The Portland daily press., 1896-05-09

in Colorado.
California Letter in New York Times
Among the old people who have come
from northern and colder climates to
spend their remining days in this land
of sunshine and flowers is Daniel Kim
his abiding place, and every day he may
be seen sitting amid the magnolia trees
and orange groves on his little ranch
place. He is n years old, and is proba-
bly, the best-known professional gamb-
ler in the Mississippi river region, and in
his day was one of the most famous in
the whole West. He has calls almost
daily from present members of the "pr9f-
psh. - as Daniel calls his old-time occupa-
uion, who are either spending the winter
In this semi-tropio region or have hap
pened down this way from San Francisco
DE- ST Louis The late Mayor Carter Fl.
Harrison Of Chicago said, when he was
Los Angeles several years ago, that
Dan Kimball was 80 years ago the most
prinoely and bonanza-like gambler ever
known from New Orleans to St. Louis,
and that he himself had seen Kimball
make $4,000 and Sl2, 0O0 IN one nights
operation. The old man he's been worth
$4,000 and 800, 000 several times in his
life, but now he is reduced to few
thousand dollars, and it is only by ex-
treme care of his dollars and unusual do
mestic prudence that he and his aged vile
make ends meet throughout the year.
"Thers amt no more gambling now, "
said old Mr.. Kimball the other day, "and
no gamblers, either. Lock at what they
call gamblers now-kids, nothing but
kids who amt got neither sense nor man.
ners. There ain'I any of US fellows left
and it's hard scratching most of the time
to make connections regular with meals.
The Mississippi river used to be the
place for gambling, but that's besn dead
sor over 20 years, and cont guess it'll
ever come to life again. But those were
the days, boys-great days for the best
river towns, with So steamboats, at the
wharf all at once, the levee covered with
Grays, and every sport with stuff in his
pockets and lots of good clothes.
81 guess there was 800 men who worked
the boats between St. Louis and New Or
leans, and there's 10 telling how much
money they did pull off the travellers. 1t
was dead easy money, too, oil the Time.
Everybody who travelled had lots OF stuff,
and everyone was willing to bet, and bet
high, 50 that when q fellow did win he
won right out of the hole ct once. Those
Southern planters used to just lose money
like fun, and were skinned right and left.
Occasionally they caught on, and there
was a shooting match, but the boys didn't
take much chance on being plugged. I've
seen 40 gamblers Oh one boat, the John
Diokey. That was in '57, whom the Off
GERS at Natohez cleaned all the gamblers
aut of the town. TIE whole gang met
the boat at the wharf and started to come
aboard. but the captain wouldn't let them
sut unless they promised not to play a
card aboard. They promised, and he took
them on, and the boat came on up the
river. You never saw tireder-looking
lot of gamblers in your life than them.
They hadn't anything to do. and some Of
them looked like they'd just as soon jump
overheard as not. They kept their prom
ise not to play cards, but they did skin
passengers on other games.
"Georgs Divoll got a little piece of tin
toll, wrapped it around some salt, and sit
ting down near the stove, warmed it and
put it up against his cheek.
Presently passenger, who had
got acquainted with one of Georges pals,
observed his actions, and inquired what
be was doing. George said he was curing
his neuralgia, and he explained the cure.
After he had done so he kept up the
thing fer awhile, and then he left the
cure on the stove hearth and went out.
Then Georges pal marked the package,
and suggested that it would be a good
joke TO change the salt for ashes, just to
observe what strength Divoll's belief had
in curing his neuralgia, The passenger,
planter, fell in, and changed the salt
for ashes and left it on the hearth. DiVoIl
oomes back and begins his monkey bus
iness over again, and the planter comes
around and guys George about the cure
heing no good, and finally George is so
OcdN sure liz CuEluS A1DlhGll UuhU ING
planter gets hot, and says he'll bet there
amt any salt in the tinfoil. George puts
him off, anu his pal shows the planter
what dead sure thing he's got, and
works him up for George in great shape.
They finally bet-$3)0 was the money
and, OF cours3, George shifts duplicate
Of his frst package on the planter, and
shows up the salt. The planter was clean
'oornered,' bat he was working George
Oh dead surs thing, and couldn'
squeal.
BILLY Peoples used to work on the
lower river, ard he was dandy. He
roped in judge from this city one day
TO little game, and thu judge, who
wasn't very nush, caught onto his game.
He went to the bartender and got bun
die of wildcat money, wrapped it around
with couple of 2O's, and put some fives
IN the middle. They started on euohre,
and the judge got the usual good poker
hand. and Mr.. Peoples played in. The
judge knew Peoples game was to let him
win to make his final skinning all the