The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-05-19
BOTH WERE GAME.
A Famous Poker SeanCe
at Indian GuICh.
How Marshal Seth Cox Met His
Match in a Stubborn Pilgrim
From Chinese Camp.

County, as he leaned against the bar of
downtown hotel last evening and toyed
with tumbler.
"P'r'aps, though" he added. glancing
around inQuiringly. ''you fellows never
heard of hm?"
A withered old miner from Nevada
County binted that "Mebbe he was re-
lated to the Bill Cox who was hanged al
Red Dog in 81"
This the MaEip0sa man disputed on the
ground that Seth during his lifetime was
too square a man TO have even been a
thirty eighth cousin to the chap who had
come to such an ignominious end at Red
Dog.
why, sho!" he went Oh. turning from
the Nevada man to the four other by
ISLANDERS. ''Se h was as square a man as
ever met In California. He could fight if
necessary and could drink as much as the
next man, ana what more was wanted in
those days?
But that amt what was going 10 tell
you about. You see. Seth had one ia nit.
and that was stubbornness Of the cuss ed
est kind. All one had to do was to take
stand on anything. and Seth would as
naturally take a hitch on the contrary side
and outhold your hand somehow, even if
you had all trumps.
seth was Marshal of Indian Gulch up
our way as far back as $50, and being so
stubborn he carried things pretty much
his own way. Ii they didn't go his way
they were not likely TO go any way"
The man from the butterfly county
paused to gaze through the bottom of his
tumhler for moment. and then resumed :
Now. shol Just to give you an idea Of
/ hn n1Nh "a tall -
little incident. He had discussion with
miner about tuTkey-buZzaTds, and just
| because the miner said they were sinking
things, Seth maintained that they we're
second to nothing in the poultry line.
Well, the miner thought he'd take a fall
| out Of Seth, and the next day brought him
a buZzard and dared him to eat it. Yes,
wagered him $50 on it. Did be win? Why,
| shn
''Seth ate the buzzard and as he was
! picking the bones inquired il there was
! anybody Use around who was Anxious to
pay him for eating one Of the most deli
! ci0us mOrsels in the world. That was Seth
all over. He'd never give in on anything
! he undertook, shOP and the MarlpOsa
| man retilled his glass.
! zone day." he resumed brlskly. just as
| the Nevada man was about 10 say some
| thing. "a new miner, who said he hailed
/ from Chinese Camp, ambled into the gulch
| and made himself quite popular before
/ night treating every body time and again
! at Red Ryan's saloon. As Marshals Seth
| thought it his duty 10 make the acquaint-
ance of the strange pilgrim who was so
well-heeled apparently with dust. Il
wasn't long before Seth and the newcomer,
who said his name was Dan Fletcher, were
buckin' against each other at poker.
NOW, shol that was all right, but Dan.
while they were plaYin', began to tell how
be had made the pilgrimage all the way
from Poor Shoat TO Angels and cleaned
out every pOker sharp on the road Seth
in his bulI-headed way said he reckoned If
he had met Dan on that journey Dan
would have had TO take TO the wilderness
for want of clothes he would have been
so cleaned out.
''Then there was hurricane of an argu-
ment, and finally Seth boosted that he'd
put every hiug he had up against all Dan
had and lay poker until one or i'other
was busted. Dan jumped at the offer and
arr ingements we're made.
The game was 10 be PLAYED in a room
at John HaDsen's hotel, ard each mans
wealth was represented by TWENTY-FIVE $40
pieces. which they used as chips. Seth,
as Marshal, proclaimed a holiday in town
until he had cleaned Dan out. Then he
| promised big huTrah. The whole town
was gathered around Hansen's place, and
! at intervals of an hour signs were hung
out as to the game. One time it would be-
lie
Even game, with Dams ante up There
was lots of betting on the result. Red
RYAN wagered his saloon against a claim
that Seth would win. And, sho all the
time Seth and Dan sat there Tipping their
cards like machines and not noticing any
thing outside of the game"
AT er stopping to clink glasses with his
interested audience the man from Mari
posa took fresh twist on his reminis-
eences.
"a bout 10 o'clock that night Dan was
out $780, and when some OF the boys took
up supper for the players, for they hadn't
eaten anything. you know. he grOwled out
10 take 1t away, as no man could play
cards and eat and drink, too. Seth was so
stubborn that be wouldn't stop, either, for
fear Dan would think be was weakening.
The boys set down the supper and left
'em. In the morning breakfast was put
down alongside the untouched supper.
All they wanted was half a dozen new
decks OF cards. They had worn out four
packs. Shoi no mistake.
''Well, now, there's no use drawing out
the agony on thing that turned out so
serious as that game. AS anybody at
| dian Gulch can tell you to this day
Seth and Dan played there for five DAYS
and five nights, Assess wing and a-sep-
saving, but each as stubborn as the
other and determined not to give in. They
hadn't touched the meals we took up t.
oUJ anu llleS uduH slept elmer. GU
may say it's impossible, bnt just go to
Indian Gulch and you can prove il. The
two men were like skeletons, and Seth
was so weak that be Couldn't deal the
cards and swear at the same time.
"On the evening Of the fifth day some of
us boys met at Ryan's and decided in the
interests OF humanity TO interfere and
make Seth and Dau quit until they got
into condition. But, shol when we went
up in the morning they were both
stretched out on the floor dead yes, stree.
dead Each had five cards in his hand.
and Seth was clutching his last twenty as
II he had just been calling Dan when he
rolled over.
"'And he'd avon, too howled RYAN.
as he looked at the hands. Then RYAN
wanted the match declared in favor Of
Seth, but the boys wouldn't have IT, Bets
were declared eff and the game called
draw. Seth and Dan had used up sixty.
seven packs OF cards, aad their golden
CHIPS were worn as smooth as glass.
I'VE buried 'em side by side that dav.
but now c1ues the strangest part of The
whole thing, a1d to show you what stub
born critters they were. That night there
was Ight In the room where thew had
been playing, and as sure as Pm here
there sat Dan and Seth as natural as life
a-hlpping their cards and tossing their
chips by the light Of a ghostly candle.
Maybe they didn't have that whole hotel To
themselves. Shol l guess they did. No
body'd go nigh il.
Hansen went around erwin almost
and saying he didn't see why two stubborn
oaloots cOuldn't 81