The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-24
FIVE ACES WON.
They Were in Uncle Joe's Hand and
He Took the Pot.

L was a conductor on a trunk line
railway in the flush days that imme-
diately preceded the close of the war
and prevailed for a few years after the
close. Money was plentiful, morals
We're rather lax, and as yet it had not
been made part of the railroad con-
ductor's duty to stand guard over the
pocketbooks of credulous travellers or
those whose cupidty ran away with
their reason, and consequently those
were the halcyon days of travelling card
players abroad for what was in their
profession.
L used to like a quiet game of draw
myself and INDUCED my liking when
ever my duty gave me opportunity
This, of course, placed me in sympathy
with others who played, and one day
l got into a pretty stiff game on board
my own train, while in the actual dis
charge Of my duty, and yet without
holding a hand. / had been on the road
but week or two, and was not yet ac-
quainted with all its patrons. In go
ing through the train collecting fares
this day l speak of 1 came to four pas
sengers who We're absorbed in a game
of poker, a newspaper spread on their
laps to play on.
Fares, please" / said.
People didn't bother much about buy
ing tickets in those days, and a large
proportion of the fares were paid on the
trains. Three of the men handed over
their money. The fourth, who seemed
somewhat excited, said
Conductor, can't you come around
little later?''
I told him 1 must have his fare then
and there. He looked at his compan-
ions, hesitated a moment, and then
said:
viii you let me take little rake off
for my fare, fellows?"
They declined to do so.
Conductor" said he, holding up a
handful of gunwads, them stands for
all the money l got. I'm goin' to bet 'em
on this here hand, and the mischief of
it is I'll have to call before I've done it
justice. This is the hand"
He passed it up to me- shielding it
carefully from all other eyes. 1t was
four aces. 1 became Interested at once.
1 had $50 in my pocket. 1 reached in
and took out $50 and handed it to the
holder of the big hand.
GO ahead!' said 1, "bet that on it.
tool"
He did so. Two of the other players
dropped out. The fourth stayed. and
passed my remaining $40 to the man
with the four aces. That was my pile
and he had to call. He hated to- he
said, and 1 hated to have him do it,
with hand like that, but there was
halY fnr 10
man showed down straight flush
He got my money and the money OF
the man / backed, and l hadn't even
got the mans fare. I stopped the train
and put him off, and that was all the
satisfaction ! got out of it. The next
station was the end of my run. That
same evening / saw the man I had
backed and put off the train and his
three companions board an east-bound
train.
DO you know any of those chaps %
l asked the station agent.
Know 'em." he replied. Rather
They're four of the slickest card
sharpers on the line of the F. G.. e. W.
A great many drovers travelled on the
railroads during the war. They car
ried plenty of money, and were gen
orally easy and profitable game for the
professional card players. Some of the
drovers, though, had the reputation OF
| being very handy with cards them
selves, and Dragged of it, I used to
hear of Uncle Joe Reddy, Big Ike
Sloat and others as among the quick
witted drovers who We're said to be
able to take care of themselves against
the tricks of the sharpers One day
| noticed among my passengers a
noted card sharp, known Familiarity as
Jersey Jerry. At way station a lit
| tie old man, gray and wrinkled. but
still active and spry, got aboard the