St. Paul daily globe., 1893-06-11

the gang covered with my revolver in
my right hand, | gathered all my money
from the table with my left, and backed
to the door. | turned the knob with
the hand. in which | had the money and
swinging the door open backed out
without saying a word.
"While in Panama, in 1884, | got into
a game of American poker with party
of nice people. We played on an ordi-
nary green-top baiZe table. | noticed
one of the men held remarkably strong
hands, especially when the pot was
large. / watched him awhile, and saw
he had hole in the table at the end of
the cloth. By pressing a spring with
his foot he could push up five cards
into his hand, which he held over the
hole. afterward heard of his DEATH
and bought the table from among his
effects. | keep it as curiosity, and
value it highly.
I'm New York, not long ago, J. was
taken in, and could have kicked myself
afterward for allowing a swindler to
dupe me. We were at private room IN
a hotel, where some friends wanted me
to take the couceit out of calloW youth
who had been Dragging about his skill
at poker. After the game had got good
and hot my friends dropped out and the
youth and myself went at 1t. The
ante was 25 cents, with 81 limit.
Every time my antagonist won he
put the bills III his pocket and
would chip in the money as he needed
it. | determined to beat him at
his own game. After he had'a good
portion of my pile | started in to skin
him. ! got all he had won and a good
bit more. Occasionally | would allow
him to win to keep the fun up, and en-
joyed th / e young mans innocence
from Cheyenne l met some three-card
monte men OH the train. They had
farmer III their tolls, and won over $50
from him. | saw they were cheating
him and told him so. One Of the men
pulled gun and exhibited card upon
which was printed: Mind your own
business | determined to get the
farmers money back. | got into the
game. The monte men were dead
easy as the saying is. | not only got
the farmers money back, but secured
blers before they knew it was time to
quit.
Zone of the most thrilling things l
ever saw at a card table was at a gam
bling house in Madrid. ! was there in
1868. They play monte game similar
to the American faro. Instead OF using
a box they use the hand. One man VINO
had been playing good while dropped
a trifle over $1,000. He thought the
dealer was cheating. He watched and
saw him slip two cards from his hand
when he should have slipped but one.
Whipping out dagger he brought the
point of it down on the hand of the
dealer and nailed the member to the
table. There was a biz uproar, which
resulted III the police raiding the place.
Fortunately for me ] made my escape
from the house. l believe | was the only
one to got away.
"A year previous to my experience at
Madrid | was IN London, and decided
to go on a visit to my family in Paris.
l had for a travelling companion the
secretary of the Russian legation. AS
the train left Charing Cross three men
got into the carriage we occupied. When
the guard came for our tickets | mad TO
open my purse. In the purse were some
$50 gold pieces | was carrying to my
sister. One of the three men saw them
and started conversation with me. lie
pulled out Spanish piece worth about
SIG in American money, and said he got
it withoutit costing him a cent. One OF
the other two asked how he secured it.
He said he would show us. Pulling out
his card case he took out three cards. 1t
was the same old game, and in few
minutes over 9l00 sterling was piled up
before him. 1t belonged to his con-
Iederate, however.
They tried TO get my friend and my
self into the game, but we would not
bite. Finally the dealer said he would
bet $50 | could not pick the ace of
hearts. | knew where the card was.
Grabbing his arm, said: Il will take
the bet He saw he was caught and re-
fused to make good the bluff at that mo-
ment. then took the cards and had
some fun with the men. When lett the
train they asked for my address, saying
they wanted to get some points from