The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-10-07
8 GOLD GONE
Passing Of George v. Hawkins,
the Chicago Sporting Man.
HE MADE AND LOST MILLIONS.

Was a King In the Days When the Chi
cago Gamblers Ran the Town-Story Of
His Career-His superstitiOns of
His Contemporaries.
Chicago is still discussing and moraliz-
ing over the announcement recently made
that George Y. Hankins, the one time
millionaire turf king and gambler, is
"broke" His entire estate has been trans
ferred to NJ G. Mcdonald, the well knowD
sporting man. 1t is valued at 81 100000
and was made in consideration of g.
Hankins says the transfer is bona fide, and
that he is penniless.
Race tracks, it is said have been the
most unfortunate Investments of the Ons
time leader of the Chicago sporting fra
ternity. He has lost heavily in every race
track venture he engaged in and dates the
beginning of his fall in 1891, when he be-
came one of the founders Of the Garfield
race track He estimates his loss on the
Garfield track at $53, 900, the amount for
which he stood guarantor on the lease
with Mr.. Mcdonald. Mr. Hawkins puts
his loss on the Harlem venture at $40, 900
and counted up $55, 900 that had been
sunk in the sands at the Sheffield track
Strictly speaking, Mr. Hawkins said his
troubles were caused by the hostility of
the state legislators of Illinois and Indiana.
Previous to these unfortunate expert
ences he had suffered severe reverses
through the systematic and successful eff
forts of the city officials to shut off gam
bling in Chicago His two "clubhouses, :"
as he called his gambling places at 1874
and ia Clark street, put 100000 in
circulation annually, and he lost heavily
When the doors were closed, for he had
spent money lavishly in improvements.
Slnce gambling has been stopped he has
lost 81, 500 a month on his two saloons.
The three Hawkins boys-Al, Jeff and
Ieorge-came from respectable parentage
george is at least so years old and not the
Oldest OF the trio His boyhood home was
On farm near Aurora, Ills, where he
was born. At one time in his early life he
learned the harness trade, and with his
brothers absorbed great deal of knowl-
edge about stock farming and the care of
horses
After the war they became gamblers,
anu experts at that AL Hawkins was the
leader, the business man, the cool calcu-
IaIor and the hardheaded keeper of his own
money. jeff was lame He had been in
ypleo IN a stage coach accident, which
shortened one leg. He died in Chicago
oIIne TWO years ago. George, according to
no estimates of the many acquaintance
i ,o ilaS, was the least capable of the three
aI 81 BUSINESS Hairs, and they point to his
yea failure as an evidence of how quick
~ 1 IVA. was parted with the money made off
I -o TN bucket brigade" He has been
nnoM1 lar and wide as an "old woman"
g., ,I1li'lTr-a superstitious, crafty gambler.
lo lro 9nuudered every time his house
a4SC 70. II Is told of him that after he opened
bliro. o LARK street he had above the gam
own, WI R3l lUIhents private room of his
I"n. When the games were in fnll blast
nro 1,,.1io UoWn stairs and watched their
tab bf5le 3D. AS soon as he noticed that the
mono7, W." toI losing any considerable sum of
etairs o III nlm he would at once go up
e 1UaLrs and change his clothes This act e +
the place "oul" change the luck of
icaIIv otaPee brothers were big men phys
;o o"Hy, anable, quiet and averse to a rbys.
+ tT"t encounter with any one. In startino
bv Irb g3ainnoIing operations In Chicago, and
have rooI,u Cney are popularity supposed to
OOo 49, 40 IN the gross at least So. 600.
- Oiiree hSothers divided. Al anS