The Press., 1893-09-07
SIXTEEN YEARS OF EUCHRE.
Nearly 10000 Games, and One Side Only
 154 Games Ahead.

Nearly 10000 Games, and One Side Only
 154 Games Ahead.
 Twenty thousand games of euchre! This is the record of the play of the four Chicago gentlemen who have sat every Saturday evening for the past 16 years and engaged ill that game which gencr- ally marks the initiation of every novice into the never ending mysteries of cards. Daniel Westervelt and c. L. Root have played against Thomas Benton James and James Taylor. They have been urged many times to play whist or ca sino or pinochle or seven up, but never for one moment have they swerved from their devotion to euchre.
 To be absolutely correct, these four euchre players, these two pairs of faith full adherents to the powers of bowers, reached their nineteen thousand six hun dred and fiftieth game of euchre Satur- day evening, and upon the occasion of the twenty thousandth game each of the players intends arriving at the scene of play smoking 50-cent cigar. Except on holidays or anniversaries, it is said, they are supremely indifferent to the quality of the tobacco they burn.
 Thomas Benton James is @ pensioner of the wholesale house of Marshall Field & Go. He was general salesman for that firm and it's predecessors for 26 years, and about two years ago was placed upon the retired list with con- tinued pay for services rendered. He is sprightly gentleman of mature years, which he places at 69, but which his friends usually speak of as being some where under 100. MT. James partner is James Taylor, a congenial companion with life record of 70 years. It is said that James Taylor can indicate by a graduated system of pressure upon the foot of Thomas Benton James whether he is holding right, left and ace, ten spot and queen, or no trumps at all. Daniel Westervelt is 73 years old. He was a salesman for Field, Letter 6 Co.,, after ward for A. T. Stewart 6 Co.,, and finally for Storm 6 Hill, retiring when the lat ter firm retired. c. l.. Root is the ''boy' of the quartet. He is only 63 and is considered rather wild and frisky by his companions. MT. Root drove stage be- tween Blue Island and Chicago during the period between 1880 and 1S4O and tookno stock whatever in the future of the city.
 Every Saturday night as regularly as the week rolls around these four cronies meet and play euchre. They shift about, like sittings of the supreme court, from one house to another, but they always sit in the same chairs and in the Same relative positions. Almost eight years ago MT. James brought to meeting a copy of "Cavendish on Whist" for which he came near being expelled from the society.
 The four players have become so att tached to the simple game of euchre that it is now part of their very natures, and in the 16y years of their weekly con- tests only on an occasional case of sick ness, to the number of three or four times in all, has cancelled the engage ment of either player. A complete rec ord of the games is kept to show which side leads from year to year. At present MT. James and his partner are 154 games ahead of their opponents. At the ten thousandth game they were 192 games in the lead, but have been losing for the last two years. For period of five years there was no material gain for either side.
 All four of these lifetime euchreists are gentlemen rather simple in their GUS toms, disinclined to adopt the intricacies of whist or the novelty of cinch, and are unwilling to concede that some Saturday night three of their number will meet at the appointed place, light their cigars, get the cards in readiness and wait for one who will never deal the cards again. Chicago News-Record.