St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-14

was a tolerably fair lawyer and
4 much better politician, but his
sklll at draw poker eclpsed all his other
qualities. Afterwards, when i'll the sen
ate from Colorado, his proves at cards
gave him a national reputation, and
there were few of the statesmen" of
the period who cared to sit opposite the
swarthv, sphinX-faced member from
the blooming West.
Capt. bill" Green, as he was famil-
iarly called, had earned his title III the
Second Colorado cavalry, and had been
a brave Indian fighter in more than one
campaign. At one time during the war
his command was stationed at West
port. and some of the old-timerS OF Kan
sas City may have crossed lanceS with
him over the green table, for he was an
inveterate lover of the seductive game
of draw. He still lives in Denver, an
invalid, but loves 10 talk over the old
days when he forced many an Oppo-
nent TO lay down big hands before his
plunging methods. Unlike Bowen,
played all sorts of tricks with his face,
and you couldn't tell from the tenor Of
his profanity whether he held
pair of deuceS or q straight flush.
AT the time he was county clerk at
Lake City and Bowen was at Del N0rte.
The two had often sent challenges to
each other, but eighty-fiye miles and
mountain range interviewed, and so far
they had not met Oh the green field.
The newspapers of the two towns had
defended the skill and STAYING qualities
of their respective champions, until the
entire population of the counties had
become interested in the meeting which
was sure to occur SCORER or later.
The meeting was fastened by chance
or maybe fate. The counties of Rio
Grande and Hinsdale had both been re-
Gently organized, and their respective
treasures were as empty as cradle
when the baby is gone. The expenses
had for several months been paid by
issuing warrants. which were worth
about 90 cents on the dollar. These
warrants were held by the various
persons to whom they had been
issued. An attorney for Rio Grande
county. Tom Bowen, had received S400 or
$500 worth Of these promises to pay, and
it was not long before he had all the
balance of the warrants in his possession.
To him the method of accommodating
county scrip was a simple one. Meeting
the holder of warrant, he would chal-
lenge him for a little game of draw,
county scrip to be stakes. In few
weeks he owned every dollars worth Of
scrip i'll Rio Grande county. and was
signing for more worlds to conquer.
He soon found one.
Capt. Green had not been permitting
his talents to 90 TO seed. He, too, was
the possessor of fat salary warrant
and in little while the holders of the
other issues had succumbed to his su-
perior prowess i'll holding fours,
and maintaining bluffs that were
equally efficacious where he didn't hold
fOurs. Then he cast his eyes towards
the SnoW-clad peaks of the Saquache
range on the other side of which Gen.
Tom held sway, and sighed YEARLY for
more worlds to conquer.
His wish was also granted.
1t was Gen. Tom who opened hOstiI-
tiles. Placing his big roll of warrants
i'll a pair of rawhide saddlebagS, he
mounted mustang mule and, like Ma
poleon, crossed the American Alps and
descended upon the valley Of the Gunni-
son. He was escorted by anoble retinue
of Rio Graude county men, prominent
among whom was the editor of the San
Juan Prospector. Adair Wilson, for
merly of Marshall, Mo-; Alva Adams,
afterwards governor OF Colorado: Gen.
Adams, Indian agent, and common
sports galore, who came to make side
bets on the issue.
Capt Bill Green met his adversary at
the door OF his cabin and made Gen.
Tom his honorary guest. Lake City
Was atlame with excitement. a rich
strike was nothing compared to it, The
saloons were in blast and big bets were
Enade on the result. The honor of Hins-
dale county was at stake and Capt. Bill
stood in the breach.
In order to give the game eclat it was
decided that the contest should take
place in the Office of the Silver World,
and the issue of that influential paper
was delayed one day in order to ac-
commoda.e the contestants and their
friends.
1t was decided that they should. sit at
the table and play until one or the
other had won all the warrants, their
face value being $4,000, about equally
divided between tile two counties. A
limited number of hackers, referees and
friends were admitted to witness the
game, and the editors of the Del Norte