The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-03-18

sotooped to by these petty swindlers.
The old-time gambler, who played be-
.eause his blood was riotous with chance,
and who often staked on the turn of
Gard as much money as the stealings
lof one of the modern ''shoestrings"
amounts to in year, has left for other
countries. The true gambler is as
scarce as the crapshooters are plenti-
sful.
"A number of years ago IA boys consti-
stuted a class in q school in Joplin, Mo.
Three of them had been born in Baxter
Springs, Kan, in the days when that
town was the ''front" of the Fort Scott
road. It was "hot town." in which a
i dozen city marshals were shot to death
i I'm q year, where gamblers were an inn
portant part of the population, and
where money was plentiful. These
three boys had the gambling instinct
ms truly as the colt of a turf sire has the
4 faculty to trot. And out of the class of
~, ten boys grew into gamblers. They
/ were accomplished in all the novelties
!. of their trade before they were out of
sschooi. >.
q OF the ten, three became leaders. Sam
Parks was perhaps the most desperate
sand successful. jeff Davis was edu
Gated for priest. Bob Cummings was a
], lawyer as well as gambler. All three
arc the heroes of adventures that would
make bool1ful of stirring stories.
This is the story of how jeff Davis
assisted in the stirring events in the
Central American country of Guate-
1nala that resulted in the death of Presi-
dent Barrios in 1886. Barrios and his
ron were on a visit to New York. Davis,
. then q slight, reticent, darl1-eyed youth,
had gone there to practice his calling.
He met young Barrios in little game
in one of the small hotels and was in
stroduced to the Central American pres
. ident. In Spanish-American States
gambling is looked upon much more
Ieniently than in the United States.
Barrios was at the time a great friend
of Americans, and fostered their i'm
migration to his country. To Davis he
said:
~Events may SO shape themselves that
Il may give you gambling privileges in
my country that will be exceedingly
valuable. At all events, shall be glad
ITO have you come to San Jose de Guate-
1nala.''
Davis saw the advantages he would
4 have in the favor and protection of the
president. Shortly afterward he sailed
a7for Guatemala with a friend named Nc
sCunc. Barrios was as good as his word,
and Davis soon had two games running,
lone at Champerico, on the coast, in
charge of McCune, and the other at
San Jose de Guatemala, the capital,
with himself in the lookout"
For several months all went well and
Davis made money like a mint. The ex-
~lusiveness Of his privilege drove all
I the chance money to his tables and he
was soon on the road to opulence. Then
Barrios issued his famous proclama-
rticn of the union of Central American
I states and Davis was promised the
gambling privileges of the union. AS
consequence he turned the stream of
shis wealth toward the Golfers of Bar
rios and his dollars helped to equip
e1he army. War was declared, and on
/ March 30 of that year Gen. Barrios
asnarched on the frontier of Salvador
# with 10000 troops to punish his treach-
.Aerous friend Zaldivar, who had prom
Used to come into the union and at the
Hast moment declared his enmity. On
April the Guatemalans attacked San
4 Iorenzo and the next day, when the at
tack was to be repeated, Barrios left
81 his tent to assume command of his
i: army and was killed by sharpshooter
from tree. Meanwhile the battle had
lbegun, and in short time both sides
withdrew from the field, but not until
4 n successful effort had been made by
the Guatemalans, with loss of rs lives,
ITO recover the body of Barrios. Gen.
5tsESVcrancio Barrios, son of the president,
was also killed on the same field, to-
gether with 1000 of his comrades.
Thus was the attempt to unite Cen
Il xral America brought to nothing. Davis
was without friends. He was known
to have made large sums of money and
IS ITO have aided Barrios, and in the con-
fusion that followed both he and Nc
.Cune were arrested, tried and con-
/ rt1emned to death.
The property of Davis was confscateil
I and he was thrown into prison. Nc
y ~Cune was promptly hanged outside the
walls of Champerico and his body filled
IL with bullets. Then began the battle OF
wits to save the life of Davis.
Davis, with the true instinct of the
gambler, had bought unset diamonds
whenever he could. Around his body
under his clothes he wore a broad belt
FLIED with them. This he toolto prison
with him. H.
ss His former generosity recommended
q him to the good graces Of the governor
of the prison and he was introduced
&c the governors wife, who became in
sss-terested in the slight, good-lool1ine
young American. At the first oppor:
tunity he presented her with a diamond
81 from his belt and proposed that she in
sist in keeping him alive until his
friends could come to him. -
The governors wife was woman Of
vuod wit and she liked diamonds. She
autographed to friend of Davis in Kan
ts3s aaS CITY. a Young merchant who related