Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-08
BUNCO WAS HIS GAME
.KID MILLER" KING OF THE
TRIBE. TURNS A NEW LEAF.
lie Defines scientifically the DIFF
ercncc Between n Green-Goons
Man and n Buuco Ar's'-""e
General Grant Was I'm Chicago.

TN
On y. correspondence Chicago Iihes''
There are very few men who know az
| much about the inside workings OF 'he
New York police force, with a general
| knowledge OF what may generically be
termed the sporting side OF the CITY as
Edward Miller. better known on ootn
| sides OF the Atlantic as KID MiIier' a
| s~obriquet given TO him when he hrst
| appeared in public life on account or Ms
| youthful appearance.
This man, not yet 81 years OF age, well
educated, OF gentlemanly manners, ana
agreeable appearance. has long been
| known as the king OF Bunco' men
real bunco men," as he very properly
| takes pains to explain-when bunco was
a science, and not actual highway ROD
berry. His exploits In his peculiar call
ing have more than once commanded
| the admiration even OF his victims.
Miller is now engaged in a legitimate
business. connected with horse-raclhg
Msny efforts have been made 10 lhduce
him 10 come to New York and TESTIFY
DC-lIG lHt lthON -
| Is pleasantly employed In his new calling
he has positively declined to return to the
city as a witness.
"Kid" Miller has never been inter
viewed. but the long and interesting
| story which follows was given TO me the
other evening and was taken dow Ste
n%cgraphically from his lips. .
1t IS proper to say at the outset that
Miller has permanently retired from the
! line of work In which some years ago lie
gained his name and notoriety.
REFORMED BY STARTER FLYNN.
He was induced TO take this course by
Thomas Flynn. ex-Speaker OF the New
Jersey LEGISLATURE. and starter at
Brighton Beach race-track last year. Mr..
tlynn took a personal interest IN NiliIeI'
and one day. about five years ago at
the Gloucester r~acing-track. New Jersey
asked the young maj II ne woulu not
I promise 10 give up the bunco business
forever.
III YOU will make that promise 10 me
said MIR. Flynn, Il will be your friend for
life"
Miller said: let me think over 1t for
a week"
surely" replied Flynn. "f you are
going TO deal honestly with me YOU 40
not need a weeks time to think over
such a matter. which ought to be decid-
Ell in a moment
at is because / am honest with you,
retorted Miller. and because intend 10
keep my word that l ask Tune 10 0oH>
slider"
The result was he thought over the
subject three days, when he promised MI.
Flvnn that he would never again engage
in the bunco business. and he has Kept
his word. THE argument" said Miller
was this:
"Nr. FLYNN reminded me that whatever
troubles had had in life had come from
the 'bunco business and he urged me 10
quit. He said that in the long run there
was nothing in 1t. | told him ] had come
on the track-this was at Gloucester y.
land wanted TO bet my money ana
10 be respected. 1t was then he said: I
want 10 have a talk witt you. He saw
me after the races and then said: If you
will promise me that YOU Will give up thN
business entirely / will be a good friend
10 YOU lie gave me a very good argu-
ment. showing where | had been wrong.
and ! can never speak too highly OF the
man who took such an interest In me.
HERE'S \ DEFINITION OF BUNCO.
Il said the other day TO a friend OF
mine that there was no definition OF
'bunco' in the dictionaries. | have found
since that ] was mistaken. ] have seen
that there is a definition of the word In
the Century Dictionary. II says thal
very probably the word properly comes
from the word 'bunco,' an Italian word,
which means a bank money changer.
The Century defines 'bunco' as being a
swindle practised by two or more con
federates upon a stranger generally by
T gaining his confidence on the grounds OF
alleged previous acquaintance with aim
self or some Of his friends. He IS lureI
10 a house. and there the victim, at some
game. is openly robbed or otherwise vic
timized. This definition is probably cor
rect. except in one particular; there was
certainly no effort on the part of origina
professionals in this line 10 use violence
or openly rob their victim. In fact, the
fairest comparison which could be made
in regard 70 the matter would be TO com
pare "a bunco joint with a brace OF
dishonest faro game. There IS, for in
stance, a man playing faro at a square
game, but he is seduced BY a steerer Il
enter a brace game. He Is liable Il
lose his money in each place, but OF
course he loses II much quicker in 9
brace game.
The fact Is. that so long as a mar
played at original bunco he could not
make a complaint in the courts. because
il was simply a game OF chance, and HI
took his chances as to winning or losing
The game, as It was first played. was as
follows:
The victim is taken to a room for the
purpose Of getting a book or painting
drawn in a lottery. There is a cash
prize. Bunco is very much like the old
English game Of 'eight-dice cloth 1t was
first introduced In the West. where II
was operated very largely. and was hnai-
~ called lottery. 1t seems on the surface
TO be "A perfectly honest game. There are
forty-three spots upon a bunco layout,
which is generally made Of fine silk
Forty-twO are numbered. and thirteen
contain stars, also (nO price one Is
blank, and the remaining twenty-nine
represent prizes. ranging from 5000 Ia
$500. The game can be played with die.
or cards. The latter are numbered with
a series Of small numbers, ranging from
one to six. the total representing the
number on the numbers drawn. Should
the victim draw a star number he is al
lowed TO draw again by putting up =
small amount Of money. He Is generally
allowed to win at first. and later on the
game owes him from $1,000 to 5000. This
is when he draws the conditional prize
No. q. The conditions are, he must put
up 500. or as much as the dealer thinks
he Will FldlAs inns ~ fADlliil'u ~ MN
rs necessary 10 save what he has al
ready won and entitle him TO another
drawing. lie draws again, and. by a skill
full counting on the part Of the dealer
he draws a blank, and loses.
1T is curious TO learn that this erea'
game was particularly in vogue way bach
in the time Of Moliere. the famous Frenci
dramatist. In one OF his plays, M. Dc
P~orceaguac.' two of the characters, Sbri
CANA and Eraste, make the acquaintanc,
OF a country gentleman I'm Paris, in muci
the same way that has been done on th'
streets Of New York, and attempt to viii
from him his money by methods quit
the same.
HOW THE GAME WAS WORKED.
AS l say, l carried on the business en-
tirely by myself. Of course. with the as
sistance OF men who were under me. On
man, for instance, was detailed 70 look VI
the names in a hotel. others were banker