The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1893-04-01
oREeoM JEFF IN SAN FRANCISCO.
One Of the Sharpest Of Card Players
Relates His Experience.

After an absence of over four
years "Oregon jeff" is again in this
city, says the San Francisco Chron-
Gle.
"Oregon Jeff" Yes, he is the
man. He is better kno wn by that
name in California, and, in fact,
throughout the United States and
Canada, than by his real name of
Gustave Jeffries.
He arrived here three days ago,
and it is an astonishing fact that
it has taken so long for his presence
to be known.
"Oregon Jeff" originally came to
this state from it's northern neigh
Dor. That is why he was dubbed
with the sobriquet. He first made
his appearance here as youngster,
comparatively speaking, about 20
years ago. In feature and form he
does not look day older now.
Jeff's business is gambling, and
he is proud of it. No matter where
you meet him he will tell you he
CANDLES and will take chances to
win or lose his money on the turn
of a card or die. But his strong
hold is playing short cards-poker,
for instance. At the little game he
can beat the world; at least he will
try, and if it so occurs that he gets
the worst of the try he will never
utter a murmur of complaint; he
will accept the defeat, so far as ap-
pearances go, with the same phlegm
he would had he won.
He is particularly happy to get
back to this city, so he says, for he
stated to Chronicle reporter who
met him yesterday that there is no
place like old Frisco, after all.
81 have just returned from Mon
tana," he said. THAT was my last
resting place, but l have taken a
run through every state in the I'm
ion, and l wouldn't give up Mil
pitas for the whole lot of them."
A number of old-timers, knights
of the round table, were with him
yesterday, and he was telling OF
his experiences in the East. Two
of them fit in we'll right here as de-
scriptive of the man, but there are
hundreds of others that are charac-
teristic.
He was hunting for some man
with plenty: of money who would
play cards. He heard of such an
individual being in a small town
some miles from New York. 1t
was an undertaken. Jeff imme-
diately proceeded to purchase a
drummer's outfit of silver han
dies. plates and coffin trimmings
and he started for the place with
his stock. Now, Jeff has pro-
nounced features, such as are fire.
quently observed in drummers, and
his fluent conversation and quick
wit carried the part out perfectly
The undertaken found him a
pleasant fellow, who sold goods sc
per cent cheaper than he could buy
them from any other salesman, SO
he gave him big order. That
night jeff dined with the under
taker and later on they sat down
with other friends to play cards
Jeff was very lucky and he quit the
town the next day with couple OF
thousand dollars winnings. But
that was an easy game and jeff had
little excitement, because he always
won.
"I'll tell you, boys, where | had a
close call, 'he said. at was down
in Missouri. A fellow there owned
a roadside-house about thirteen
miles from the railroad station
He virtually controlled the entire
trade of the farmers in that Sec
ton and he was fat jeff laughed
as he alluded to the mans wealth
in his own slang terms.
II made up my mind that
would go there and see if | could
do business, but if l went there on
the proposition to gamble he would
be on the lookout and knew
would get left.
"What did / do. l made up in
a half military way and road uE
horseback to the place. | had
talk with the landlord and incident
ally told him was buying mules
for the government. The livery
stable man heard of this and he
came to me with an offer Of a dozer
or more, forget now. They wer'
all sizes, from ten to fifteen hands
high.
II told him they would not do
the government only wanted six
teen-hand-high mules and I'd taxi
all that he could fetch me tha
size.
"Missouri is full Of mules, ant
they can give you any size yo'
want, but / didn't know that then
81 made myself a good fellow
that night, and before 10 O'Clock
the landlord and couple of oths
men around there we're trying t
do me up at poker.
"That was where I was waitinl
fo 4Lor, ord az a o'clock in tn