The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-29
Two Players Staked $32,-
600 on a Single
Throw.
VIM. BOURN'S WINNING.
The Well.Known Capitalist Gets
$4,000 in One Nights
Sitting.
EVERY DOLLAR PROMPTLY PAID
The Loser Was a Central American
Planter Who Proved to Be
Man of Courage.
EVERY DOLLAR PROMPTLY PAID

merchants that come annually from
South America to spend a few months in
San Francisco bring with them large
revenues. They spend money freely and
have the luxuries of life without regard to
cost. In games of chance high stakes rule,
and while they prefer to trust the throw
of the dice rather than the run OF cards,
they win and lose with the equanimity
that marked the playing of the Southern
planters in the good old ante-bellum days,
when the brilliantly lighted cabin of a
Mississippi River steamer was the one
place on the globe to Danish care and
tempt the smiles of fortune.
During the past two years Central and
South American planters have made deal
of money, the result of good crops and
high prices. Some of the younger bloods
with inclination to roll high in their
reves manifest fondness for the Spanish
game known as piro pinto and stake such
sums of money on a single throw that the
few spectators watch with absorbing in
terest.
A few nights ago two South Americans
and the weIl-known capitalist and club
man of San Francisco. William Bourn,
dined together at one of the small restau-
rants on OFarrelI street. There were
others in the party, and several joined in
little sport with the dicebox. Twenty
dollar pieces changed with such rapidity
that all the players, except the two from
the south country and the resident high
roller, drew out of the game.
Pro pinto is played with two dice, each
player holding a box of his own. In
course of time the game between the three
players closed with the San Francisco man
was opened between the winner and &
blooded South American.
The outcome of this game is the talk O
club lotteries. The stakes were so high ano
the payments of the loser SO promptly
made that the old-timers, who saw FORTUNES
won and lost in 1849, are falling into &
reminiscent frame of mind.
This particular after-dinner session i.
sure to be the talk of the town for months
The amounts staked ranged along from
$500, $1,000, then up to $1,000 on a single
throw, finally reaching $4,000 side. For
tune still smiled on Mr.. Bourn of San
Francisco, and he stood winner of $14,
600 and $32, 600, or SAG, 900 in all.
At this stage of the game, when the
spectators expected to see the South Amer
lean play the role of gutter the blood
of the sport from the southland was tested
He proposed one final cast Tor "double OF
quits" $32, 900 side, $4,000 or nothing.
1t is not every player whom fortune has
favored by a steady run of luck that will
consent to stake all of his winnings on one
hand, and. besides, it is an axiom of dice
throwers that the proposition to double at
each throw will break any bank in the
world if the player has the coin to double
his stakes as often as he loses.
This after-dinner seance was not in the
line OF regular banking game. The play
ers were gentlemen, and not gamblers by
profession, hence the winner consented to
give his friendly antagonist q chance to
even up.
The bones were tossed for $64 900 or moth
ing, and chance again rendered decree
against the South American. The San
Francisco capitalist won the stake, and on
the following day cashed the South Amer
leans check for $32 1000.
Well-known men who saw the game as
sert positively that the South American
did not plead intoxicationor mental in
trinity when the time for settlement
came, but paid his losses like thorough
bred sport of the old school.
So in that famous game of piro pinto,
Mr.. Bourn will be known as the winner of
SIS, 900 In one session.