK A HAND.
IT WAS A DESPERATE POKER
GAME AND BIG CASINO LOST


Wedding Ring, but It Was Nobly
Won Back by the Dead Hsnd-A
Tribute to the Ian Who Played
Square.
From the Men York Recorder
Suffers Mills was shrouded In the black
gloom Of night and the few low and scat
tered houses seemed to shrink from the
coming storm. The red swinging sign
board in front Of the Little Bohemia
saloon creaked dismally In the fierce wind
blowing down the valley. The feeble ray
Of light that penetrated the dirty window
was not strong enough 10 illuminate the
road, yet IL served as a guiding star to a
solitary wanderer who, with head buried In
his coat collar and hands deep In his
pockets, was coming down the single street
of the town headed for the saloon.
Suffers Mills was now worid-famous and
filed with a motley crowd, in which ali
graduation CT the lights and shadows that
make up the great picture of life were
blended In one conglomerAte whole, and this
crowd had but one cry, one prayer that has
been on the lips Of men In all ages: "Give
us this day our daily gold" Little Bohe-
mia was gambling house owned and run
by Henry Bingham. Rumor said he had
been a sailor. He contented himself
with acquiring gold from those who
took It from the ground Lit
tie Bohemia was credited with be-
ing good "claim.n Ii had panned out
rich. One OF the rules that won popularity
for the house was that when a player had
staked his last dust the game should be for
stable stakes" thus giving the victim
chance to ''resteake his claim" on the show
down.
The wanderer had now reached the door
aud paused to listen to the voices and
bursts Of laughter within. His.face dark
ened and he muttered: "Surface Jim's
voice. as I'm sinner. What can he be
doing up hereT'
BE pushed open the door and shouts Of
welcome greeted his entrance. Hank poured
out drink, which the chilled man poured
into himself without winking. 1--WE was
just saying as how Little Casino and the
rest Of the deck might come down tonight"
said Hank.
''The Four Aces are all played out to
night. but they told me to say
they would be on hand for the
regular game tomorrow night" Little
Casino replied. For some abstruse and
vaguely humorous reason, known only 10
the western mind, Bingham and his friends
were known respectively as Big Casino and
Little Casino and the -Four Aces. Jack Mar
tin was the Little Casino, Joe Humphreys,
Sam Ball, Geary and Turner were the Aces.
Perhaps IL was because they all ''couusedn
In anything going on at the Mill
When Little Casinos thirst had been sat-
istied TO reasonable degree the game pro-
ceeded. Little Casinos buckskin pouch
was carefully weighed and he received the
value Of Its dust In chips. AS the night
wore on che other games broke up and the
players departed for their homes. But at
this table intense excitement dominated
each player. Big Casino was losing stead
4ly and heavily. Do what he would the
side OF luck set steadily against him. Lit
tie Casino was holding his own. He tried
70 divert Surface Jtm's attention from his
friend, but to no purpose. Surface Jim
played steadily on, with never movement
Of bis muscles to tell whether he had won
thousands, or lost even the money with
which he intended TO get his breakfast.
Once. when he had gone 70 the bar, Binu-
ham leaned across the table and whispereds
He Is after my dust and be will get it.
A yaiier dog ran through bhe room to-day,
I gave him lead, but be did not drop until
he was IN the road It ia a bad sign.n
Little Casino won several small pots. and
when Big Casino had exhausted bis pile.
gave him more chips with which TO con-
tinue. Hank gave a deed of his saloon
dated month ahead, and Surface Jim's
eyes giitsered greedily as be raked it, also,
in.
am allow you five ounces for the love
token there" he calmly said, pointing to a
broad, plain gold ring on Big Casinos
finger. Big Casino was now desperate. and
hesitated but for moment He then, with
much difficulty, succeeded IN drawing 10
from his finger. Surface Jim balanced IL
carefully in the palm of bis hand and read
aloud the now almost effaced inscription on
the inside: "Jennie to Henry" Big Casinos
face was white with passion at the insulting
manner IN which this was done, and be
hoarsely said:
THAT love token, as you call It, was my
mothers wedding ring. She gave 10 to nv
father before their marriage and be wed
her with 1t. You may weigh the ring, but
you cannot thus weigh the few Joys and
many sorrows with which IL lowered her. ~
"A very pretty sentiment" sneered Sur
face. "but / thought l was reading a
romance Of our younger days. You cleaned
out my bank in Frisco and started your
game here. came for revenge aud have
got all except your mothers wedding ring.
as you call 1t. / intend to have even that,
though / don't believe your mother ever
had wedding ring"
And as he spoke he impaled the ring upon
the table by means of a glittering bowie
knife. who wins tho ring also rakes
down the knife )" he said.
Big Casinos face was ashen as he replied:
"If you were not under the roof of a man
who respects the laws or hospitality I'd kill
you where you Sit Well talk less now
and play more. and-if win I'll slit your
taroat as sure as there's gold in Suffers
Milln
Little Casino dealt the cards to each
Big Casino discarded three. and after the
draw held three queens.
II think / shall keep my head on. ~ he
calmly said as he laid his cards face ND upon
the table. Since Casino was broke the pame
was for table stakes and Surface Jim had
not yet drawn. He called for three cards
as he showed down pair OF Jacks. The first
card was a king. the second king. and the
last card on which the fortune OF the game
depended turned up a jack. Surface Jim
had won.
There was moan and Big Casinos head
fell heavily forward. Little Casino raised
him In his arms and listened for the NUT
tered words that came family from be-
tween the frothing lips:
"The claim is busted and I've cashed in. ~
A spasmodic jerk and Big Casinos head
fell back 30 that the now sightless ewes
gazed up into the misty ones of Little
Casino. The breath was out Of him, and
they laid down the deserted claim" gently
upon the bar.
Heart disease or apoplexyT said the
coroner
"a cold deck and heart break said
Little Casino.
=
It was subdued and sorroxvfno croud