The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-22
THEN WERE THE SPORTS.
DAYS WHEN PLAY RAN HIGH AT
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

GROWS 1iOAAAAAoSOhbs du0 1Gll6 some
interesting Tales OF Plungins.
From the Ne,0 York Advertiser.
Carl Martin, the last of the old time
gamblers who four1shed at the national
capital in the days OF Joe Ball and the
courtly Pendleton of Virginia, whose pela-
tisl faro banks and surroundings were far
more abrasive TO the average sporting
mans habits and tastes than any other club
house with modern viands and with medieval
architecture IN Washington or elsewhere,
has grown reminiscent, and some Of his
stories have found their way into print.
There were giants in those days." said
he. when / was interested with Gentry &
Crittenden, who kept the biggest and live
lest gambling house west of the Ale
qhanieS Abner Gentry was a square gam
bier, originally from Texas. where he held
many high positions in civil life, aud whilo
not a quarrelsome man he was q character
40 we'll known that no drunken cowboy ever
offended his dignity with rough salutations
or rustic familiarity. Abner Gentry died
recently in Texas on his vast stock farm,
widely respected for the muscular morality
he displayed on many trying occasions
His brother, Dick Gentry, with Daniel
McGlinch. called Soldier Dan. constitute
the brains of the gambling fraternity at
Gloucester, where, under the Bgis of Billy
Thompson, now a half millionaire, every-
thing goes as wide open as at Cheyenne or
Virginia City in the great days before the
war.
But gambling is sadly deteriorating
when blue chips sell for so cents apiece, as
they do at Gloucester, and stack of rou-
lette worries are 10 cents apiece, and the
bank limit is S12 so on each turn. It gives
me great tired feeling to see such 'piking'
business called gambling, when have seen
$4,000 in gold dust staked on the high card
in e single turn at Gentry & Crittenden's
bank in Virginia City.
1--WE had one regular visitor, old Tom
Undertake of New Mexico, who religiously
devoted one-half of his income-and his
annual usufruct was big thing--to bucking
the tiger. TimbePlake owned his cattle on
a thousand hills, aud every roundup the
old cattle king would run up to take shy
at the "keerds." as he called them. Faro
proper was too slow for him, and old John
hailed with delight the coming in of the
high card, an Egyptian Device which gives
movement at every turn out Of the box,
and the eager gambler can lose or win fast
enough to please the Persian prince, who
travels at the pace that kills. | have seen
Undertake lose $4,000 in night aud
never vince. But his big reserves made
him dangerous player always, and often
big winner.
In the summer the old man generally
snent two weeks in the month Of August at
Cape May, where an old Texas friend of his
was then boss gambler of the middle states
Harry Clevelapd-who, in lS6063, was
rival of Joe Hall and old Pettibone of
Texas, a contemporary of Gov. Jack Hamil-
ton. Pettibone, long and lank~looking, like
Don Quixote, played the most desperate
game of any man in the west having lost
$4,000 at single sitting with that king Of
the turf, Ten Brock, a typical sporting
man, who won the first victories in England
with American race horses.
Cleveland was a man Of Napoleonic
temper and of stalwartNphysical develop
ment. He weighed 200 pounds and in stat
ure was tall and slender, but well developed
with an eye Hike falcon. but pleasant
suave manners, like all the southern gam
blers OF that period. While ready on ocr
cason with their guns, they did not train
with weapons as we did 10 the west, Sleep
ing or waking. Joe Hall was a very model
of department, even after, in his declining
years, he embraced Feligi ion and became an
active pillar. or sleeper, or expouuder in the
Methodist church in Maryland. Senators
and congressman made no secret of their
friendship fer old Pendleton, who was
really = polished gentleman in manners and
conduct. .....-.
"Pendleton was especially fond of old
Thad Stevens, and the old commoner had
his regular seat at the midnight suppers,
which were things of gastronomic Joy AMI
of artistic beauty as well. Here politics
was tabooed. and no guests were more gener-
ously toasted when the wine was red than
the great commoner. But l disgress.
Undertake was the antipodes 10 manner
and dress to the dignifed Harry Cleveland,
but they were fast friends, and both loved
TO see cards in action. 1t was the old ranch
mans only passion. The New Mexican had
Staked Cleveland when the latter was
stranded by i'll luck and tickle faro in San
Antonio, Tex. The cattle king was made
in heroic mold. He was feet 4, aud wore
oowhide boots, mostly innocent of blacking,
Nffied shirts, and had general air of a big
sport. in spite of his swallow-talled coat of
navy blue, with its brass buttons.
II am not quite sure that Albert Pike.
who wrote the Hymns to the Geds,' and
penned the Fine Old Arkansas Gentleman,
did not personally know John Tim oerlake
For Pike had pictured the Arkansas
planter waking up at the wake at Prindles
when he heard the boys copper the ace and
play the deuce to win l never was quite
sure that Undertake was not in Pixies eye
when he pictured the immortal but pleasing
Arkansas gambolier. who, unless the fly or
some other contingency didn't bust his
cotton crop. always took in the faro banks
from Washington TO Cape May and Sara
toga, and never left till fiat broke and un-
til the power to draw on his cotton fac
tors had ceased. Anyhow. the times were
hilarious one summer at Cleveland's
Stripped Pig as his little cottage was
called on the Congress hall lawn. There
some Of the biggest men in the country
have eaten lotus and tempted the tickle
goddess Of fortune during the heated term.
Undertake had unlimited credit, and
Cleveland was reputed TO have unlimited
cash.
In a spirit OF pure devilment Cleveland
bantered old Timberlsks one August night
to faro duel for $50 900.
"'Will you take my draft on California
bank if loser said the sportre ranchman.
Sure, said Cleveland. for twice that
sum, old boy, if you say the word
Cleveland had unbounded faith In his
lucky star and in himself as a dealer. Re-
freshing themselves, for il was midnight in
midsummer, and not long before the war,
with short bottle aud a chicken sandwich,
Cleveland, who was his own banker, took
his place behind the table, while 1imberlake
began by playing the deuce open for $l0,-
OJO. Each yellow fish, or chip, represented
81 900, and the ranchman started off nimbly
and in grand spirits with eight stacks of ten
yellow chips each. His entire gaming capi-
tai was before him, and his draft on Rails
TONS California Bank was in the drawer.
Cleveland was in magnificent spirits,
and it was a graver and more distlngue
party than has since assembled at any faro