St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-25
MALIETOA AT POKER.
The King Of the Samoas Loses
an Island at the Little
Game.
An American Naval Officer
Who Held Four Aces and
a Five.
The Great Samoan Holds Only
Three Kings, an Eight and
aDeuee.
Pressure Finally Causes the
American to Return the
Island.

past few years. but history has failed
to relate how one of the most important
Islands in the group was one day won
and lost in a game of poker, says the
Chicago Herald. The facts have been
we'll guarded by those concerned.
1t was all on account of jack pot.
For several years Malietoa, the king,
had heard frequent accounts from visit
Ors to the island of fascinating game
in which Kalakaua. the king of Hawaii,
who is now visiting the United States.
frequently INDUCED. Now all the Sa-
means entertain strong feelings of ad-
mlration for the neighboring govern
ment of the Sandwich Islands. Malletoa
looked upon Kalakaua as ruler who
might well be taken as model, and he
therefore decided that until he had
learned to play poker he was not fully
competent to govern Samoa. He there
sore made a stern resolution to take the
thirty-second degree in the mysteries
of the game, even if he had to squander
every cent in the royal treasury, amount
ing to S79, in addition to his private
treasures. including a WORKOUT naval
officers coat with three large brass but
Il
from Auckland, New Zealand. several
wears ago, and pair of discarded gum
boots. presented to him by the captain
of a merchant vessel.
The King Grew Reckless.
The kings opportunity came soon
after an American man-0f-War sailed
into the harbor of Apia one day. Among
the officers was paymaster, lieuten-
nd n
taken their first lessons in poker at An
nap0liS, and who had been steadily
growing in efficiency ever since. Among
the white residents Of Apia was trader
who had mastered the first five points OF
the game after the expenditure Of many
dollars, and who was known to play
pretty strong hand.
One day the officers and traders re-
celyed an invitation from Malietoa to
join him that evening in game OF
cards at the house of European who
lived near the beach. When night
came the king and his guests met at the
house in question, and his majesty eX-
pressed his desire to learn poker. He
was coached" during the evening
alternately by one of the offic ers or the
traders, and, after five or six hours,
felt confident enough in himself to play
his hand unasSiSted. The limit had
been low and the play small, out of re-
gard for his majesty's Ignorance of the
game, but as he began TO comprehend
its general features and its opportuni-
ties lie became more Interested and eX-
cited, until he insisted and at last COM
manded that the limit should be taken
Off.
Emptied the Royal Treasury.
1t was 2 o'clock in the morning, the
king having insisted that the game
should go on, and the largest Jackpot
of the night was on the table. Several
hands had been dealt around without
any one having expressed his ability to
open the pot, when the king, with
look of surprise and smile OF pleasure
and triumph combined, announced with
an expire jsion of glee that he would
open it $50 worth, for through courtesy
the royai player had been allowed to
win quite apple of silver.
Every one stayed. The paymaster
drew three cards, the lieutenant the
same number, the assistant engineer
took two, and the trader one. The king
stood pat and put SO more into the pot.
The pavmaster saw him aud raised him
S25 The others all stayed. The pay
master threw in S25 more and his ma
jesty was right there. Finding that
things were getting too warm, the other
officers and the trader dropped out.
The paymaster put down the cigar
he had been smoking, skinned his
hand over and showed $50 to the middle
of the table. TIE king put up the equi-
Vaent in Chilean silver dollars, the
currency of the islands, and drawing
small canvas sack from his pocket.
emptied its contents before HIM and eX
citedly placed in the pot the funds of
the royal treasury of Samoa, amounting
to $40, in silver dollars, halves and
quarters.
He Put Up an Island.
The paymaster's face grew serious,
and he looked at his royal opponent in
hesitatng, puzzled sort OF way.
Could this be a Samoan All Sin he had
run against he pondered. Had this
kingly, copper-colored son of gun
learned the art of poker playing from
visiting traders years before, and had
he been playing 'possum all the even
Ing? The officer had six or seven
months pay in his pocket, and he de-
cided to venture some of it for the pur-
pose Of finding. out. After few mo-
ments of INDIGESTION he drew S579 in gold
from his pocket and added to the pot.
which now covered the middle of the
table.
Malietoa gave a gasp and called for
bowl of kava to nerve himself for what
was to follow. The other officers and
the trader looked on silently and
breathlessly.
Malietoa announced himself as being
out Of funds and requested the paymas
ter to take his word for $500. The Of
ficer smiled. but made no reply, and
continued to look fiXedly at the pot.
Then the excited monarch offered to
put up the island of ManonO, one OF the
finest in the Samoan group, against the
$500. The paymaster consented and
transfer deed of the property, duly
signed. attested by the trader. who was
a notary public, and witnessed by the.
other two officers, was put in the pot
Then the king called the paymaster.
The Paymaster's Hand.
The moment of supreme excitement
arrived. Slowly the paymaster laid
down four aces and a five spot.
W 18th look of horror and Samoan
wall of despair his majesty exposed to
view three kings, an eight spot and a
deuce. Then he fell off his chair in a
faint, the excitement having been too
much for his nerves. Attendants were
summoned and lie was removed to his
own house.
The paymaster shoyeled his money
into sack and placed it in the traders
office safe The deed for the island he
put in an inside pocket, and with his
brother officers went to one of the hO-
tells and passed the night there.
BY 9 o'clock of the following morning
the details of the poker game were
known to every one in Apia. The Ger
man and English consuis sent official
communications to the American con-
sui protesting in the most emphatic
terms against the action of the king in
disposing of the island of Manono to an
American or to any one else, and warned
the consul that unless the paymaster re-
turned the deed for the island to the
king at once they would Immediately
direct the attention Of their respective
governments to the case.
Complications Avoided.
Here was a pretty state of affairs. The
officer had no doubt won the island
cof 81 al In i-fr nd