The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-04-01
BEATING A CROOKED GAME.
A victim Hires Professional TO Settle III,
Poker Accounts.


Il once fell up against skin poker
game, said n department clerk Of sport
ing tastes. AT that time, being rather
young, l took n great pride in my game OF
poker A man whose acquaintance | had
made in barroom stccrcd me into quiet
little resort In an out of the way placc-on
Eighth street IL was-m Phladcplphia.
played there I3 times in all, and on every
occasion l lost. In all | was out about
$3.50, think.
II CHANGED to know n man who was a
professional card sharper a police detect
i've with whom he was on entirely friend.
ly terms had introduced him to me, and
finding him very original person and
rather n curiosity in his way had kcp,
up the acquaintance. To him went on
this occasion and told him about my OK.
perience in the poker game aforesaid 1t
was palpable swindle, against which an
outsider had no show whatever Finally
/ had seen the proprietor of the den, who
regularly took hand, hold out an ace
of spades
TO have made any protest on the spot
would have been to endanger my physical
safety. So, as | informed the card sharp
eE. decided on another method Of getting
even. II he was willing, | would intro.
ducc him to the game, and we would di-
vide the proceeds. My suggestion was
eagerly accepted, and that very ever iug
my friend sat behind a stack of chipa in
the quiet place on Eighth street lie was
u man of great skill in that business. and
the crude methods adopted by the petty
sharpers who were associated with the
management of the gambling house had
no chance in u contest with him.
"As for myself, l took no part in the
amusement, but looked on i'm order to see
how things went. The capital, to the cx-
tent of 500, had put up, and was not
prepared to trust my sporting acquaint-
ancc to an unlimited extent Though
friendly, he might not be able to resist
temptation to get ahead of his partner
On the first night he won 800 and on the
next evening SiI0. These were large win.
nings, the game being only So limit. The
next night he lost slightly from motives
of policy. To make "a long story short, he
won somewhat over 5000 in the course OF
q fortnight. A division Of the proceeds
made mo about even, SO that was salts
fed.
II wanted to stop at that point in fact,
but my sporting friends appetite for gore
was whctted, and he desired to continue
III Is easily 10 DC imagined tnat 50 much
money could not he won in the establish
mcnt without exciting alarm and even
suspicion on the part Of the management
Mere luck could hardly overcome the
skilled methods adopted for beating un
wary outsiders out of their money. So
had more than half a notion of what was
coming when, on the last evening of ouI
play at this resort, was approached and
called aside by n person whom had come
to recognize AS the spotter' Of the estab.
lishment. Said he:
"'I'm onto your game. Am in it''
No, l replied, looking him in the
eye.
Then you gitl' he said.
II walked out quietly and was present
ly joined by my sporting friend, who had
received similar warning. l have not
seen him since, and shall never again
play cards in a poker dive. ."-Washington
Post