The herald., 1894-07-15
ANGELES, SUNDAY MORNING, 15

decision had been given against him
Briggs wanted to play even, 30 he bet
the fellow $40 that New York was the
biggest city in the world, W which he also
lost, of course.
Jack Gambll used to tell story
about a fellow named Dan, who was q
most notorious cheat and could not play
fair at any game in the world. II faw
Dan the other day." said old Jack" and
he was sitting down to table all alone
by himself and playing q game OF soli-
taire. And do you know, he hadn't sat
there five minutes before he began
nudging the leg of the table to play in
with him."
Abner Gentry, we'll known here and in
Fresno. could hardly be called pioneer
sporting man, although he arrived in the
state in 1850, when a email boy. He was
as brave ae q lion and as odd as he was
courageous. He died in San Francisco
about two years ago. During the palmy
days OF the Comstock, "Ab' was the
highest roller in Virginia City. One
night Judge T.. s. Mesick came into Cen
try's game with big sack OF twenties in
his hand and aaked:
"Mr. Gentry, what is the limit OF this
game?''
Your conscience" replied Mr.. Gen
try, quietly.
Several years ago, when CAB" was
dealing a game down on Main street,
near the opera house, a young man en-
ployed in one OF our largest mercantile
concerns got 80 infatuated with the game
that he played off all his wages. From
that he began to pilier his employers
cash. One night he came in and lost
$40, after which he went ont and came
back with 5000 more. This he also lost.
Again he went out and came back with
$3.50, which shared a similar fate. He
started out once more, with his face as
pale as death. Calling hired dealer to
the chair. Gentry went out and followed
him. He saw him 60 into the store and
unlock the safe. The young man brought
in 500 more and lost it in less than half
a deal. There was nothing ahead of him
but fight or suicide. He called Gentry
aside and asked him in a hosrse voice:
"Ab. will you loan me $40 for week
or ten dsys?"
Certainly, but just wait minute.
By the way, how much are you q loser
this EVENING"" asked Gentry.
''Six hundred dollars, to cent" was
the reply.
Gentry went over and unlocked the
safe, took out 5000, and then led the
young man down to q well-known res
tsurant, whore he called for private
room. Ringing the bell he sent for a
bottle of champagne.
"Here's to your red emptior," he said
with curious leer.
What do you mean2" asked the
young fellow.
II mean that am going to do better
by you than you aaked," said Gentry,
'for you asked me for $40, and 1 am
going to give you back what you have
lost tonight, on your word of honor as q
man that you will never play faro
back in the safe, and if L ever hear OF
your going into gam bling house again,
1 will inform your employers Of it. Now,
60 and don't over dsrksn my doors
again. Good.by and good luck to you"
Gentry's action in this matter caused
dissolution OF his relations with bis
partners. He went hence to Fresno and.
in eight months, was ''stone broke"
He got down to San Francisco where
Ross q Carroll gave him a place at So
day till he was paralyzed in November.
1891. Stricken down by the blow that
palsied every nerve, the big giant lay on
his bed al helpless as any infant might
be.
Meanwhile the young confidential
clerk. having profted by the wholesome
lesson taught him, had behaved himself
we'll and was finally admitted TO part
nership. Disliking to call upon other
gambling men for aid, big hearted "Ab"
Gentry, now hopeless cripple, got
friend to write back to the young mer-
chant for aid. He received in return q
money order for $50. The next week
Gentry died and suppose the merchant
now breathes freely again. "Such 10
life in the far west"
Edward B. Ragsdale, who was inter.
ested in the Bella Union whe n it was a
public Kursaal, in now living in Balti.
more at the advanced age OF 50 years.
He could write very enjoyable book OF
his experiences in California, for they
were manifold indeed. They tell a very
funny story about old Ned and Dutch
gambler named Johnny Otto, now more
than 20 years dead. Otto hated to lose
money and was frequently accused of
being addicted to cheating. Razsdale
and he opened game in Benlcia the
winter of 1854, just before the capital
was moved to Sacramento. Otto went
to bed one night at IL o'clock, leaving
Ragsdale and hired man named Moss
dealing for very light game. Shortly
after his retirement in came Senator
Bill Hawks, vi Turner, Col e. D.
Baker afterwards United States SEN
ator from Oregon). David Bagley, Char
lev Fairfax, and dozen other political
celebrities of that period. They piled
up their checks as high as thsv would
stand. and the bank closed $4,000 loser
at 4 a. m. When Otto came down in
the morning Ragsdale was smoking
cigar as coolly as ii nothing had hap.
pened. Otto took up the cssh book to
examine the receipts of the previous
night.
"vat? Mein Gott! You lose s45OO.
Ned?'
"Sh! Don't say a word" replied
Ragsdale, sit gives a tone to the game"
Of the few old-time sports" that eur
vive, few only have any money.
Charley Reed. who is now past 70, is
proprietor of the Fairview stock farm,
near Gallatin, Tenn. Pat Gallagher,
who would flight bear and give him
the first bite" is in New York. quite
wealthy but nearly blind. B. F. Cneat-
ham, at one time the leading gambler
OF Stockton, became noted general in
the Confederate army and then amassed
fortune in the agency OF McCormick'n
reaDara for Tanueseaa and Alabama