The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-17
EVERY HAND A FULL HAND
EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF DRAW
POKER ON THE COLUMBIA.
Three Men Drew Each . Card; Age Made 6
Full on Aces; No 2, even Full on Duces;
No 3, 8 Full on Trays; No 4 had . 8 Full
ON Fours Pat, Dealer . Pat 10 Full on
Elves.

Full on Aces: No 2, oven Full on Duces;
No 3, 8 Full on Trays; No 4 had . 8 Full
ON Fours Pat, Dealer . Pat 10 Full on
Elves.
A poker story, soberly authenticated,
and. as all concerned admit, needin so
to be came into this port yesterday on
the Hamberg-American steamship Column
bia- 1t is attested to not only by the sig
natures Of the five players themselves
and that Of a witness, but nearly a quar-
ter of the men on the first cabin passen-
ger list saw the hands and are willing to
stake their regulations on the facts In
the case, and finally, Captain Vogelgesang
thought the incident Of such importance
that he had a limited edition of the
declaration" of the players struck of on
the ships printing press, in order that the
copies of it might be put among the ar
chives Of the company. He declares is
as follows:
Am Bord des Schnelldampfers Columbia,
Hamburg-Amerika LIME, rs, Z, 81.
We the undersigned passengers on
board the Columbia, while engaged in a
game of draw poker, saw a new deck OF
cards passed to the dealer by the teward.
The stamp was intact, and after being
shuffied. cut and dealt, the following re-
markable fact occurred:
The first man opened the pot, the Gee
ond, third, fourth and fifth raising in
turn.
The cards were drawn, one each by the
first, second and third men, the fourth
and fifth standing pat.
On the call the completed hands were
as follows:
First man, 6-full on aces.
Second man, 7-full on deuces.
Third man, 8-full on trays.
Fourth man, 9-full OIL tours.
Fifth man, 10-full on fves.
Respectfully submitted to the unbeliev-
ing public as a truthful poker story.
{. Seiigman, Los Angeles. Cal.
]. De Witt Wilde, New York.
Alex. II. Meyer, Richmond, Va.
Charles Stem San Francisco. fha
dealer.)
was a witness to the game and GER
tify to the truth Of above. j. A. Fflcher.
Publisher Placer Herald, Auburn, Cal.
This is the story of the game as told
last evening by Mr.. Muller, No. 4, who
did not get the pot. The Columbia had
bad weather almost from the time she
left Southampton, and poker was popu-
lar. Several groups of poker players
formed, and one of them was composed
of the men who had that wonderful deal.
They played together every day, quarter
limit.
1t was about 4.3O on Monday afternoon
that the big hands were dealt. 1t was
raining and the smoking room was crowd
ed. This particular game had been going
on since luncheon, and as all the men
were good players and the hands had been
running high. their table was s~urrounded
The men sat in the order named in the
declaration. Mr. Muller had just dealt
and Mr.. Stepp was to follow. Between
Inc ucdiS al lOuIu vi I'LL la z
ordered, and part Of the liquor had been
spilled on the discards. AS he gathered
up the cards Mr.. Muller said:
"These cards are getting pretty gummy.
Here, steward, bring us a new back"
The steward brought q new pack, still
sealed, and handed them to Mr.. Stepp.
He broke the seal, and took out the joker.
and tore it up, and then shuffled the cards
seven or eight times. Then he handed
them to Mr.. Muller to cut. Between
him and Mr.. Muller sat J. A. Filcher, the
secretary of the California state board of
trade ara publisher of the Placer Herald,
of Auburn, California. He was able to
see all that was going ON. Mr.. Muller
cut the cards and Mr.. Stepp dealt them
out.
There was a small pot, so small as to be
almost insignificant. 1t was a jack pot.
Mr.. Seligman, who had the say, opened
1t for a quarter and Mr.. Wilde promptly
raised him. Mr.. Meyer stayed and Mr..
Muller raised Wilde, and Mr.. Stepp, the
dealer, raised Muller: All made good and
stayed. Messrs Seligman. Wilde and
Myer each drew a card and Messrs Muller
and Stepp stood pat.
Then the fun began. Each man thought
he had a lead pipe cinch, and he bet ac-
cordingly. Everybody raised. Mr.. Selig-
man smiled pityingly on the rest, and
each of the others smiled in a like man.
ner. Mr.. Wilde laid his cards carelessly
on the table and studied the carved CELL
ing of the smoking room as he raised
every time the chance came.
At last, as no one gave in, the players
began to regard each other with interest,
and wondered what was going to happen.
The idlers crowded around the table four
deep. Things began to be very lively
when Mr.. Stepp interrupted the proceed
ings by asking, when it came around to
him to raise, how much was in the pot.
About twenty dollars was the re-
"Well." said Mr.. stepp, this is only a
friendly game, and we don't want to get
too much money in the pot, so I'll CALL
Mr.. Seligman looked sorrowful, and
said:
w might nave gone on a little longer
He laid down his three skies and two
aces and put out his hands oward the
pot.
Hold on there!' Sid Mr.. Wilde. cit
has never been my custom to bet when ]
didn't hold a winning hand" and he threw
down his three sevens and two deuces.
There was a gludge from Mr.. Meyer.
He slammed his eight full on the table,
exclaiming:
IF this don't beat the devil I dom
know what will! I've won two steamer
pools and I've got this pot. Look at that
hand!'
There was an exclamation of astonish.
ment from the men that were crowded
around the table.
what have you got, Muller?" asked
Mr.. Stepp the dealer.
I've got mines full on ~fours." Muller
replied putting down the cards.
full ON fives."
There was an impressive silence in the
saloon for a. minute. All the eyes were
turned on Mr.. Stepp, who was very pale
and agitated. Finally he spoke.
Gentlemen, he said, II wont take that
pot. / protest that the deal was square,
You saw me break the new pack of cards
shuttle them above board; you saw Mr..
Muller cut them and me deal them. But
such a lot of hands I've never seen in
my life. I've never heard of anything like
it. If I didn't see it with my w eyes ]
should call a man a liar who told me that
such a thing had happened on a square
deal. Therefore, in justice to me, we
should have a new deal"
A storm of protests greeted this. None
of the players would listen to any such
proposition.
Its worth $500 to any poker player
said Mr.. Muller, Ito be able to say that he
sat in such a game"
Finally every man in the smoking room
was called up to see the hands as they lay
on the table, and Mr.. Filcher said:
Il want you all to give me a statement