Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-14
STATESMEN AT POKER.
The Summer Game in All Its Glory
Is Now on at Washington,
WORSE THAN WALES BACCARAT.
The Whisky Is Abundant and KnockdOwns
Are Not Unknown.
BIG WIGS WHO KEEP UP THE SPORT
ESPECIAL TELEG RAM TO THE DIsPArcu.l

rsPEcIAL TELEGRA TO THE DISPATCH.l
WASHINGTON, June 13.-The statesmen's
summer poker crowd doesn't find Washing
ton dull even at this sweltering season. Its
headquarters are at a popular hosiery, and
it is a colder evening than is usual Just now
when Senator Plumb is not to be discovered
there with a stack or two of chips in front
of him, contending for their possession with
Malone, of Virginia, Judge Perkins, late of
kansas but lost in the recent political
shuttle, and other eminent adopts. While
Representative, Perkins enjoyed the repu-
tation of being one of the most dangerous
players in Congress, his smooth-shaved,
prieSt-lille face ever emotionleSs as that of
the Sphinx, whether in contemplation of
four-ot-a-kind or blufing with big limit on
bobtail.
Since Malone left the Senate he is said to
have spent about one-half of his time draw
ing cards. Senators Don Cameron, Vest
and Aldrich take frequent hand in this
game when they are in town.
A Row Among the Adopts.
A rather serious row broke it up on one
occasion not long ago. The story has never
been told. The Senators, one of them Vest,
dropped into the hotel at II o'clock in the
evening, finding there Don Cameron, Dave
Littler, of Illinois, and another Senator
The last named, who is a very famous man
and leader Of the Upper House, had been
dining not wisely but too well, but never
theless was bent on playing poker. A game
was organized for small stakes and he lost
steadily; which made him cross. So the
others thought it would be fun to put up a
little job On him, and it was arranged while
he was out of the room for a moment that
he should be given four kings, with which
TO bet against four aces, explanation and
restitution to come after the issue of the
pot
The thing was done, but the Senator from
q certain small New England State who had
come in with Vest was SO clumsy about it
that he had TO deal himself about IA cards
in order to secure the four aces required. 1t
was imagined that the victim wouldn't no.
tice this, but the latter's gaze while betting
was going on became fixed with stony as
tOnishment upon the large fan of cards in
his adversary's hand, and, becoming sud
denly convinced that he did not see double,
he jumped TO his feet. seized his chair by
the back, and smashed the New England
Senator over the head with il.
Hard to Patch Up Peace.
The other players at once interfered and
a fight was with difficulty averted. 1t is
only very recently, however, that the gen.
tleman with four kings has been so far
made to comprehend the joke as to consent
once more to be on speaking terms with the
Senator who manipulated the pasteboards
so unfairly.
Vest is considered the best poker player
IN the Senate-a regular robber, in fact He
nearly always wins. If he did not, he
couldn't afford to play, being one of the
poor members Of the Upper House. a
while ago he was at Hot Springs, Ark,
with Senator kenna Society there was a
little mixed, and so it happened that a very
gentlemanly gambler from st. Louis made
third with them in a little game of draw
1t was perfectly fair, but Vest lost all the
money he had. borrowed more and saw it