The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-22
King Mallstoa Fain Would DO Initia-
tod Into the Great Amsri-
can Game.
I'd Tenderly Along In the Mys-
terieg Unable to Go It
Alone.
ve "Opens q Jack Pot and Stayed for ths
Royal Treasury and Manono
Island.

group was one day won and loSt in a game
Of poker. The facts have been we'll guarded
by those concerned.
II was all on account Of a jack pot. Fol
several years, Mslictoa, the king, had heard
frequent accounts from visitors to the II.
ienda Of n fascinating game in which kala-
kaua, tho king Of Hawaii, frequently IN
duIged. Now all Samoans entertain strong
feelings Of admiration for the n~eighborine
government OF the Sandwich islands, says
the st. Louis Republic. Malietoa looked
upon Kalakaun as a ruler who might well be
taken AZ . model, and no therefore decided
that until he had learned to play poker he
WAS not fully competent to govern
Samoa. He therefore made a stern
resolution to take the thirty-second
degree in the mysteries OF the
game, even IL he had to squander every
cent In the royal treasury, amounting to
a79. in addition to his private treasures, in
Guiding a worn out naval officers coat with
three large brass buttons, a secondhand
Hnider rife. brought from Auckland, New
Zealand, several years before, and u pair OF
discarded gum boots. presented to him by
the captain Of a merchant vessel.
The kings opportunity came soon after
an American nan-of-war sailed into the
harbor Of Aria one day. Among the off,
Gers was o paymaster. q IIeutennnt ana an
assistant engineen who had taken their
fYst lesson in poker at Annapolis and had
been steadily growing in proficiency ever
since. Among the white residents Of Apia
was q trader who had mastered the hfst I'VE
POINTS Of the game after the expenditure OF
many dollars. and who was known to play
a pretty strong hand.
One day tho officers and the trader re-
-. s--.AuA.4u f.-... Aq~sAcn ~ Srssn
him that evening in q game OF cards at the
house OF a European who lived near the
beach. When night came the king and his
guests mst at the house in question, and
his majesty expressed his desire to learn
poker, He Was coached" during the even.
ing alternately by one OF the officers or the
trader, and after five or six hours play felt
confident enough in himself to play his
hand unassisted. The limit had been low
and the play small, out OF regard for his
msiesty's ignorance Of the game, but as he
began to comprehend its general features
and its opportunities, he became more in
terested and excited, until he insisted and
At last commanded that the limit should be
taken off.
It was two O'Clock in the morning. the
king having insisted that the game shonld
90 on, and the largest jack pot of the right
was on the table. Several hands had been
dealt around without anyone having ex-
DIEBH4U i ia w oHOA bA0 RDps VANh
the king, with a look Of surprise I'M n
smile Of pleasure and triumph combined,
announced with an expression OF glec that
Ne would open it 800 worth. for through
courtesy the royal player had been allowed
TO win quite a pile OF silver.
Everyone stayed. The ~paynaster drew
lhree cards, the lieutenant the same num-
Der, the assistant engineer O two and
the trader one. The king stood pat, and
out SO more into the pot. The paymaster
saw him and raised him S25. The others
all stayed. The paymaster threw i'll SIS
Finding that things were getting too warm
the other officers and the trader dropped
ont.
The paymaster put down the cigar he had
been smoking, skinned his hand over,
and showed $50 to the middle Of the table.
The king put up the equivalent in CHILEAN
silver dollars, the currency OF the island.
and drawing n small canvas sack from his
pocket, emptied its contents before him
and excitedly placed in the pot the funds
Of the royal treasury OF Samoa, amounting
TO $79, in silver dollars, halves n quar-
)ers.
The paymaster's face grew serious and he
1oked at his royal opponent in hesitating.
puzzled sort of way. Could this be a Sa-
moan All Sin he had run against? he pom
deTed. Had this kingIy, copper colored son
# gnn learned the art Of poker from yis-
ting traders years before, and had been
playing 'possum all the evening? The Off
yer had six or seven months pay in his
,ocket and he decided to venture some of
n for the purpose OF finding ont. After a
fow moments of undecision he drew $579 III
gold from his pocket and added it to the
pot, which now covered the middle of the
able.
NaIistoa gave a gasp and called for a
bowl OF kaya to nerve himself for what was
to follow. The other officers and the trader
'ooked on silently and breathlessly.
MalietnA announced himself at being ont
Of funds and requested the paymaster to
take his word for $3.50. The officer smiled,
bnt mad no reply, and continued to look
fxediy at the pot.
Then the excited monarch offered to put
mp the island of Manono, one of the finest
in the Samoan groop, against the $500. The
psymaster consented and a ~transfe. deed O;
tke property, duly signed, attestsd by thu
trader, who was notary public, and wit
messed by the other two officers. was pui
in the pot. Then the king "called" thu
paymafter.
Ihe moment OF supreme excitement hat
arrived. Slowly the paymaster laid dowr
four aces and n fve-spot.
With q look OF horror and q Samoan wal
of despair his majesty exposed to View
three kings, an eight spot n a deuce
Then he fell off his chair in q faint, the ex-
element having been too much for hi
nerves. Attendants were summoned ant
he was removed to his own house.
The pnymaster shoveled his money into
sack and placed it in the traders Office safe
The deed for tho island he put in an
inside pocket, and with his brother officer
went to ono of the hotels and passed thu
night there.
By nine o'clock of the following rnornin.
the detailsof the big poker game were know
10 every one in Apia. The German an,
English consuls sent official ~communica.
lions to the American consuls protesting il
the most emphatic manner against the &C
ton of the king in disposing of the island
OF Manono to an American or to anyone
else, aud warning the consul that, unless
the paymaster returned the deed for th,
island to the king at once they would i'm.
Inediately direct the attention of their re-
spective governments TO the case.
Here was a pretty state of affairs. Thu
officer had no doubt won the island fairl,
and the kings action was binding, but il
the tension in which Samoan affairs were n
that time the German and English govern
ments would only too willingly have takel
advantage of the circumstances es an ex
:use for international complications, end
ing ultimately in a disastrous way to Amer
can interests.
The facts were fully explained to the pay
master, and on the promise of Maiieto
that he would give the officer a number G
fire mats and other Samoan articles Z
value, the deed was returned to she kin
and destroyed. BY mutual consent of th
consuls and others the affair WAS hushed u
in every way and never referred to, and WI
Thus allowed to die ont.
AnfAra A@%1 nee ~~S1 Af-A L.