The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-08

boys III those days on ouhuo'-
HE COULD FIGHT.
He could tight. too--Jack could, so they
soy
Mr. Bradley found Heath good on the
count" He often made estimates Tor
work contracted for, and MI. Branley
said ne never in ali those times iost
pei ny, but made more than IN any rs
innate he could make, or get anyone eise
TO make for him. Jack had pecuila,,
way of figuring. too and often he would
say to Aleck, now you tell me what so
and so will come TO. I'll tell Davy before
you get half done with your ngurlng.
As Mr. Williams says. "Aleck TOOK 10
preaching. and Jack went TO gaming L
kept at my trade" Jack Heath has been
moved around to come within reach OF
the law Of Virginia. the District OF Column
ba, and Maryland more than any itin-
Grant Methodist minister could be moved
around even in all these many years. Ills
circuit has hardly reached a half dozen
miles from the certre, however ana ne
expects to die i'm Washington, ana pe
lain away with his old folks in Alexan-
dria
HIS CAREER.
Why such n man as John Heath. ST.,
went TO gaming is matter not known
by any OF his friends now SURVIVING;
They look sad as they think on II, ana
while not Directing 10 and rather admit
ting the ideas OF Washingtohians a. t"
Heaths character as a notorious law
breaker. they can but have that old anu
tender feeling for him.
The washington City Directory puts
him down as a cabinet-maker, ana ne
is master of his trade o.
Heath did not gamble before inc Wai,
but, rather, after the war, ana ne was
never what is called a black-leg, Keno
being his hobby. and such as the shell
game" three-card monte. etc, ne sPuih-
ed with the utmost contempt
During his whole career as gafnpler-
running through thirty years-this man
chief office was that OF banker In baih-
ing games. manager or worker Tor some
great syndicate OF gamesters, or on MS
own hook With his SONS, about tee-,
Heath entered the Confederate army-the
ordinance department-and the VeneIa-
BILE Major Duffey says he was hlnu-
hearted man and a gentleman, ana Was
much thought OF by al those That knew
him. His character was considered good.
Capt. Jack Kelley's wife was Heath
only sister and they adopted nm.
Heath married daughter OF George
Webster, an uncle OF Capt. James Web
ster. of the Alexandria police. George
and James Webster. that were fellow
apprentices with Heath, and pr. Brown
from Georgetown. Both are dead.
Heath served through the war from
go to 90 and afterwards look 10 sai,l,
ing-if not at once soon Afterwards {"
professional gambling. holding, az leaa,;
In his old home his old good name duu
rather merlting n great part OF IT,
FLUSH DAYS
II was In Washington that he carried
on his gam Dling-hOuse. 1t was at
time when there were one hundred FIRST
class" gambling houses and perhaps FIVE
hundred professional gamblers IN the
National Capital. II Is said that their
profits ~ 1866 were more than million
dollars. Old man Heath, would he ieli
the story of those days. could furnish
the material for stirring chapter III
gambling.
Morrisy & Co.. the famous proprietors
OF gaming houses. were Heath $ trlenns'
and he doubtless worked for them. Now
II Is conceded the ola mans career as
gambler Is ended lie Is not weli-to-do-
I'm fact he has very little, but for all
that he must retire.
an open book and II runs away back and
should be interesting, Tor IN II there ls
much TO admire as well as 10 scorn. In
the first place, the old man mas a warm
heart, that is Onen, and when we hear
him talk. especially of himself, we rather
come down to thinking like Ralph Waldo
Emerson, that thought ana action are
two very different things, and for the
shortcomings of one We might wei,
even charitably consider the other.
Jack Heath is "A man between sixty
and seventy years Of age-neare; the
latter, and is only crippled on account
OF a fall received about a year ago while
jumping from the window OF a raided
gambling den.
Washington or a memorable Sunday ana
I'm reply 10 a question as 70 the business
and how 1t came about, as well as its
future with him, one thing ne told me
was that the old man didn't teach him
to Camble-in fact said he, the old man
will tell you that though he gambied "a
a professional long before any OF US were
born. lie gave us every one all the
schooling we would have. and then he
put us at some trade and kept as there
as long as he could.
1t seems that Heath is such a man as
a capitalist or investor would pick out
and keep with him. Although Heath long
ran gambling dens In his own name, u IS
doubtful If he ever owned one, and II rs
said he has never served term in jail
for his offences. lie always found men
that would go his bond. and in most
cases no bond was ever required Of John
Heath, ST.
HIS FAVORITE GAME.
Heaths favorite game was keno. and
tells me he believes 10 be the squarest
OF all gambling games. lie says the
player or banker gets a just percentage
In that just ike a man In any other
business. and he added. people will tell
you Jack Heath has always played a
square game. Besides this. he paid his
bills paid those who worked for him
and liberally-and kept his word whether
ne had become winner or loser after the
nights games.
lie always reserved n portion Of his
income and if ne had not what he need
ed he would easily find lender. As be
said 10 one WHO spoke Of his old friends
and the old town. he replied, Yes, sir
and some day you viii know that Jack
Heath, as bad as he Is thought TO be, is
as good as most Of them"
Heath has been gambler for at least
a half a century, ana at times he has
shown himself TO be a nice man. he
gambled here In aRte-bellum days, and
gambled out near where Jackson City
now IS. even farther back still. He had
tables over at GeisborO across from the
Arsenal, and think lie has been all over
the country. at times but with all ne
favored keno. Says he: 1T IS really not
dishonest, game. l can. make mo~-y
out of II when | can't out Of any other
game ] am an old hand at It," he add
ed, probably 7 can do better az il than
most men. and II run II, ! run II on the
square always"
His name has been familiar in gam
bling circles hereabouts further back
than the days Of the war. and Of late
years his sons Ed. George. Charlie, and
Jack have also been wherever the game
was played. yet none OF them have any
such name as their father.
Heaths places have. for the last TWEEN
~ FIVE years been somewhere around
either AleXandria Georgetown, or Wash
lngtOn, often ne bad several.
Along in 1871, Jack Heath's famous
''Sawdust IN Rum Row street,
between Thirteenth and Fourteenth. In
Washington, was the swell rambling
place of the capital city. II WAS The re
sort of all classes. end the tireless hum
OF voices attendant upon the calling of
keno numbers and the turning of cards
at the faro tables never stepped day or
night The place vas raiGe1 one NIGHT
and Jack Heath and his pals we're ar,
rested. They gave bonds for their APP
pearance IN court. forfeited them. and
were not tried.
When Heath conducted this "Saw6ust
fa1 ush nraC xtsffh .f,t,.