The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-07-12
FOUR CONSERVATIVE GAMBLERS
Each Try to Live Longest So as to Win a
Pool of Four Thousand Dollars.

~N" Try W Live Longest SO as TO w IN
POOL of Four Thousand Dollars.
In the year 1881 there were few men
better know in the sporting world than
Billy Emerson, Jack Sheridan, Johnny
Pratt and Winnipeg. No one ever
seemed to know just what Winnipeg's
nrSt name was, but, like the other
tnree, he was man whose nerve, when
II came to making a heavy wager on
card or horse, was never questioned.
Among racing people in the east and
west these four men were known and
respected. for. in addition to being
heavy gamblers, they were men who
had never been in any way identified
with any scheme or deal that was not.
TO use racetrack expression, ION the
level" 1t was during the year 1886
that they were at the top notch of
prosperity. Although different in many
ways, there was one common ailment
among them, and it was probably this
that made them such fast friends. All
Tour were consumptives. and. although
at that time the disease had barely
more than shown itself, they got worse
and worse as the years rolled by. until
one by one they died Although they
must have known what was the trouble
with them, it was utterly impossible
to get anyone of them to acknowledge
that he had consumption.
Every once in a while nowadays, when
i boo5makers get together over a cold
bottle and begin telling stories, the
story of the -four cons as they were
| called, comes up. One evening a book
maker was telling the story.
"a peculiar thing about those men,"
he said, was that although none of
them would ever acknowledge that he
was on the brink of the grave, they
| would take great pleasure in guying
| one another about their ill-health.
Emerson, pale and emaciated and emit
ting hollow coughs. would walk up to
| Pratt, who was in a similar condition.
| and say: Look here, old boy. you are
sick man. Go away somewhere and
recuperate. You need a rest Then
Pratt would brace up and reply. indig-
nantly: You go to Halifax! What do
you mean by telling me I'm sick? and
| then he would stride away, mad clear
| through.
This sort of thing went on for some
time, until one day Emerson remarked
to the others that he was going to have
his life insured. What they gasped
| together, you don't think any company
would take a chance on you, do you?
Emerson ignored the insinuation. and
| the next day had an examination for
g. 4
When he gloomily told the others about
| it they gave him the grand laugh.
| Then each one in turn quietly informed
Emerson that he himself was going to
| be insured. They all tried and all were
| rejected.
Zone day they met at the race-track,
and Emerson remarked: Say, boys. we
couldn't get insured; but I've got
better game than that. Let's put up
thousand apiece, and the one who lives
| the longest takes the pot
"'Why, you poor fool" remarked
| Winnipeg. who was at that time the
worst case of all, it's a dead certain
| will for me-
{ $ %, you don't say So put in. Pratt.
why, one of your lungs is missing now,
and | don't think you'll live a month.
''After an hour of this sort of chat
| fing the four men agreed to put up the
money. 1t was given to Billy Elliot a
bookmaker. and he deposited it in a
New York bank. 1t was deposited in
such way that any one of dozen
boollmakers could draw it out at any
time. This was done 50 as to be sure
that the last man would be able to get
the money without any trouble. At
this time poor Winnipeg was an awful
sight and people thought he would die
at any minute. Yet he would come to
| the track every day. and whenever he'd
| run across one of the other three he'd
guy him about the money they had put
up You fellows will be dead and
gone before they put me in bed he'd
say Those VINO knew him used to
smile pityingly on him whenever he
made this boast.
1.-TWO months after the money had
| been deposited Emerson's physician
| told him that he must go away or he'd
| die in week. So Billy took his money
| and went to Texas, where he bought a
ranch, and tried to settle down. In six
months he was dead. Early in 1887
| Sheridan died, and this left only Pratt
| and Winnipeg, who was verify a living
| corpse, to contest for the money. Pratt
| got worse and worse. and his condition
was soon as bad as his friends. These
| two used to totter around the betting
ring, and when they were not betting
| would tell each other how bad they
looked. Jack and Billy have gone,
said Winnipeg one day, and you're next,
Johnny. That coins mine You'll be
| dead week and I'll collect that four
thousand Pratt replied, and both
laughed.
1.-The next week Pratt lost his every
dollar in an attempt to make enough to
leave his wife Independent when he
died. The week after he was too weak
to get up. One morning after being
confined to his bed for couple of days
he died, leaving his wife penniless
The very day he died the money was
drawn from the bank by Elliot and
given to Winnipeg. II knew I'd win
it, said the latter. Il knew I'd out
live them, and now | can't die too soon
| to suit myself NV living for the paSt