The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1895-08-16
COL. JAMES BOWIE
HE FOUGHT A MISSISSIPPI
RIVER GAMBLER.

ilustrttcu AMERICAN.
Late as the year 1860 the steamers
plying on the Mississippi river were
just as infested with organized gangs
OF gamblers as some of the steamers
that ply between this country and
Europe now are, and the scenes there
on occurring were frequently OF a vio-
lent character.
During the fall of 1892 the steamer
Orleans, Captain Davis commander,
running between Nashville and the
Crescent City, became the theatre of
Il rather typical encounter. A young
gentleman of Natchez, going North in
the summer on his wedding trip, had
been requested bya number OF mer-
chants and planters to collect sundry
accounts due them in New York and
some other places which he proposd
to visit.
A gambling syndicate, in some mys-
terious way, had gotten news of this,
and been informed that, If properly
handled, the young man might be an
easy mark. They watched him care
fully, and shortly after his arrival in
New York some of their members
made his acquaintance and learned
that he would return South by steam
er.
One of the men who had made his
acquaintance in New York Joined him
on the boat at PIttsburg and, greet
ing him heartily us an old friend. in
troduced him to two alleged Louis
lana planters, who made themselves
quite agreeable. Cards were intro
duced in the gentlemans cabin during
the evening, and the young man was
allowed to win small sums, so that bv
the time the boat reached Louisville
he fondly imagined lie was a complete
master of the game and the equal Of
his opponents.
The game played in those days was
twcnty.card poker: that is, with no
cards in the deck below the ten--an
excellent game In which to hold high
and aspiring hands, and in which the
"three-pluck-one," or favorite cross
lifting trick Of the gambling frater-
nifty, can be brilliantly employed.
The gamblers had won all their VIC
TINS money but few thousand be-
fore the vessel reached Vicksburg, and
intended to complete their work be-
fore it arrived at Natchcz.
But, a few miles above Vicksburg, a
tall man with smOOth.shaven face,
who looked very much like preacher,
had come on board, and he, with
Others, stood looking at the game in
the gcntlemen's cabin. The dupc was
half drunk and wholly desperate, the
infatuation of hoping to win back
holding HIM as In wise and making
him deaf to the entrcaties and tears
OF his young wife, who several times
had pushed through the throng OF
men, begging him to leave the game
and come to their staterOOm.
At 1o'clock l In the morning the
last dollar of the victim had been
swallowed up by the human river
sharks, and, rising from the table, he
rushed wildly to the side Of the ves-
sci, doubtless with the intention Of
anticipating disgrace by suicide. He
was seized by the tall stranger, who
had followed him, and by his wife,
who was watching him, and was per.
suaded to go to his cabin and seek
sleep instead OF death.
"Kcep awake and watch him close
ly till l RETURN" said the stranger to
the distracted wife.
Going TO the cabin, where the gam
blers and others were clustered ut the
bar, the stranger drew from his pocket
q big wallet, and, handing a 800 bill
| To tho bartender, quietly asked for
change. The other, being unable
to make II, referred him TO the chief
gambler.
with pleasure" said the gentle
imam (; and, noting the fat wallet, ad.
dcd courteoasly, won't you have q
drink ?"