The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-02-06
SOME INSIDE HISTORY
Told by John Colingsworth About
N. ii. Wolff
And OTHER TOPEKA GAMBLERS.
CoIIin.-svrortl says WON is a Erofes-
szonal Gambler and was Not Atsled

Ceilings worth says Wolf lis a Profess
szonal Gambler and EEas Not Alisled
The STATE Journal is in receipt of the
following communication from the well
known Topeka sport and gambler, John
CoIlingsworth. in answer to the charges
made against him by the confession Of
AWanamaker1 Wolff:
.ro tile Editor Of Che state journal.
DEAR SrR.-N III. Wolff. better known
az Wanamaker Wolff, tries TO lead the
people to believe that gambling is his
downfall. / say that it is not so. My
first acquaintance with Alr. w Oil was
last August i played poker with MN
two or three times in the month OF
August. [ do not remember whether
Dir. Wolff won or lost, it did not exceed
over s. one way or the other. i don't
think Wolff ever played poker with Nike
Thompson or Walt Richards during Au-
gust if ne did / know nothing about It,
During the month of Septem Der / was
not ia the city. Walt Richards does not
play poker and Nike Thompson can not
beat Wolf playing poker. Violin is good
nDEer PLAYER. the great trouble ls when
he gets ahead he always makes an eX-
cnse to quit and viii walk around the
block and come back and start with
about So more. I have never seen Mr..
Wolff with over $50 since j have known
him. and would make the remark that
that money belonged to w anamaker O.
Brown During the week of the fair
Wolff came to me and wanted to know II
/ could get room to play poker ln.
put a table in an office on Kansas ave-
nue.. We played poker two on three
nights: " Off got the players togethers
I looked after tine game, but did not do
any playing myself I issued the checks
and tended to the take off,. and gave
Wolff onehalf the profits Wolff was
playing in the game all the time for hin-
self He several times made me prop
osition to 90 in with me and open
poker room He claimed to know every
man who played poker in Shawnee
3lr Wolf says his first experience i'm
gam bling was about the time he ran the
Billiard hall. Mr. Wolf is as well
posted in gambling as any u ma
i'm the state Of Kansas, both faro bank and
poker He has told me about playing
faro and poker ia Tombstone, Arizona;
Cincinnati, Chicago, Kansas City and
Leavenworth.
During the fair this fail at Leaven-
worth lie lost some money playing poker
and faro. he told me 50 himself. There
IS q certain horse man that was playing
in the same game who lives in Topeka;
he also told me about Dir Wolff losing
heavily
During the month of November I was
running i poker room on Seventh street.
ersOn, and when my trial came UP my
lawyer pleaded guilty for me, as
Thought best
During the time I was running this
poker room, Mike Thompson and Pete
Slrader were both working for me,
tending the door and letting no -one in
but poker players if they could help it.
~ hen the police would come To- the door
they would all put their checks
and cards in their pockets and
was nothing to Indicate gam bling,
and the police would walk
out and could not make any arrest just
before N Off ran away he played In the
game several times but did not lose pr
win to exceed three or four dollars at
Mr. Wolff owes me s. borrowed mon
ley I loaned him a few days before he
left
am one Of the lucky ones who hold
VOLTS check. cashed one for him
the night be left town. When he got TO
Kansas City lac wrote letter to Mrs.
~ off which she showed to her attorney,
Judge Ensminger, and the JOURNAL puo-
lished ID stating that he had lost his
money with DR. Hamilton which was a
lie. he had no money to lose.
don't think the doctor plays much
poker think it was blackmail to
get money out Of the doctor.
Mrs. Wolff called at my house several
times butt I never have met her. She
said If 4 did not get her husband out Of
trouble She would prosecute me for play
ing poker with Mr. Wolff ann not the
only person she made her threats about
After Wolff was placed ia Jail he sent
for me. I took some cigars and went (
down and talked with him about five
I said don't lose your courage +
SIR. Wolff, you viii come out all right /
He asked me to try and get him bond. /
spoke to DE- Hamilton and Capt. (