Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-05
oLD-TIME RIVER GAMBLERS
Who Flecced the Passengers On the
Mississippi Boats.
rom the St. Louis Republic

Mississippi Boats.
From the st. Louis Republic
There are about twenty OF the real old
| time Mississippi river gamblers who linger
I about Memphis and Vicksburg and a COM
mon delight OF theirs is 70 relate the glories
OF gambling on the river In the good old
days before railroads hemmed In the Miss
issippi up and down each bank from source
to mouth.
Tom Ellison, now totternig about vicks-
burg on warm days. and showing the effects
OF severe rheumatism and seyenty-two
years OF age in every movement Is prob
ably the most widely known Of any OF the
old professional river gamblers now living.
The tourists from the cold north in this
region every winter make a favorite OF Tom
Ellison, and he recounts to them many =
| thrilling tale of the time when he made
$4,000 and over in one night and lost II al
The succeeding night.
There isn't any more gambling now"
said Tom Ellison the other day. and no
gamblers either. Look at what they call
gamblers now-kids, nothing but kids. who
haven't got either sense or manners.
There amt many Of US old fellows left. and
II Is hard scratching most OF the time 10
make regular connections with meals. The
river used 10 be the place for gambling. but
that's been dead Tor over twenty years,
and L don't guess it'll ever come 10 life
again. But those were the days. my boys
great days for the town, with thirty-six
steamboats, all at the wharf at once. the
levee covered with drays, and every sport
with STUFF in his pockets and lots OF good
clothes.
Il guess there was 500 men who worked
the boats between here and New Orleans.
tuete no telling how much money they did
pun of the travellers. Ii was dead easy
money, too. all the time Every one vino
uaNeied had lots Of stuff, and everyone
was willing TO bet. and bet high: SO when a
dad he Tiaylf fta.Ah .al.a
al once. Those southern planters used to
lose money just like fun, and were skinned
ngnt ana left Occasionally they caught On
ana there Was d shooting match but the
| boys didn't take much chance ON being
plugged
Fixing the Cards.
1T wasn't hard 80 get acquainted, and
IL wasn't hard 10 get up a game OF euchre
after drink. Once the game was on the
thlng was smooth; the dealer liked the
deck and dealt out a good poker hand to
the mark. but better one to his own part
ner. who promptly declared:
I've got a good hand I'd ike TO bet on
=" so have L. replied Mr.. Marx and thea
they got into betting. and the stranger
got skinned right and left. The cards were
stocked and marked on the back, SO that
ne didn't have any chance at all 70 win.
All the playing was done with old star
backs. I've seen fellows pick every card
in a pack and call il withort missing ONCE
I've seen them shuttle them one for one
All through from top to bottom. SO that
they were in the same position after q
dozen shuffies that they were In at first
They'd just fiutter them up like a flock Of
quail and get the aces. queens. Jacks and
tens all together as easy as pie. A sucker
mad nc more chance against those fellows
tnan SNOWFALL has In a red-hot oven
Every deck was marked.
The Bnrks eper Assisted.
The barkeeper often came in very hardy.
When the party sat down TO play he would
first show with drinks ordered by the gam
biers. He'd get there just after the suckers
cut the deck, and pass around the drinks on
the tray. Ii wasn't any trouble to Just
carry a marked deck under the tray snd
drop IL down while picking up the cut deck,
The deal went on and the suckers got skim
ned. have seen this shift made often
and fellow would hardly believe II can De
done SO quickly.
Another scheme was to get the sucker
to bet on picking out the cards. say the
jacks. He'd bet the sharper couldn't pick
cut the lack OF spades. and the sharper
would miss IL a couple Of times and COM
plain his head WAS wrong. He managed TO
80 away just ten aad leave the deck be-
hlno him. when his pal would suggest the
pian OF stealing the JSc& and then beating
his own game. the victim ieil IN, of course,
ana they sole the sack ana he hid 81 In his
pCNsSA lisciA Aa-t H--N man comes Dack
and the talk Is Renewed and the bets get
, high. The sucker is sure ne can't lose for
he mas his jack in his pocket and he =
Wiling ~ bet on dead sure hing.
so they 90. and the man with the cards
picks out the cards.
" There's the jack of d.amonis' and up
IL turns. jack Of hearts ana there he Is
sarc eaOash. JACK OF clubs comes all
rlSaL. and acxt he says, and here's your
carr, sir. jack OF spades and he pulls ir
out. face Gown. and pushes IL towards the
mark. VIII" has his hSri on his card I'm his
POCKET doubles his bet that Il isn't the
card. and the bet is taken. The third party
turns UP the card, as.4 TO his surprise II 10
the lack OF spades. shifted in out Of another
cecA- i saw a man Lose $3.50 ON that
game TO an old gambler named Bill Nose
and he never said word. but just got his
grip and left the boat AT the next landing"