Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1895-08-06
WORRIED THE WRONG WAY.
Poker Player swallows "a Card with His
Chew of Tobacco and Makes $4,000.

Tho West is a great place for poker
playing, and some of the largest jack pots
sippi river In the early and halcyon days
of colorado. NeXada and California. when
or specuatlng in real estate, money was
very plentiful and much of 1t was spent
with an abandon that would have done
credit to the Count of Monte Cristo."
Pretty nearly everyone gambled more or
less and poker was always the favorite
game from All Sin up to the bonanza kings,
one of the best business blocks in the
city of Denver is or was owned by a man
who laid the foundation to "A big fortune
with money won at cards and many OF the
high rollers who have taken a hand in the
games where he held cards have quit sad
der but wiser by reason of their experience.
When Denver was but small place it
was the rendezvous for many skilled play
time by the name of Cook, who had an
abundance of cash and who could handle
the cards like an expert. Jerome B. Chat
fee. at one time United states senator
from Colorado. with two or three others
who used to play with Cook great deal
little scheme by which they fsurei they
could have "A great deal of fun at Cook $
expense, and at the same time get a cham
pasne supper out of him. So Chatfce and
his companions, who had plenty of money
and who had suffered financially by being
caught in good many jack pots that
Cook had opened arranged among them
selves S,stth that the very next time they PLAYED
ne would not forget in hurry.
The scheme was to open a pot, and IL
COOK stayed to deal nm enough cards 10
make six in all, and if he stayed on pair.
he was TO get four aces; then when the pot
had reached a goodly size. to cal him,
make him show his six cards, have the
laugh at his expense and after giving him
back his money out of the pot, make him
set up the champagne. 1t generally made
Cook very mad 10 lose a pot of any conSid-
cradle size, ana they knew If they made
this large one his wrath would know no
they were all together in Cooks Office amt
Chaftee sussested a game Of poker to
stormy one, Cook readily asseuted, little
dreaming of the good time that was 10 be-
The cards We're dealt and several hands
played around, when at last Chaifee opened
a jack pot ON three kings. Cook stayed on
He got four aces II then daWned upou
him that something must be up, but he dill
eSed e9t u for gSp Wo cards f and Sffn bt c cfhna @
Cook raised him and they had it back and
forth, The others dropped ont after sever
ting continued until at last there was am
even $4,000 In the pot when Chaffee called
Cook threw four aces and a Jack on the
table and started to rake in the pot. The
one who had dealt objected, stating that ha
saw Cook have SIX cards in his hand. The
others at once insisted that they saw him
have siX cards. ear Prove IT, then" erie!
YOU gave me six cards where are they2"
chaffee and his companions At once iuau-
gurated the most rigid search for the miss
ing jack They looked under tables. in
drawers everywhere a card could possible
get They made Cook disrobe. which he did
without objection, and subjected him 10
the most rigid examination, hut the card
could not possibly be found anywhere.
This was a sumner. Cook had NOT moved
during the game and they We're sure OF tho
,iX cards. but whore was the other iacka
Al all events 1t was not TO be found and
Took asserted thar he had hut live cards
and expressed the greatest Indignation at
their doubts and hung on to the money lka
grim death no say the Would-hr iallers
were cresttallen would he putting it mild
IS. II was not so funny as they had ng.
lred il would be- They went ont and gave
vent TO their feelings by frst swearing and
then laughing at the way Cook had turn-
al the tables on them.
Cook, as he used to relate afterwards
With great glee, got the six cards ali right
lut under cover Of taking a chew Of fino,
'ut tobacco. of which he was very fnnd
got the extra iach in his, mouth chewei
I TO a pup ana swallowed H. tobacco and
al, lie said he guessed he could risk svaI
owing chew, Of fo tobacco and a little
lim a little sick, Al amy rate he thourbp
he other fellows were slcker than he Was.