The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1894-06-10
FOUR coNsuMPrlvE GAMBLERS.
Each Trying to Live Longest So as to
Win q Pool Of ~ 1000.

Win q Pool OF $4,000.
In the year 1851 there were few men bet
ter 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, like the other three, he was q
man whose nerve, when Ii came TO max
ing a heavy wager on card or horse. was
never questioned. Among racing people
in the East and West these four men were
known and respected, for. in addi-
ton 10 being heavy gamblers, they
were men who had never been
In any way identified with any
scheme or deal that was not, TO use a race
track expression. ION the level" II was
during the year 1885 that they were at the
top notch OF prosperity. Although dif-
ferent in many ways. there was one COM
mon ailment among them, and IL was
probably this that made them such fast
friends. All four were consumptives, and,
although at that time the disease had
barely more than shown itself, they got
worse and worse as tho years rolled by,
until one by one they died. Although they
must have known what was the trouble
with them, IL was utterly impossible to get
any one OF them to acknowledge tina: he
had consumption.
Every once IN q while nowadays. when
bookmakers get together over a cold bot
tie and begin telling stories. the story of
the -four cons" as they were called.
comes up. In tho Hoffman house bar ono
evening last week n bookmaker was tell
in ha tnr ~.
"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, they would take
great pleasure in guying ono another
about their i'll health. Emerson, pale and
emaciated and emitting hollow coughs.
would walk up TO Pratt. who was in a sim
liar condition, and say, Look here, old
boy, you are a sick man. Go away some
where and recuperate. You need a rest.
Then Pratt would brace up and reply, in
dignantly: You go 10 -. What do you
mean by telling mo I'm sick and then hc
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't think any COMPANY would take
a chance on you, do you" Emerson ig-
nored tho insinuation aud the next day
had an examination for life insurance. OF
course no didn't pass. When he gloomily
told tue others about Il they gave him
the grand laugh. Then each one in turn
quietly informed Emerson that he him
self 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 better
game than that. Let's put up thousand
apiece, aud tho one who lives the longest
takes the pot
"'Why. you poor foolr remarked Win
nipeg, who was at that time the worst case
Of all, it's dead certain will for mo-
"'Oh, you don't say so,' put in Pratt.
Why, ono OF your lungs is missing now,
and don't think you'll live a month
"Aftcr an hour of this sort of chatting
the four men agreed to put up tho money.
II was given to Billy Elliot, u bookmakcr,
and he deposited it in New York bank.
1t was deposited in such way that any
ono Of dozen booknakcrs could draw IL
out ut any time. This was done SO as to he
sure that tho last man would be able to
get the money without any trouble. A,
this time poor Winnipeg was an awful
sight, and people thought he would die a,
any minute. Yet ho would como to the
track every day, and whenever he'd run
across ono OF the other three he'd guy hin,
about the money they had put up. You
fellows will be dead and gone before they
put me to bed he'd say. Those who knew
him used to smile pityingy on him when.
ever lie made this boast.
Two months after the money had been
deposited Emerson's physicion told him
that he must 90 away, or he'd die in a
week. So Billy took his moaey aud wen,
to Texas, where he bought a ranch and
tried TO settle down. In six months
he was dead. Early in 1857
Sheridan died, aud this left only
Pratt and Winnipeg, who was verify a liy-
ing corpse, 10 contest for tho money.
Pratt got worse and worse. and his condi.
ton was soon as bad as his friends
These two used to totter around the bet.
ting ring, and when they wero not betting
would tell each other how they looked
Jack and Billy have gone said Winnipeg
one day, and you're next, Johnny. Thai
COINS mine You'll be dead in week
and I'll collect that four thousand Pratt
replied, and both laughed.
"The next week Pratt lost his every dol
lar in an attempt to mako enough to leave
his wife independent when he died
The week after he was too weak &c
get up. Ono morning, after bcins
confined 10 his bed for a couple o!
days, be died, leaving his wife
penniless. The very day he died tht
money was drawn from the bank by Elliot
and given to Winnipeg. i knew I'd win
IT, said tho latter. 4 knew I'd outliyC
them. and now can't die TOO soon to sui
myself. My living for the past six months
has been mere matter of pride anyN ay.
Winnipeg had lost all his money in ia,
same deal as Pratt, but he had no need o.
the $1,000, for three days later be died
JUST before he breathed his last he drew
the 81, 600 be had won from beneath hi,
pillow, and with trembling hand passed i
over TO Elliot, who sat al his bedside
Give that TO Johnny's widow he said. =
| haven't got a relative left Oh this earth
and I don't reckon i'll ever do mo an,
good"
| A Desperate battle.