The morning times., 1897-01-13
A Game Of Poker Played an In
teresting Part in the Contest.
AMERICAS NATIONAL GAME
1t Happened in Minnesota Soon After
the War-A Ciubman Relates q
Most Interesting Story-SIO,OOO
Against a Seat in the United
states Senate.

there are few citizens who fully appre-
ciate how much influence it has exerted on
the destinies OF the nation In one way and
another. We hear stories now and again
of the winning and losing of fortunes, and
sometimes how large estates and mining
properties have been staked on the chances
lying between two hands. And every
lobbyist in the country is familiar with
the old device of losing large sums in a
friendly game with legislator whose
vote is desired on one side or the other.
Such things, naturally enough, sway pub
lie interests as well as private to no small
extent, but l have seen seat in the
United States Senate lost on four queens
"Of course, you are not talking seri-
ously," said one of the party.
But | am was the answ er. seriously
and literally. 1t happened in Minnesota
soon after the war. Political conditions
in THAT part OF the West were very different
TO what they are now, and, in fact, all
other conditions were, too. 1t was at
about the beginning Of the real growth
of the Northwest. The value OF the
wheat fields had been learned, but the
Swedish and Norwegian Immigration was
in its infancy, and the lumber industry
that afterward grew to such enormous
proportions was then making compare
lively few men rich. Minneapolis was a
small town on the south side OF the river.
and st. Anthony was town OF the same
size on the other side. Now it's all one
city, hut then nobody dreamed of st. Paul
being eclipsed in size or Importance.
al was knocking aboutlate one summer at
that period and had made many friends
around st. Paul and Minneapolis, some OF
whom were State officials, and had heard
much talk of the struggle there was u be in
the next legislature over the election of
Senator. Two men were in the race Ind as
they were both popular the contest was
likely TO be close one. Party questions
did not enter in, for the state was strongly
Republican, and no Democrat stood show
But which of the Republicans would carry
the legislature was matter of great
doubt and | saw bets made on the issue
as early as the first of September AS the
time of election drew near. 1t was evident
that the choice for Senator was going to
govern the nomination of candidates for
the legislature, and as both the Senatorial
aspirants were long of head as well as long
of purse. they were using all the influence
they had in the county conventions, which
were TO be held early in October.
Right there was where. the mrortance
orthelauiber Industry came in The money
on which the lunibcrm on in tie upper coun-
ties lived came TO them mostly through
Minneapolis and st. Anthony, and the per
fcctly legitimate business relat. .ons between
II.
cities naturally gave the latter much in
fluence among the former. There was a
ioiiCking. happy go-iueky man in Mime
aroljs whom everybody called Doc Martin,
for no reason that could discover except
that he wasn't a doctor. He was part
owner of sawmill and spent the most Of
each winter in the woods with his men.
He was credited with being as influential
as anyone there was. among voters. but
he had rival in another man named Gill
martin, who was logger him self. but had
for a Gozen seasons been foreman of one
gang or another. Martin was rich ma IL,
| but Gilmartin was seldom flush excepting
in the spring, when he had drawn his
winter pay. These two men Were known
to he strong partisans, one favoriDg one OF
the would-be Senators, and the other the
other, and it was generally thought thar
they would both go electioneering when
the county conventions were held.
THE week before that would happen !
was one of party who drove from Minnea-
polls to roadhouse on the Fort Smelling
road near the Minnehaha Falls, partly for
the enjoyment of the moonlight and partly
for game supper such as the house was
famous for providing. Martin was one of
the party, and as there were two or three
other high rollers with us, had made up
my mind that 1t would be daybreak before
we would get back.
Il was right, but before the night was
over we had more excitement than | had
expected. We had had supper and an
abundance Of good wines with it, and We're
sitting around thetable enjoyin G some rarely
good punch when some one proposed poker
| No one objected, and In few minutes there
| were two games in progress, for there were
eleven in the party. Six played a tone table
| and Martin and / and three Others were al
| the other The game was fairly stiff one,
| $40 being the limit, and the cards ran well
| enough to build up some heavy pots. We
| had all indulged freely enough to give our
| selves thoroughly TO the enjoyment of the
|
heavily, and there wasn't man there under
theInfluence. Altogether it was delightful
| occasion Suddenly the door opened and
| Gilmartin looked in.
81 don't want to trough in," boys he
| said, but 1 stopped here to get supper
| on the way home, and the landlord told me
| you were here, SO thought I'd ask you
! to drink with me-
| He was greeted heartily, for everybody
| knew and liked him, and bumper Of punch
| was poured out for him forth with, his in
vltation being peremptorily laid on the
table Then, as matter Of course, it was
| suggested that he take a hand in the game,
| and he being more than willing, sat at our
| table,
We're playing ten dollars limit, Gil ;
said one of the party, who knew that money
| was not always plentiful with the big fel-
low. But he laughed carelessly and said:
| That's al right as he pulled out $50 and
bought chips
Martin looked at him rather keenly, as
l thought, for an instant, AMI said:
Been out 10 st. Paul tordght, Gill;
yes, l have said Gilmartin, and !
| was sure that l saw a halflaughing look
| or defiance on his face as he answered. 1t
puzzled me at the moment, but understood
the question and answer afterward. Mar
TIN, 1t seemed, suspected that Gilmartin had
perfected his arrangements to go election
eering, and that he had the money in his
pocket with which he was expected to dc
his work. 1t was this that he had asked
| by implication, and Gilmartin, understand
ing him perfectly, aud knowing that hC
could not keen his secret long from the