The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-08-16
BEATING A CROOKED GAME.
4 Victim Hires Professional to settle His
Poker Accounts.

Il oucc fell up against n skin poker
game, said a department clerk Of sport
ing tastos. AT that time, being rather
young, | took a great pride in my game Of
poker. \ man whose acquaintance had
made in a barrOom stccrcd me into quiet
little resort in an out Of the way placc--on
Ei-hth street II was-in Philadelphia.
played there Is times in all, and on every
occasion | lost. In all | was out about
SI5U ! think
i chlny.d 90 know man who was
profess i1nal card sharper \ police detect
i've with whom he WIS on entirely friend
~ terms had introduced him to me and
finding him a very original person and
rather a curiosity in his way had kept
up the acquaintance. To him went on
this occasion and told him about my ex-
pcricncc in tho poker game aforesaid. II
was u pglpablo swindle. against which an
outsider had no show whatever Finally
had seen the proprietor Of the den, who
regularly took hand, hold out an ice
Of spades.
TO have made any protest on the spct
would have been 10 endangcr my physical
safety. So. as / informed the card sharp-
er decided on another method Of getting
even. II he was willing, | would intro
ducc him to the game, and we would di-
vide the proceeds, My suggestion was
eagerly accepted, and that very evening
my friend sat behind stack OF chips In
the quiet place ON Eighth street He was
a man Of great skin In that business. and
the crude methods adopted by the petty
shaIpcrs who were associated with the
management Of the gambling house had
no chance in contest with him
"As for myself, l took no part in the
amusement, but looked on in order to sec
how things went. The capital, to the ox-
tent of $50, had put up, and was not
prepared to trust my sporting acquaint-
ance to an unlimited extent. Though
friendly. he might not be able to resist a
temptation to get ahead OF his partner.
on the first night he won 500 aud ON the
next evening Sl4O. These were large win
nings, the game being only SO limit The
next night he lost slightly from motives
of policy. To make long story short, he
won somewhat over 5000 in the course Of
a fortnight. A division of the proceeds
made me about even, so that 1 was salts
fed.
II wanted to stop at that point, in fact,
but my sporting friends appetite for gore
was whcttcd, and he desired to continue.
1t is easily to bc imagined that SO much
money could not bc won in the establish
mcnt without exciting alarm and even
suspicion on the part Of the management.
Mere luck could hardly overcome the
skilled methods adopted for beating un-
wary outsiders out Of their money So
had more than half a notion Of what was
coming when, ON the last evening of our
play at this resort, was approached and
called aside by person whom l had lmo
to recognize as the spotter' Of the tab
lishmcnt. said hC;
I'm onto your game Am in =
No. l replied, looking him H. the
eye.
Then you gitH he said
1 walked ont quietly and was prc ent-
ly joined by my sporting friend, VIII had
received n similar warning | hav not
seen him since, and | shall never :ain
play cards in poker dive. "-Washii ton
Post.