The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-07-17
A RACE WITH DEATH.
A Bet That Was Made by Four Con-
Sumptiye Gamblers.

A"iey hAaeio a AooA OF se4.OUO 10 20 10 INC
One Who Survived the other Three-Well
Known New York Characters.
In tho year 1881 there were few men
better known in the sporting world than
Billy Emerson, Jack Sheridan, Johnny
Pratt and Winnipeg. No one ever seemed
to know just what Winnipeg's first name
was; but, hike the other three, he was a
man whose nerve, when 1T came to NAH =
ing heavy wager on card or horse, was
never questioned. Among racing people
in the east and west these four men Welg,
known and respected, for, in addition tn
being heavy gamblers, they were men
who had never been in any way identified
with any scheme or deal that was not, to
use race track expression, ION the level. !"
1t was during the year 1886 that they
were at the top notch of prosperity.
Although different in many ways, there
was one common ailment among them,
and it was probably this that made them
such fast friends. All four were con-
sumptives, and although at that time the
disease had barely more than shown itself
they got worse and worse as the years
rolled by until one by one they died AL
though they must have known what was
the trouble with them, it was utterly i'm
possible to get any of them to acknowl-
edge that he had consumption. II it was
said to one of them that he was looking
ill, helwould simply laugh and say: ''Ney-
er was better in my life. May have been
drinking a bit and staid up too late, but
sick? Not a bit Never felt so we'll be-
FORE" and he would slap himself on the
chest and give vent to hollow cough
Every once in awhile nowadays, when
bookmakers get together and begin telling
stories, the story of the -four cons,'' as
they were called, comes up. In the Hoff-
man House one evening bookmaker was
telling the story to number of acquaint-
ances
"A peculiar thing about those men,, - he
said, was that, although none of them
would ever acknowledge that he was on
the brink OF the grave, fhey would take
great pleasure in guying one another about
their i'll health. Emerson, pale and ENACT
ated and emitting hollow coughs, would
walk up to Pratt, who was in a similar
condition, and say: Look here old boy,
you're sick man. Go away somewhere
and recuperate. You need rest Then
Pratt would brace up anG reply indignant
ly: You go to =. What do you mean by
telling me I'm sick?' and then he would
stride away, mad clear through.
This sort of thing went on for some
time, until one day Emerson remarked to
the others that he was going to have his
life insured. 'What!' they gasped together
You don It think any company would take
chance on you, do your Emerson ignored
the insinuation, and the next day had an
examination for life insurance. Of course
he didn't pass When he gloomily told the
others about it, they gave him the grand
laugh. Then each one in turn quietly in
formed Emerson that he himself was going
to be insured. They all tried, and all were
rejected.
Zone day they met at the race track and
Emerson remarked: Say, boys, we COULDN'T
get insured, but I've got a better game
than that. Let's put up 81, 900 apiece and
the one who lives the longest takes the
pot =
why, you poor fool,' remarked Win
nipeg, who was at that time the worst case
of all, it's a dead certain will for me!'
'''Oh, you don't say SOP put in Pratt.
why, one of your lungs is missing now,
and don't think you'll live month
After an hour of this sort of chatting
the four men agreed to put up the money.
1t was given to Billy Elliot bookmaker,
and he deposited it in a New York bank.
1t was deposited in such a way that any
one of a dozen bookmakers could draw it
out at any time. This was done SO as to
be sure that the last man would be able to
get the money without any trouble.
cat this time poor Winnipeg was an
awful sight, and people thought he would
die any minute. His cheeks were pale and
sunken, his eyes shone like balls of fire,
he coughed necessarily, and he could
scarcely Uotter along, he was so weak.
Yet he would come to the track every day,
and whenever he'd run across one of the
other three he'd guy him about the money
they had put up. You fellows will be
dead and gone before they put me in bed,'
he'd say. Those who knew him used to
smile pityingly on him whenever he made
this boast
I 1.-TWO months after the money had been
deposited Emerson's physician told him
that he must go away or he'd die in
week. So Billy took his money and went
to Texas, where he bought ranch and
tried to settle down. In six months he
was dead. EARLY in 1887 Sheridan died,
and this left only Pratt and Winnipeg,
who was verify living corpse, to contest
for the money. Pratt got worse and
worse, and his condition was soon as bad
as his friends These two used to totter
around the betting ring, and when they
were not betting would tell each other
how bad they looked. Jack and Billy
have gone said Winnipeg one day, and
you're next Johnny. That coin S mine
You'll be dead in a week, and I'll collect
that $4,000 Pratt replied and both
laughed.
1.-THE next week Pratt lost his every dol
lar in an attempt to mako enough money
to leave his wife independent when he
died. The week after he was too weak to
get up one morning, and after being con-
fined to his bed for a couple of days he
died, leaving his wife penniless. They very
day he died the money was drawn from
the bank by Elliot and given to Winni-
peg. I knew I'd outlive them, and now
7 can't die too soon to suit myself. My
living for She past six months has been
mere matter of pride anyway
Winnipeg had lost all his money in the
same deal as Pratt, but he had no need of
the $4,000, for three days later he died.
Just before he breathed his last he drew
the $4,000 he had won from beneath his
pillow, and with trembling hand passed it