Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-06-06
THE FATAL CARD.

bans ana tue loIls uuvNV N'io eai4'''
Vow the railroads have driven all th,
h,sts of the river. The former class o
,,eamers were, IN many respects, de
y,btful. but they never ceased 70 be OBJ
,e.ts Of dread TO timid people, for II
,be racing, which was ON that riyor re
Srced 10 o system. did not result IN the
H. Of tho boat. there was sure TO be one
ar more encounters between the more
hwloss portion Of the travellers, in which .
ri.tol bullets would fly rather too thick .
i5r tho comfort OF tho steady going .
pOple'
Tho cause Of such disturbance was .
generally u quarrel over tho gaming /
table. Tho regulations Of tho boats .
Usually required that all such amuse.
u,nts should DO conducted In saloon
provided for that purpose in the Texas
Officers cabin. situated ON the hurriCanc
seek. but the sporting gentlemen were
bv no means careful to observe this rule,
and tho gaming was most commonly
carried on az tho dining table IN tho
main saloon Of tho steamer, to tho great
ANNOYANCE of two-thirds Of those on
board
Many professional gamblers used TO
make these boats their homes, travelling
hack and forth with them, fleeing an
Who were foolish and ycrdnnt enough TO
fall in their clutches.
One Of the most remarkable men Of
this class was named Daniel Sturdiyunt,
A Frcnchmnu, tho son Of broken down
scion Of nobility who had settled In Now
Orleans before tho trunsfor Of Louisiana
10 tho United States. Sturdivant had
been raised Gentleman by his aristo'
critic father. but on coming Of age md
finding his fortunes very bad, had taken
10 cards a. means TO better them. His
success IN this field was 20 great that no
was induced TO continue It, until at tho
time Of which write he was one Of tho
most notorious gamblers between st.
Louis and Now Orleans. He wus n man
Of Gne personal appearance and OF great
physical strength. Ho was also noted
fos his personal courage. A u gambler
he was most expert and successful.
There woto dark stories Of deeds which
be had committed while under tho influ-
oneo Of play and liquor. and 1t was said
by some that ho had killed half dozen
men IN bis lifetime. Yot no ono dared
TO peak these stories openly, for no ono
dared to bring upon himself tho anger
Of such mnn.
Ilo had attached himself TO ono of tho
magnificent steamers plying between
New Orleans and Viclsbdrg. and had
publicly announced his determination TO
shoot any man who oncroachcd upon his
tceno Of operations. OF courso this left
him undisputod possession Of tho field,
aud no reapod u golden harvest during
tho one brief year he conducted his op-
erations there.
Il was my lot ut tho time 10 DO COM
PEELED TO make frequent trips between
Now Orleans aud Vicksburg, being
heavily engaged la cotton spcculations.
lprciorrcd tho steamer OF which Sturdi-
want had taken possession, inasmuch as
Il was not only tho most comfortable,
but also tho sNiftest. and time was Of
the utmost importance to mo. IL was
known That | carried largo sums of
money, and was also aprchousiyo lest
sturdiyant should asl, me to play.
had fully made up my mind TO re.
fuse him, and II he attempted TO draw
me into quarrel 10 shoot him without
mercy, as knew that tho only chance
for my life lay In getting tho advantage
Of him. Strange TO Eay, he did not make
any such proposition 10 me, aud gave
him no chance 20 do so.
ono night wo had started out from
Vicksburg. and wero heading mcrrily
down the river, when Sturdivant came
up to tho group which had gathered
around tho stove. Ilo had been drink.
Ing. An made way for him.
"Well. goptlcman,' no said In m nm.
steady tone, "you seem TO 10 terribly
dull. Who wants TO play for twenty
dollars anto2'
Thoro was no reply. All present
seemed to know tho man, and no on,
cared to volunteer to place himself IL
his clutches.
"Umph" he exclaimed, with an OK
preston Of contempt, "afruid TO Try
your luck with Dan Sturdivant, ohG On
maybe you want little coaxiug. Som,
Of you must play with me. | can't stand
such treatment. Come, lots SEQ who Il
shall be-
lie glanced around the crowd rs II I,
scure his victim. For tho first time
noticed the gaze Of ono Of tho grouI
hxed steadily upon him. lla was Z
stranger to me and was dressed in I
plain suit OF homespun, and his faco WA
partially concealed by a broad brimmo,