Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-03-31

and back again" Thus spoke William w.
Hurt, gambler, to San Francisco Exam
liner reporter Continuing. he said. "Here
goes the straight story of my life:
My father was Methodist minister,
and all my folks are church people. We
crossed the plains from Kentucky with an
OK team, and after living in Oregon for
awhile where studied for the ministry, we
came to California After farming In
Wheatland we settled In Davisville, where
] worked on the farm and also ran sta
tiohary engine for Dresbach. Bane & Co
Every Saturday night | gave my salary TO
my mother. and when | wanted money,
even as much as 25 cents. I'D go to her for
IL. This did even long after | became
man. The men who employed me as an en-
gineer finally gave the job TO nephew of
one OF them, aud that made me so sore that
I told my father I'd never work for another
man.
II did go to work for the Southern Pa
cific company as telegraph operator, how
ever, and while in that position made an
electric dice battery, which nfterward, la
company with Budd Gafforl. Davisville
gambler, made money ON at the Sacra-
mento fair The scheme was battery con-
cealed under the table and connected by
wires with the top. All had to do was 10
press a button with my knee under the
table and magnetic it. My dice would
| bore out on the ace spots and fill the cavi-
| ties with steel filings. over which would
| paste black putty. and the dice looked as
natural as any. When wanted to win, I'd
| press the button, throw the dice ON the mag
| netized table, and of course nay 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 Ia get his money.
'GafTori advised me not to gamble, but
when he found | was bent upon 1t he
showed me lots of tricks that have since
worked with gratifying success.
II came to San Francisco about Is years
ago aud skinned everybody In town, even
the old time gamblers. Ii got 80 finally
that the gamblers would ring in marked
cards, 'holdonis' and all sorts OF sure thing
machinery. but ! generally got the money.
had plenty Of money, rolled In IL In fact,
and lived on the best In the land.
"Four years ago | went east and wa.
taken from Chicago 90 Duluth in his pri
yate car by vice president of the Chicago
Milwaukee and st. Paul railroad. He had
been unlucky at poker with two bankers al
Duluth, and he took me along to introduc,
as a friend of his and skin them. That
the kind Of chap he was. and I'D like e
know who was the bigger rascal. he or |
found good deal of that la my time
Men who bold their heads the highest II
the land have run me- In on their be~
friends and divided the spoIis with me.
.'The bankers happened to he out OF town
and not Wishing to make profitless tril
| my vice president told me that there were
couple of gamblers In Duluth that coui,
'go up against II wanted to. The gam
) came OF In the Hotel st. Louis There wa
little dinner, and the gamblers invited m
10 play poker. They had fixed the hous
with two decks of marked cards. with whicl
they proposed TO swindle me. The vic
president was giving them the 'doubl
cross and told me about the two decks 9
marked cards
"How will yon get around thatf b
asked.
Leave that TO me- replied
After few deals with the first dec
my Enthusiastically OF course-ws
a brushed off the table into the cuspido
That settled that deck. and they called Il
the other. We played few more hand
and then pretending To be impatient wit
!. my luck, for was losing. | tore mp a han
held and threw IL on the floor. Tho
= gamblers looked pretty sick, but thinkiI
they had good thing with me we c9nti
ucd the game with square cards. In fe
minutes had them hustling around in 9
looms borrowing money The railroad m,
and divided $500. A little later l !
\ turned 70 California and bought real estat
which stiil own
"Going east again. stopped on at NJ
Orleans long enough to win a few thonsai
from the members OF the Shakespeare ciu