The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-29
HE is A NEW PLUNGER
Riley Grammar and "PittSburg Phil"
Clearly and Completely OutdOne.
THE LUCK OF PIERRE WlBAUX
Bookmakers Staggered With the
Big Bets of the Eastern Montana
Cattle King-His Fortune the
Talk of the Ring.

tie king or Eastern Montana, is max
ing himself famous in the betting ring.
Reports come from San Francisco of
fabulous winnings on the track made
by the shrewd financier. His friends
in Butte and in the state generally,
and especially in the town which bears
his name will read with great satisfac-
ton the following story from the
Chronicle of the 25th:
Riley Grammar and "Pittsburg PHIL
are lesser stars in the world of race
track plungers just now. They are
completely overshadowed by new and
comparatively unknown man, VINO
brings with him the breezy air and
methods of Montana So far his real
name is known to few. but his care
less way of wagering thousands has
caused him TO be dubbed impartially
THE Frenchman" and The Montana
Plunger" His real name is Pierre Wi
baux, and he is a wealthy stock raiser
from the eastern part OF the state
noted for its big cattle ranges.
Wibaux has been a figure at the To-
cal race tracks for only about three
weeks, but his face is now as well
known as that of any of the charac-
tiers who watch the running of the
ponies" 1t is not so much his calm
way of Offering an amount staggering
the ordinary penciller, nor yet the
magnitude of his bets, that has at
tracted attention to him. 1t is more
his phenomenal luck in following a
game which is deemed hard enough IN
all truth for an 'insider' and about
entirely a cold frost" for an outsider.
Wihaux would hardly be put I'm the
former class. and this makes all the
more remarkable the fact that he has
in e few weeks of his operations. les
sened the bank rolls of the bookmakers
by about $50 900. Now at the race
track II Is not What is Grammar play
ing?" or Where is 'Plttsburg Pills
money going?" but What does the
Frenchman like?" When he enters the
betting ring a watohful crowd of touts
gathers near. When he starts for a
book there is a rushing and jostling.
and when he whispers in a bookmak-
er's ear, heads are packed and ears
strained to hear the words which the
eager ones think will bring them for
tune.
At first the Montana plunger" would
shout out his horse and the amount of
money he wished to play at the pencil
Ter. but he soon found that this mill
tated against him. Everybody within
hearing would rush 10 place their mon
ey ON the horse he favored, and the
odds would rapidly recede. The
'plunger," after placing his first bet.
would be compelled to take a much
less price for the rest of his money.
Now he goes around very quietly and
whispers I'm the ears of the bookmalz-
ers. and the straining ears have to be
very sharp 10 catch the tenor of the
request. Within the last few days he
has adopted the method of all big bet
tors, and places the bulk OF his money
through commissioners.
Wibaux, with the large way of the
typical westerner. has made some big
he likes a horse there Is apparently no
limit to his liking. and thousands OF
dollars are wagered as If gold were
dross of the veriest sort. Wednesday
he took about $4,000 out of the ring
over the victory of Cadmus. To win
1t he had to put up $4,000. What stag
gered the ring was his desire to bet IL
all with one bookmaker. He stepped |
up to George Rose and remarked: !
Give me $4,000 on Cadmus."
Rose answered. Certainly, sir" be- |
fore he realized what he was doing.
WibauX had not gone many steps 4
away before Rose called him back and I.
tod him that he guessed $1,000 was
all he cared to take"
Thursday Wibaux was given a strong I
"hunch" on Fijian in the first race. l
The horse was to l. and the plunger |
played him for all the bookies would I
take, Notwithstanding Yo ell Rey was n 1
strong favOrite and there were IA start 7
ers in the event. His Tip" or his judg- /
ment was good. for there was nothing b
hut Fijian in the hunt from start to
finish. on this one race alone Wibaux /
increased his bank roll about $4,000
Inquiries have been made regarding !
the remarkably lucky new star in the /
betting armament, but few have been
satisfied, for WibauX has done every
thing TO keep his name from the gen.
efal public. The bookmakers are I'M
der strict injunction not to reveal IL,
and IL probably would have remained
a secret had not several Montana men
recognized in the envied wooer of for
tune the wealthy land and stock own
err.
WibauN owns thousands Of acres and
thousands OF cattle in the eastern por-
ton of the grazing state. His ranges
are only a short distance from Miles
Cry' and town bearing his name
stands upon his estate. He came TO
California on business. and his specu-
lation at the race track is but a profit
able incident of his trip. friend OF I
his said yesterday that he was neCo-
uatlng here for the purchase OF 10000
cattle 10 be shipped to his Montana
range. and there fattened and sent to
the eastern markets. His wife is with
ham. and they are guests at the Pal
The same friend also tells Of some Of
the operations of Wibaux I'm Montana.
II appears that he is n "plunger'' in
any sort Of an enterprise. and that sue
cess is his unsecured bad fellow. He
arrived in Montana during the big de-
preston in the cattle business a few
years ago. Land was cheap and cattle
were cheaper. Wibaux had some mon
great deal-and Il all went
InfO land and stock The stock husg I
ness experienced a sort OF mild boom.
and Wibaux' wealth jumped by thous-
ands daily. He bought more land and
more cattle. and Is now one OF the
princes OF the Industry. which engages
the most Of his attention. His career
before he made his big strike in cat
Re ms friends here do not know. They
all him the Frenchman." because he
$ French. and because he acknowi-
>dges French descent. though neither
1is speech nor appearance indicates r.
In no way is he suggestive OF the