The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-03-17
A Game of Poker Played in North
Dakota in Early Days.
THREE SETS OF FOURS
Stanley HuntIey Broke Major Edwards
in Game Which Bismarck Has
Been Talking OF Ever Since.

Nearly every newspaper reader in
this country remembers "Spoopendyke, "
whose disagreements with his better
half were the subject of the same highly
humorous papers, which were widely
published some years ago. Not every
one knows, however, that the stories
of the domestic misfortnnes of "Spoop-
endyke" were written by Stanley
Huntley, one of the brightest of Jews.
paper men, who poured forth the trials
of troubled heart when he wrote the
far-famed sketches. For Huntley was
sadly mismated.
The best of those "Spoopendyke" pa
pers were written at Bismarck on the
upper Missouri river. 1t was in the
boom days when the Northern Pacific
was under construction and Custer was
in his glory on the frontier that Huntley
wandered into Bismarck, in an aimless
way took fancy to the wild frontier
town and founded the Tribune, still in
existence and power in North Dakota
journalism. Bismarck was a wild town
"a sort of hades on wheels, as
Cheyenne was once nicknamed; and
Huntley quickly demonstrated his abil-
ity TO set the pace for the town, while
at the same time he turned out one of
the brightest newspapers in the far
west. He made many friends and his
newspaper venture met with fair iuan.
cial and great political success. Incl
dentally he made record as a poker
player in territory which has seen
more high poker played than any other
section in the Union.
Huntleys boon companion, and the
only one who could manage him when
he was on high roarer," which was
at frequent intervals, was one Dennis
Hannifan. Hannifan was Familiarity
called Denny" and has been handed
down to fame without nom-de-plume
in the "Spoopendyke' papers. Many
were the political deals and poker |
games these two played together
Well, there came a time when the |
rigorous climate of the far Northwest |
and the hard, wild frontier life had
told on Huntley, and seeds of consump-
ton was planted in his system. He
realized that his span of life was nearly
run, and that his few remaining days
could only be enjoyed to the utmost in
a softer climate, where he should live
a quiet life. He determined to sell
out. The Tribune had developed into
valuable property and the serious ques-
ton was to find one who could paw
spot cash and pay anything like the
real value of the sheet. Huntley
though of Major A. w. Edwards of
Fargo, then owner of the Fargo Argus
and politician of the Red River valley.
Edwards was formerly an insurance
man in Chicago. He had settled in
Fargo, built up the great paper of
the Red River valley and like a true
Chicagoean was endeavoring to corral
the entire political situation of the
then great territory. Huntley then
telegraphed Edwards that the Tribune
was for sale and if he wanted it to
bring some money and come over to
Bismarck on the next train. Edwards I
made up his mind that he wanted the
paper and with $1,000 or $4,000 in his /
pocket he started on the night train
for Bismarck.
Before Edwards could reach Bis
marck the Lounsbery brothers of Bis
marck and a number of local politicians =
raised the money to buy the Tribune {
and kept its ownership at home Then
huntley started out and squared up all
MS outstanding Indebtedness, after {
which he and Denny Hannifan con. i
iucted Bismarck through as wild a a
nights orgy as the town ever saw in its I
sxtreemly checkered career.
HUNTLEY ISSUES A CHALLENGE.
When at noon the next day Major Ed :
wards alighted at the depot, which was ;
abroad headquarters, principal hotel,
and town loafng place, he
net Huntley, and learned that the
coveted Tribune was in the hands of his !.
ivals The majors face showed his
and Huntley said: 81
IN sorry for you, major, but 1 was Of :,
cred big cash price, take it or leave n
t, and dared not refuse. I will give 7,
'ou your revenge, however; will play