The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-01-11

A few weeks ago, about the time the po-
lice authorities were raiding tho gamblers,
party OF lawyers, police authorities aud
others We're gathered in one of the lower
rooms OF the court house engaged IN a con-
vefsation about public morals and the
suppression of crap joints, poker rooms
and other pitfalls. Finally some one gave
his personal experience in an Indianapolis
gambling room. Ii was but a compare
lively short time before it became known
that more than one gentleman present had
had an experience of his own 10 the lair
of the tiger
Talking of big bluffs" remarked we'll
known lawyer. 81 believe l can tell the
king story. Il was in Yankton, Oak, about
ten years ago. had dropped into Yank
Thomas room. Just 10 see what was going
on. and found couple OF friends who
wanted to play little poker. 1 was
agreeable and We sat down. The cards
had not been dealt when some one was
heard to say: Hold on there! S'pose
you feIlers amt goin' to 'bject il another
feler wants TO drop a little money
learnin' how TO play. are yerY
We turned around and saw on
innocent green looking and simple
minded individual. Weexchanged chances
and invited him to take q seat at the table
He seated himself and the deal was made.
We agreed upon jackpot and made it a
fat one. worth about $40 10 start
out with. The gentleman on my right
vinked his eve and opened the pot for $40.
All went in. including our hayseed friend
l felt quite comfortable for l held a pair
Of kings. which l drew TO and caught
third. The PLAYER on my right drew one
card and the one on the opposite side OF
the table called for three. The innocent
stranger said he believed he could
get along with two cards. and they were
given him. The first bet was SO and our
Innocent friend said he guessed he
could go little better than that and laid
down a couple of ten-dollar bills We
looked first at him and then at our cards
He kept his eyes on his cards and never
smiled. l saw his raise. for / had hand
that nothing less than first-c.ass one
would beat. The next man also
planked down ms extra ten
and his next neighbor astonished tile
crowd by raising the cOuntryman cool
five. The green one studied his hand Tor
fully five minutes and then slowly arose
20 his feet and said: L don't know but
mighty little about this game, pards, but
IF you will wait BIT I'll try and cone
down with a little more stuff He
then slowly drew from his peck
cts, one after the other. paper
money, in various denominations, silver
dollars. halves and quarters. and even 10
cent pieces and half dimes. and finally a
few pennies. He piled up the stuff and
il was found to be exactly Sl77.54 That's
my level best, gents he said and if YOU
think you can get it, why, jist pitch in
and git it.
MY three friends studied for a few mo-
ments and then laid down their hands. I
did the same thing. The innocent young
man showed his hand into the deck. raked
the stakes into his big side-pocket, arose
ftom his chair and said:
"'I b'lieye I've found out a dsrned sight
about this ere game, ami I've got to be
goin. Good eve, pards. ;"
HE walked out and that was the last
seen of him. As soon as he was out of the
room gentleman whom We all knew well,
and who had seen the strangers hand,
broke into lusty laughing.
What did you fellows hold?" he asked.
When he found that the hands were three
kings. SIX full on queens, and tens
and jacks, he simply said You
little boys had better 90 home to
your mammas- That was a msaslv
bluff, and il ever three suckers were easily
hooked you are those suckers. That
country boy whom YOU thought you
were going to bleed held just a pair OF
trays, not another thing in his hand
About Elk months afterWRrd that 'coun-
try boy came into my office at Yankton
and retained me IN a case Before we got
through with it he paid me over $500.
He had hall interest in one OF the best
herds Of cattle on the Henrietta ranges.
and also owned sheep almost without
number IN the northern part OF the state.
1t was John Hardmo1, and he had been
born on the plains aud Desought up on the
ranges
Il know of story OF bluff better than
yours" here remarked another of the
party. 1T happened in gam bling room
IN this city, not more than a month ago.
There was 6 fellow in game
with two others, and he had been trying
his blgtiing right along. until finally an
other individual. who didn't look as if he
bad sense enough TO 20 in when it rsined,
asked to come in. 1t was not half hour
until two men, one of them the last
conner. had raised the other two out Of
the game. Then the two who remained
IN went at il and raised each other back
and forth until here was not less than
$50 on the table. At last il came 70
showdown. the buffer winning. and all
be held was pair of deuces. The other
player held pair o; trays"
Boss gam pliers. as a rule, said another
person present, do not give up money
lost in their places. but know of one in
stance where this was done about two
years ago in a North Side room in this
town, and it wasn't forced surrender of
stuff either. There was q young book
keeper in a Wholesale house who was
regular visitor. and for about three months
he had been playing In desperate luck
One night about / :30 o'clock be came up
to tho room and seemed unusually
nervous, for he walked back and
Iorth for fully half an hour
without saying word to anyone. although
ne was we'll acquainted with nearly
everyone in the room. At last he sent
m order down stairs for a brandy and
when It came tossed it down. lie went
Ep to table where a game wac Just being
Nartsd and eaid he would play few dol
iars' worth. The game after a time dwin-
He'd down to the young man and an in
5ividual known as one of the worst
crooks with cards who over skinned a
man out of hard-earned cash. In the
course OF an hour and a half the
young bookkeeper arose from the
table with a face "a pale as any
dead mans, staggered over to where the
boss gamb er was taking with a couple of
friends aud said: II have Loaf the laat