, 1896-11-18
A JERSEY JACKPOT.
A POKER EPISODE OF LONG
AGO IN ATLANTIC
COUNTY.
1t Took Three Days and Several Hun
dred Deals to Open a "Jacker'
An Then the Spell Was Only
Broken by a Darkey kissing the
Cards.

The old settlers around Cedar Lake,
Atlantic county, n. j., are still talking
about a remarkable poker gam that
was played there away back in the '40s.
the principal features of which We're a
series of strange deals and an enor-
nous Jackpot.
As the ne%ighborhood chroniclers tell
it, it happened this way: In 1915 the
pine forests around Cedar lake were
hunting grounds for sportsmen from
New York and Philadelphia. Deer were
plentiful in those days and every fall
and winter Isaac Hebron. who Kept a
tavern on the Egg Harbor turnpike, in
the heart of the pines. did a land 0fIice
business.
When the sportsmen We're not rang
ing the woods in search of game they
put in their time telling stories and
playing cards in the big reception DON
of the tavern, and it is recorded that
enough money changed hands under
III ooi VI Az ~ 'N'S'
fire wiped it out of existence. to buy
every inch of land in Atlantic county
at $40 an acre.
William Traverse. George Whit
comb, Harvey Duncan and Richard
Potter, prosperous merchants from
Wilmington, Del. played the stiffest
game that was put up at the tavern.
They came to the pines regularly ev-
cry fall and stayed two weeks, during
which time any man who happened to
be around the premises could get int
a real swift game of poker if he felt
disposed any time that the Wilmington
quartet happened to be around.
One afternoon the four men got
around a table and started a game.
They rarely played together, and when
they did their playing was watched
with a good deal of interest by other
guests. because a pot with 81, 900 or So
900 in it was a common thing.
Thu four men on this particular aft
ernoon pr:yed a ~listless game for a
couple of hours. occasionally slowing
away within themselves one Of Ho-
bron's famous apple jack toddies. Fin
ally the tOddies livened the men n
more ginger was put into the game.
But force it as they did, it was impos-
sible for one mar to get much h best
of another. n at the end of three
hours playing they found thai each
had pretty nearly his original capital.
At last Traverse dealt and he was
given an opportunity to make a
Jackpot, which he did. The ante was
81. and every time the widow" was
fattened meant 50 to the man who
could win the pot.
Traverse passed the cards to Whit
comb. who quickly dealt them. No
body caught openers and the pack
went to Potter, who failed to IN bet
ter than Whitcomb had, and the cards
wen to Duncan, who said as he picked
them UP and prepared to deal:
TN give you all openers, boys. so
that you can get a little fun for your
money"
But he didn't. The best hand out
was held by Traverse. and that was
ace high. Ten times the cards were
dealt and nobody caught an opening
pair. In the center Of the table was a
pile OF bank notes that made the spec
Aators's eyes water.
II never saw anything like this be-
fore" said Potter, since | began to
play cards. These cards have been
dealt A times and nobody has got as
high as a pair of jacks. 1t beats the
d."
Some sort Of witchery appeared to
have gotten into the cards. Forty-four
more times they were dealt and not a
man caught openers.
The game began about 4 o'clock in
the afternoon and 1t was now about IL
O'Clock at night. The pile of money
on the table rev gradually and the
crowd around the players became more
deeply interested.
The players worked till IL o'clock,
and yet the Jackpot had not been
opened.
Il move that we adjourn for one
hour" said Potter; perhaps if we get
away from the table a little while our
luck'll change"
The men agreed to lake a rest for an
hour. The money in the pot was taken
in charge by Hebron, and the crowd
was treated to steaming toddies in
rapid succession by the four players.
81 never saw cards run that way be-
fore in my lite," said Traverse. 81
think the DEVILS In 'em, and he may
stay there for a month. Id be just as
we'll pleased to let each man lake his
money out OF the pot and stop the
game"
Mot much!' said Potter; "f the
DEVILS really In the cards, I'm going
to stay with 'em till he comes out. That
Jack-pot's worth having now, and I'm
going to try to get It,"
Whftcomb and Duncan took the
same view Of 1t that Potter did. and II
- n