The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-17
BUNco WAS HIS GAME.
kid MILLER TURNS OVER a
NEW LEAF.


He Defines scientifically the Differ
ence between "A Green-GoOds Man
and Bunco Artist-When Gen.
Grant Was in Chicago Miller
Touched Up an EnEIishman at the
I Palmer House for S2I .OOO-Why
He Has Retired From Active Bust
ness.
New York Letter in Chicago Times.
There are very few men who know as
much about the inside workings Of the
/ New York police force. with a general
/ knowledge Of what may generically be
/ termed the sporting side Of this city, as
| Edward Miller. better known on both sides
Of the Atlantic as kid" Miller a sobri-
quet given to him when he first appeared
in public life. on account Of his youthful
[ appearance.
This man. not yet So years of age. we'll
educated, OF gentlemanly manners and
| 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 robbery.
His exploits in his peculiar calling have
more than once commanded the admiration
of even his victims.
Miller is now engaged in a legitimate
business, connected with horse-racing.
Many efforts have been made to induce
him to come to New York and testify be-
fore the LeNow committee, but. as he is
pleasantly employed in his new calling
he has positively declined to return to
the city as a witness.
KID Miller has never been interviewed
but the long and interesting story which
follows was given to me the other evening
and was taken down geographically
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 he
gained his name and notoriety.
He was induced TO take this course by
Thomas Flynn, eN-speaker of the New
Jersey legislature, and starter at Brighton
Beach race track last year. Mr.. Flynn
took personal interest in Miller and one
day, about five years ago. at the Gloucester
racing track, New Jersey asked he
young man IL he would not promise to
give up the bunco business forever.
If you will make that promise to me-
said Mr.. Flynn, Il will be your friend for
life"
Miller said: Let me think over it for
week"
surely" replied Flynn, "if you are go
ing to deal honestly with me you do not
need weeks time to think over such
matter, which ought to be decided in
moment"
1T is because 1 am honest with YOU"
retorted Miller. 'and because l intend
to keep my word that 1 ask time to con-
slider"
The result was he thought over the
subject three days, when he promised Mr.
Flynn that he would never again engage
in the bunco business and he has kept
his word. 1.-THE argument" said Miller,
was this:
''Mr. Flynn reminded me that whatever
troubles l had had in life had come from
the 'bunco business and he urged me to
quit. He said that in the long run there
was nothing in 1t. 1 told him l had come
on the track-this was at Gloucester. n.
land 1 wanted to bet my money and
to be respected. 1t was then he said
1 want to have talk with YOU He saw
me after the races and then said: If
you Will promise me that you will give
up the business entirely / will be a good
friend to you. He gave me a very good
argument. showing where 1 had been
wrong, and i can never speak too highly
of the man who took such an interest
in me-"
Il said the other day to a friend OF
mine that there was no definition of bun
co in the dictionaries. l have found since
that / was mistaken. l have seen
that there is a definition of the word in
the Century Dictionary. 1t says that
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 swim
die practiced by two or more confed-
crates upon stranger generally by gain
ing his confidence on the grounds of al
legged previous acquaintance with him
self or some of his friends). He is lured
to a house, and there the victim, at
some game, is openly robbed or other
wise victimized. This definition is prob
ably correct, except in one particular;
there was certainly no effort on the
| part of original professionals in this line
| to use violence or openly rob their VIC
! tim. In fact. the fairest comparison
which could be made in regard to the
matter would be to compare a bunco
| Joint with a brace or dishonest faro
! game. There is, for instance, a man
playing faro at a square game, but he
| is seduced by a steerer to enter a brace
| game. He is liable to lose his money in
| each place. but, of course, he loses it
much quicker in a brace game.
1.-The fact is that so long as a man
/
make a complaint in the courts, because
! it was simply a game of chance, and he
| took his chances as to winning or losing.
| The game. as it was first played, was as
! follows:
1.-THE victim is taken to a room for the
! purpose of getting book or painting
drawn in a lottery. There is cash prize.
| Bunco is very much like the old English
game of eight dice cloth 1t was first
! introduced in the west where is was OPP
Grated very largely. and was finally 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 contains stars,
also (no prize )one is blank, and the re-
naming twentynine represent prizes,
ranging from $1,000 to 5000. The game can
be played with dice or cards. The latter
are numbered with series of small num-
bers. ranging from one to six, the total
| representing the number on the numbers
| drawn. Should tho victim draw a star
numb r he is a'lo we'd to draw again by
putting up a small amount of money. He
is generally allowed to win at first and