The herald., 1894-07-15
TALES OF OLD TIME SPORTS,
Famous Knights Of the Green
Cloth in Early California.
Jack Gambill and the Hand Organ
in New Orleans.
Now Ned RaEsdsls Proposed to "Give
Tone to tho Gams'-Ths Ro-
nance in the Life OF Jim
Pruett-Sundry Notss..

I have had the question asked me
moro than once, Do you think God ever
made a gambler? My answer is that
God makes men and they are whatever
they choose to make themselves. II
they become gamblers that is their own
lookout. We had at one Of our local
theaters, within a few weeks, Q very
forcible and graphic impersonation Of a
pioneer sporting man in Mr.. George
Osbourne's Jack Mason. Nor do 1.
knowing many OF the "sports" of the
pioneer period. deem 1t an extravagant
or overdrswn picture. Jack MAson was
type of the early times gambler who
was satisfied with the legitimate per-
centage of game which is computed to
be nearly Is per cent in favor OF the
dealer. That class OF men antedRted
the era OF the two-card box, the patent
layout into which . card 10 showed to
change Its position from winner to
loser, or the reflector" by which the
dealer can see every card which no deals
off to his adversaries in the game.
In pioneer days money was so plenty
was NO great incentive for any man to
cheat. If caught at 1t, he was liable to
be shot or carved to death, for every body
carried Weapons then; or If no effort
were made to resent the swindle pub
licly, the news would be passed from
one man to smother until the successful
operator would be marked man and
nobody would play with him. So it
behooved the sports to play square and
trust to the percentage in their favor.
Speaking of percentage recalls a story
that James L. Pruett of st. Louis, who
is still living at the advanced age OF rs
years, used to tell on Col. Jack Gembill,
who died in San Francisco last January /:
Jack came down to Now Orleans
from Northern Alabama and was one of
the best all-sround short card players
that had ever been seen in the Crescent
City, but outside of cards he was as
green as a gourd. One day he was walk
ing down Camp street and suddenly
came upon an Italian grinding away at
hand organ which was covered over
with green cloth just like faro table.
Staring at the new-fangled jigger, Jack
stood q moment when gentleman
came out of the house and, laying 25
cents upon the green cloth. walked
away. Jack stood still moment and
then thought he would try his luck. He
put down half dollar, which the dago
swept into his pocket with polite bow
and then went on grinding away at the
machine. Then Jack concluded to 60
him double or quits, so he put down a
dollar, which the padrone also picked
up. Then Jack put down 81, which
went the same way. So Jack stright-
ened up and says he:
"Look a-yere, Mistopher; Pm a
stranger in these parts aud l never
played agin this game afore but you
will allow me to remark that I've gam
bled good deal and never yet saw
game in which the percentage was quite
as strong in favor OF the dealer"
Eph Horn, the pioneer minstrel, was
30 infatuated with gaming that he never
could 90 to bed as long as there was
light burning over green cloth. He
had boy of Jewish parentage named
Henry Cahan, whom he supported, and
the boy was quite an expense to him.
One day in the old Arcade, old Horn sat
with solitary white chip in his hand,
the last remainder OF his $50 a week.
He was hesitating whether to bet it or
not, when up came Henry and said:
AuLIy upS Gph, unu hhuho - WIN
ming 60 we can 60 to dinner"
me? Me make winning with four
bits? You might as we'll talk about low
ering fire. proof safe out OF third
story window with a horse hair"
Stephen B. Whipple was the biggest
OF all the pioneer sporting men, very
quiet and affable man, native of
Rhode Ialand. He was a man of great
enterprise and took 100000 worth of
stock in the first telegraph line ever
built in the state. He owned the whole
of the old Diana" on Commercial
etreet and had also private gaming
rooms in a four-Btory granite building
across the street. In 1864 he got into
coal mining speculation and discontinued
all gambling operations. His palatial
rooms he rented to William @. Ralston,
who gave dinner parties there to which
he invited any prominent eastern peo-
pie who might be visiting San Francisco
at the time. One night a very select
company had just risen from the table,
when suddenly the door opened and in
came an odd-looking specimen Of the
average mountain gambler, who was
dressed in the most outre style, and ex.
claimed:
."Whsr's the tiger and the dealer?
want my revenge"
"Sir," said Mr.. Ralston, ''these are
ny private apartments, and you cor
ainly can have no business with any
body here.'
"Wall, lost 1890 agin Steve Whip.
pie the last time / was in vera an |
want to git eveD," said the sport.
"Thsse were at one time Mr.. Whip
ple's club rooms" said the banker, "but
l have leased them for purposes of pri-
vate entertainment and there is no
game dealt in the house, 30 beg you
will withdraw"
''Eggskuse me. pard," replied the ra-
viner, "but was in here four years ago
and lost $500. I'll 90 out. pard, that's
all right enough. but you'll allow me to
remark that see jest the same folks in
mere now as there were then"
Bill Briggs was protege of Whippls's
ana q southerner by birth. After the
war broke out the lines were very
ftronRly defined between members of
the sporting fraternity. Whipple was
q very outspoken union man and old
Col. Jack Gambill was about the only
one OF the southern sports that stuck TO
I'm. Briggs came from St. Louis TO
IAN FRANCISCO overland. and was one of
no hnest looking mon ever saw. lie
led OF paralyGie about four vears ago.
III was very shrewd and sharp man,
ut OF very detective education, Pat
thllHXu6r, w hUiu | mat in Naw York