New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-26

OF FARMER PEEIr-HOW A POKER GAME
SAVED THE DIVER STABLE.
Christmas Eve in New-York is not what 1t used
to be when winter racing all-nlght houses. gam
bling and all that went to make the Tenderlon
precinct famous in full swing. The gayly at
tired men and women who fitted hlther and thther
under the glare Of the electric light have passed
away. Some of the leaders in the whirl of dlsslpa-
ton now dismantled wrecks derelicts that
float with the tide in the purlieus OF the East or
West Side of the city. few of them however
manage to keep their course in the swlrlng tide of
Broadway.
The old names so familiar in the past are now
almost forgotten Men who formerly ordered cham
payne by the case in the glded dens of the Ten
derloin do not hesitate to borrow anything from a
dime upward from their former acquaintance. Sew
eral of the old brigade gathered in an uptown cafe
and discussed the good old days when visitors to
the city permitted to spend their money as they
chose. and the frequenters Of the Tenderoin kept
IL going so fast that the visitors seldom, II ever
caught up to IT, One OF the veterans was John Doty
who has turned his seveny-elghth year.
FAMOUS DRIVER
Doty was famous as driver and trainer OF
trotte-s the close OF the war He told OF the old
days in NewJersey. his native State and his first
adventures in the metropolis The grizzled veteran
said: Everybody had money when the closed.
IL was kept in circulation because the ones that
were without II took it away from the ones that
I'D have it, The sharpes men from both the Union
and Confederate Armies settled In this city Why,
match race between two horses that could trot in
$50 or thereabouts at $50 side usually netted both
sides handsome sum OF money. The war and the
excitement incidental TO 1t made the task of the
police anything but sinecure. There We're more
shooters fighters and killers in New-York In the
five years after the close OF the war than there
were in Texas in it's palmiest days. Men walked
boldly up and down Broadway and lotered about
Houston-st, and they were well known as graft
ers.' who would take any chance to obtain funds
There was no protection in those days but every
body aimed to protect himself. consequently pulls
did not count for much
Somebody broke the thread OF Doty's remarks by
asking: How much money did Michael Roden "a
rival driver Of tro;erO ever bet on tie turn of
card at faro?"
MIKE" RODENS DEATH.
Mr.. Doty was silent for moment and then re-
Piled Poor Mike Roden! He was good fellow
a prince with his money and splendid driver. He
fell over the bannister Of the Coleman House and
fell down two stories. The fall killed him. The
night he was killed he nearly $1,000 at faro.
While he was playing somebody asked him: Mike
how much did you ever bet a single cara He
answered: one thousand two hundred dollars on
the king
zone Of the dealers sarcastcally remarked: Yes.
and tho king was dead This remark so enragea
Mike that he cashed in his checks. An hour later
he dead"
Roden Of the hest known Of the old
time drivers of trotters. He drove Henry. Heath
erbloom and many Of the stars Of the turf in the
early seventies. well-known detective in the
party asked man who is known throughout the
land: WHO of the gamest of the men who
were so handy with the gun in the early days of
mining in Nevada and Montana"
II can scarcely answer that question" was the
because M VhO aroc OFF
are not true types of courageous men. believe
however. that man known Farmer Peel
TIE most pugnacous well the fercest fighter
towns and camps in the serras in the tine sxie ns
Peel would ride two hundred miles to battle with
every fight was gun fight Farmer Peel made
formidable record He did not want any chiefs to
dispute his superiority At last he arrived in
Montana mining camp accompanied by a man who
was well known in this city ten years ago-Johnny
Bull There were no chiefs or fighters for him to
conquer in the camp. Peel and Bull visited dance
Peel sddn apped Bm nfdf h s ane and ssS
Go and fix yourself / am going to give 1t to you"
BULL MADE READY FOR PEEL.
Bull FASTENED from the dance hall and waited
outside the doors. When Peel came out Bull
turned his gun loose and did stop pumping lead
into Peel until the greatest of gunghters lay dead
on the threshold OF the dance hail.
The conversation turned upon the large number OF
robust beggars that have infested this city I'm the
last few years This caused another faro bank
games of chance related The following:
In the old days able-bOdied. husky men did not
dare TO beg from or threaten women At one of the
best-known gambling houses in the city before the
resumption OF specie payment II known as
Johnny -on-t e-seven. visited at least twice a
week. Al faro table he Invariably took a handful
OF currency known at that time shin plasters'
out Of his pocket and placed them on the seven
spot lie never won bet and a mystery to
every employc and patron of the house Johnny
on-the-seven' continued his visits but he never
spoke to anybody and never answered question
THE MAN A MYSTERY.
"Everybodys curiosity was aroused and many
conjectures were made as 10 his occupation He was
put in every place from grocery clerk to the pro-
prietor of small store one night the mystery was
Unexpectedly solved. Some OF the employees Of the
gambling house wandered over to the West Side
Near Twenty st. and Eighth-ave. wo-
BECOME miserable individual. with his legs and
twisted pitifully begged for aims. The BOYS were
about TO stake him when the raised his hca
voice they cried: 'Johnny-On-t he-seven'i and
were greatly surprised to the cripple start off
a run and make record time up Eighth-ave He
was seen no more. and the house lost his game.
When his bets were Strengthened out and the cur
rcncy counted ii generally amounted 81 s..
which perhaps represented his receipts for single
night"
Next tire Northampton Bank robbery was dis
cussed, and II was said that two sitchels full II
tender at leading uptown hotel. The sachels
NAMED under the bar two days. Some OF the de-
tectives talked over the while drinking the