The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-04
HAS QUIT THE GAME.
Hurt, the Gambler, Says He Will
Never Play Cards Again.
Won Fortune at Poker and Spent it
in High Living-The Cause of His
D 49,.
From the san Francisco Chronicle.

Reformation.
From the San Francisco Chronicle.
William w. Hurt, the gambler who re-
Gently caused a sensation in New York,
has reformed. At least he says he has,
and in saying so admits many of the
charges made against him. And his re-
formation is directly due to his exposure
by the New York newspapers. He said
to-day, as he held up a newspaper con-
tanning an account of some of his doings:
1--we come to the conclusion that if I'm
as big seoundrel as this paper makes
me out to be I'll quit.
"a fellow doesn't know how much of
a low down cuss he is until he sees it set
forth in plain print, and then it knocks
him endwise.
''I'm done. No more poker for me. I
went down to breakfast in my home over
in Oakland this morning and caught my
old mother crying, while my sisters tried
to comfort her, and the governor just sat
IN his chair looking mighty thoughtful.
What's the matter!' l says, and the dear
old lady came over and kissed me and
patted my cheeks, saying: Don't be
angry with me, Will, for carrying on, but
here's the reason
L.
and then went and laid her head on dads
shoulder read the paper and then went
upstairs and thought hard for "a long time.
Il said to myself: Billy Hurt, you're
dead hard game You haven't done all
the things they lay at your door, but
you've done the least of them, and that
makes you about as poor sort of man as
ever kept out of jail. Now, you've dis
graced your sisters and the old folks, and
| fl-Af ala he e
your life now, William, and you hold the
top hand If you only know how to play it,"
NIhen l went down stairs and told the
folks that I'd never touch a card again
as long as lived. They came to me all
at once, and had to run to get away
from them.
81 want you to publish that I've passed
out of. my last game of poker. You can
print my picture so that folks will know
me wherever l go around and if anybody
ever sees that phiz behind five cards
again they can football me from here to
New York and back again
Hurt said he was willing to tell the
story of his life, but he wanted first to
deny some of the things that had been
said about him. He said:
Il am not bunco steerer, thimble-rig-
ger, three card monte man, gold brick
swindler or any of those things l never
won a cent in my life that didn't come to
me in game of poker The police de-
partment has never ordered me to leave
town. If it did / wouldn't go.
Il have done no unlawful act. l pay
taxes here, and they can't force me to
leave. The hardest thing they can say
about me is that haven't played honest
poker. have beat every sucker that l
could catch at the game, but have never
done anything worse. Now, l am here
for the purpose of opening duplicate
of Roster & Balls New York Theater l
have location in sight, and intend to
run an honest business. I'll never touch
a card againA'
After making some more denials, chiefly
concerning events alleged in his local ca
reer. Hurt said he was born in Kentucky.
His father was a Methodist preacher, and
the family early crossed the plains and
settled at DavisviLle. Here Hurt grew
up, working as an engineer and giving all
OF his money to his mother He lost his
place and then became telegraph opera
tor on the Southern Pacific.
''While there, he said, 81 invented an
electric dice battery, which afterward, In
company with Budd Gafford, Davis
vile gambler, l made money on at the
Sacramento fair. The scheme was a bat
terry concealed under the table, and con-
neeted by wires with the top. All I had
to do was to press a button with my knee
under the table and magnetic it, My
dice would bore out on the ace spots and
fill the cavities with steel filings, over
which would paste black putty
when l wanted to win I'd press the
button, throw the dice on the magnetized
table, and, of course, my throw would be
five skies. Then I'd take my knee away
from the button, and the other fellow
would get whatever he was lucky enough
to throw, but I'd get his money.
"Gafford advised me not to gamble, but
when he found l was bent upon it he
showed me lots of tricks.
II came to San Francisco about
eighteen years ago and skinned every
body in town, even the old time gam
blers.
Il had plenty Of money and lived on the
best in the land. Four wears ago | went
east, and was taken from Chicago to Du-
luth in private car by vice president
of the Chicago, Milwaukee aud st. Paul
railroad. He had been unlucky at poker
with two bankers at Duluth, and he took
me along to introduce as friend of his
and skin them That's the kind of a
chap he was, and I'd like to know who
was the bigger rascal, he or l. | found a
good deal of that In my time. Men who
hold their heads the highest in the land
have run me in on their best friends and
divided the SpOIlS with me.
The bankers happened to be out of
town, and, not wishing TO make a profit
less trip, my vice president told me that
there were couple of gamblers in Duluth
that could go against The game came
of in the Hotel St Louis. My friend told
me they had two decks of marked cards.
Well, Isoon managed to spoil those decks,
and we played with others.
THE railroad man and divided $1,000
on that game, and l still hold some real
estate l bought with my share later
went to New Orleans and won a few
thousands at the Shakespeare club. Then
went TO Louisville and Lexington, KY.
My first game in New York was in the
English room of the Hoffman house Mr..
Day, of Schoebel & Day, Wall street
bankers, and a namesake Of mine, T. II.
Hurt, also broker, played in the game.
For the time being J was millionaire
miner from California. Oh, how thoes
men did jump for me From California
and rich miner. l was a turkey They
had the hardest time dragging me into
the game
my namesake Hurt showed me sights
for two days befor the game came off and
insisted that we were relatives He fin
ally convinced me that we were,third or
fourth cousins. and it cost him So 600 to
discover me.
HE was blood though. When he