The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1896-01-16

LOST ALL AT POKER.
PROPERTY NOW WORTH MILLIONS
sTAkEO', ON touR osEENs.
How Nicollst Island. q ldinneapolia. Pass
ed Out Of Rossession Of Pierre Bottineau.
His Connection with tho EARLY History
Of nIianesota.
There recently died at his home in
Red Lake Falls man who was 80 thor.
oughly identified with the early history
Of Minnesota that to relate 1t without
mentioning his name would be like try
ing to make bricks without straw. This
man was Pierre Bottineau. the, offspring
of French father and an Indian moth
er, and he possessed all the characters
tics Of both races.
Mr.. Bottineau was Q native Of what
Is now North Dakota. having been born
~ miles west Of the place where Fargo,
N. D., now stands. At the time Of his
birth Lord Eelkirk formed Q colony Of
Ewedes and Ecotchmen near 4oys Garry,
and when Bottineau was 10 yeass of age
these people began an exodus for other
points Young Is he was, Bottinesu was
an experienced guide. skilled IN wood
and prairie craft, and moro than one Of
Lord Selkirk's colonists be piloted out
of the Wilderness.
In many of tho carly expeditions Of
the United States government FHerre
was employed as guide and scout. and
was one Of the principal members Of the
noted Sibley expedition, which crossed
the plains in the early days He was
we'll acquainted with almost every foot
of the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wiscon-
sin, and at one time was the owner of
vast tracts of valuable land. which he
subsequently, lost in one way or an
other. Mr. Bottineau was warm friend
of James, j. Hill. the railway magnate.
having met him at st. Paul when that
place was little more than g. trading
point and where Mr.. Hill was employed
as freighter.
In 1841 Mr.. Bottineau took up
claim on the spot where st. Paul now
stands, but after having held it for a
short time traded it for horse and COW,
which he drove away to his home in the
wilderness, little thinking that the land
he had almost given away would in
few years be the site of great city.
Later on Mr.. Bottineau purchased for
small sum a large portion of what is
now Minneapolis, but lost the greater
portion of it through the dishonesty Of
purchasers and the rest through his
weakness for poker, game which he
Thought he understood, but which other
people understood better than he did.
There is story, which the elder resi-
dents of Minneapolis declare to be true,
that Bottineau was once the sole owner
of Nicollet island, lying in the Missis
sippi river, which divides Minneapolis
into east and west Minneapolis, and
which is now one of the most important
business and residence districts in the
city and valued at many millions of dol
lars, and that he lost it during game
of poker. A party of men met one even
story goes, to play their accustomed
game. The stakes kept growing larger
and larger, until every jack pot contained
a small fortune, even for that early day.
Ever since the game had begun Mr..
Bottineau had been losing steadily, but
at last he was dealt hand upon which
he hoped to regain all his losses and win
something besides. He was given four
queens pat, and drawing one card, Sc
cured an ace, leaving only four kings
with which his hand could be beaten.
As he SAVIOR thought he did, which
amounted to the same thing-one of the
players discard a king, he considered
his hand invincible and played it ac-
cordingly. His opponent also considered
his hand good one and promptly raised
every bet made by Bottineau.
Soon all the players but Bottineau
and his opponent dropped their hands
and retired from the game, after which
they sat and watched the conflict. The
table was heaped with money and the.
personal belongings of the two men,,
who were wishing they had more to-
wager upon their respective hands, AT
Last all the men possessed lay on the
table in front of them, and it was Bot
stineau's bet Carefully looking over
his cards, he thought Q moment and
then remarked that all he had left was
Nicollet island. which was once the
home Of Father Hennepin, ono Of the
earliest settlers Of Minnesota, his log
cabin having stood upon little mound
in the center Of the island up to few
years ago, when 1t was pulled down to
make room for the residence Of Colonel
King. = ----.-'-.---
This island Bottineau was willing to
bet against 5000. The. bet was called by
the man on the opposite side Of the Ia.
bic and Bottineau laid down his four
queens with smile Of triumph on his
face With shout his opponent laid
on the table face up, four kings and q
tray. There was dead silence for a
moment Then Bottineau called for