St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-22
Carl Martin Is One Of the
Last Of the Old
Timers.
he Tells Some Interesting
Tales Of Early-Day Plung-
ing.
Old John Undertakes Big
Stake on a Faro
Call.


sporting mans habits and tastes than
any other club house with modern
viands and with medieval architecture
III Washington or elsewhere, has grown
reminiscent, and some of his stories
have found their way into print.
There were giants i'll those days."
sad he, when was interested with
! GENTRY 81 Crittenden, who kept the
busiest and livlIest gambling house west
or the AlleghanieS. Abner Gentry was
square gambler, originally from Texas,
where he held many high positions in
civil life, and While not a Guarrelsome
man, he was character so we'll known
that no drunken cowboy ever offended
his dignity with rough salutations or
rustic familiarity. Abner Gentry died
recently III 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 gamb-
ling fraternity at Gloucester, where, I'M
der the 9gis OF Billy Thompson, now a
ait-miliionaire, everything goes as
vide open as at Cheyenne or Virginia
City Ill the great days before the war.
But gambling is sadly deteriorating
when blue chips sell flor half a dollar
apiece, as they do at Gloucester, and
stack of roulette worries at 10 cents
apiece, and the bank limit is $3.50 on
eacn turn. 1t gives me a great tired
feeling to see such 'piking' business
called gambling, when have seen S1O,-
600 In gold dust staked ON the high card
III a single turn at Gentry d CrItten-
den's bank in Virginia City.
I'VE had one regular visitor, old John
| Ilmberlake OF New Mexico, who relig-
lously devoted one-half of of his income
and MS annual usufruct was big
thlng-to bucking the tiger. Timber
| lake owned his cattle on a thousand
nils. and every roundup the cattle king
would run up to take a 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 cad. an Egyptian device,
| which gives movement at every turn
out OF the box, and the eager gambler
1 can lose or win fast enough to please
the Persian prince, who travels at the
| pace that kills. l have seen Timber
lake lose 10000 in night and never
vince. But his big reserves made him
dangerous player always, and often a
big winner
lin the summer the old man gener-
ally spent TWO weeks in the month of
August at Cape May, where an old
4OAdS IllSutl VI Ills WAS Guell LIE DOSS
gambler of the Middle States-Harry
Cleveland-who. in lS6O-63. was a rival
of Joe Hall and old Pettibone, of Texas,
contemporary of Gov. Jack Hamilton.
Pettibone. long and lank-lOoking. like
Don QuIXote. played the most desperate
game Of any man in the West. having
lost 100000 at a single sitting with that
king Of the turf. Ten Brock, typical
sporting man, who won the first victor
les i'll England with American race
horses.
Cleveland was man of NapoleOnic
temper and of Stalwart physical de-
velopment. He weighed 200 pounds,
and in stature was tall and slender. but
we'll developed. with an eye like fall
con, but pleasant, Suaye manners, like
all the Southern gamblers of that period.
While ready on occasions with their
guns, they did not train with weapons,
as we did III the West, sleeping or wax
ing. Joe Hall was a very model of de-
pertinent, even after. in his declining
years, he embraced religion and became
an active pillar, or sleeper, or expounder
in the Methodist church in Maryland.
Senators and congressman made no
secret of their friendship for old Pen
dletOn. who was really a polished gen.
tleman in manners and conduct.
'Pendleton was especially fond of
old Thad Stevens, and the old COM
moner had his regular seat at the mid
night supperS, which were things of
gas tronomic JOY and of artistic beauty
as we'll. Here politics were tabooed.
and no guests were more generously
toasted when the wine was red than the
great commoner. But l digress. Tim
berlake was the antipodeS in manner
and dress to the dignified Harry Cleve-
land. but they were fast friends. and
they both loved TO see cards in action.
1t was the old ranchman's only passion.
The New Mexican had staked Cleve-
land when the latter was stranded by
i'll luck and tickle faro in San Antonio,
lex. The cattle king was made in
heroic mold. He was SIX feet four, and
| wore cowhide boots. mostly innocent Of
backing, ruffied shirts, and had gem
eral air OF big sport, i'll spite Of his
Swallow-tailed coat Of navy blue, with
its brass buttons.
Il am not quite sure that Albert Pike,
who wrote the Hymns to the Gods and
penned the Fine Old Arkansas Gentle
tleman.' did not personally know John
Undertake. For Pike had pictured the
Arkansas planter waking up at the
wake at Prindle'S when he heard the
boys copper the ace ard play the deuce
to win.' l never was quite sure that
| Undertake was not in Pixies eve 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 Saratoga, and never left till
|. fat broke and until the power
to draw on his cotton factors had
I ceased Anyhow, the times were hilar-
| iOus one summer at Cieyeland's Stripped
| Pig as his little cottage was called on
| the Congress hall lawn. There some of
|. The biggest men III the country have
eaten lotus and tempted the tickle god
deSs of fortune during the heated term.
Timberlake had unlimited credit. and
! Cleveland was reputed to have unllm-
tied cash.
'.In a spirit of pare deyilment Cleve-
/ land bantered old Timberlake one Au-
gust night to faro duel for $4,000.
"'Will You take my draft on Cali
! fornia bank if l Iose? said the sportive
ranchman.
Sure said Cleveland. for twice
I that sum. old boy, il you say the word
Cleveland has unbounded faith in
| his lucky star and i'll himself as dealer.
Refreshing themselves, for it was mid
night III midsummer. and not long be-
| fore the war, with short bottle and a
| chicken sandwich, Cleveland. who was
| his own banker, took his place behind
| the table. while Undertake began by
| playing the deuce open for $4,000. Each
| yellow fish, or chip. represented 81 Geo,
and the ranchman started off nitnbly
| anu in grand spirits with eight stacks of
| ten yellow chips each. His entire
| gaming capital was before him. and his
draft IN Raiston's California bank was
| in the drawer.
"Cjeyelaud was in magnificent spirits,
| and il WAS grayer and more distingue
/ party than has since assembled at any
| fare tank beside the sea or elsewhere
/ on tbs continent. Half q dozen Suutii-
| Ell! senators aiil congressman sat III an
atmosphere of smoke and of fragrant
! mint. Delighted 81 ectaiors al a pl,enanl-
! s-hal yame. wiiiISi69 BJe as stakes. Both
| We're iIeivy ii.eil -;.l.d played with des