The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-05-02
The Biggest Faro Game.

George Albro, the veteran gamble
of the Pacific coast, has given severa
columns of "reminiscences to a CORE
spondent of the New York Sun. Whel
asked what was the biggest faro gam,
he had ever seen he replied:
"Oh, l can answer that quick, fo
it was wonderful game that L hap
pened to witness one night in Virginia
City, New, in 1870, when the Comstocl
mines were turning out profits of $780,.
600 day for Mackay, Fair. Flood
O'Brien, and gold dollars almost rolled
in the streets. l was called over tC
Gentry & Crittendens late one even
ing by friend to see a stiff game
among the big bugs of Comstock lode
and l wouldn't have missed seeing that
for a small fortune. Gentry & Crit
tenden ran the most prodigal gambling
! house ever known on this continent
and I've been in all of them from
Mexico to Vancouver and Boston to
Honolulu. This firm every month set
aside $4,000 for table expenses alone,
for wine flowed as freely as water at
Saratoga. A better did not ask if
there was a limit 10 the game. A sport
who had sand and cash enough might
bet $4,000 on a single card. The bank S
hackers counted their millions as
eastern gamesters counted their thou
sands.
In October, 1870, big buffer of a
silver mine owner named Calkins came
to Virginia City. He owned the rich
time, and could have sold his property
any day for a million and half. He
was known as akmilionaire in GOOD
standing with the San Francisco banks
and bankers, and his telegram was
good with Mackay, Flood & O'Brien
for $500 900. The old fellow, with his
corduroy trousers tucked in his boots.
and his greasy, dirty sombrero and
his stogy cigars, was a welcome guest
anywhere in Nevada. He chatted an
hour with Governor Nye, and, after
getting two bottles of champagne in
side of him, he sauntered into the faro
room.
"'Give me a stack of thousanddol-
lar fish (chips),' said Calkins.
Certainly. all you want replied
the suave Crittenden, nephew of the
Kentucky United States senator of
that name.
"One thousand went on the jack and
was lost Call1ins. lost $4,000 without
winning a bet. He swore and got out
side another bottle of wine. Luck
changed, and at a. m. he was $4,000
ahead of the game. That was about
the time 1 got there. Heavens but
it was a game.
FLUSHED with victory, Calkins order
ed a case of wine for the house. But
the genius of faro is tickle. The old
man made call with a thousand
dollar bill and picked up $1,000. Luck
failed him from that moment. At
break of day the sburly fellow, without |
handing in a dollar, had blown in |
just Sal, 900. He was as cross as !
bear with a sore head, but tried to
smile.
lone thousand son the ace 1t lost. |
Old Calkins rose and said slowly, as if !
each word weighed a pound: 'Critten- |
den, l reckon I've had fun enough for |
this one jamboree,' and, ordering a |
basket of wine for the house, he |
seated himself at Gentry's desk, and,
cool as a cucumber. drew a check on
Mackays bank for $4,000 When the
wine was opened the dealer, in mat
-er-of-fact way, said: This game is |
now closed.
For some of his yarns Albro appar-
entity drew on a fanciful imagination.
'or when asked as to the best draw
lie had ever seen in a poker game he
'epIied: I've been asked that hun
lreds of times, so I'm quick with an
answer. The best certainly was one
hat occurred in a game at the Arapa-
Zoe club in Salt Lake City, five or six
ears ago this winter. 1t was a gen.
lemens game, and the man who dared
o be crooked with cards would have
,een shot then and there. ] was
merely an invited spectator. One of
he players, a rich banker and cattle
ancher, was wild over poker, which
lie had learned a year before. He
1anted to take the bride off every
and To win a hundred on a bluff
yas worth 1000 to him. One time in
he club there was heavy betting be-
ore the draw. The plunger was in .
nd raised until all his money was up,
o. of course, there could be no betting
fter the draw. He put down his
ards and I never saw a worse hand.
lie had no pair, not even a face card.
lie was going to throw away the
unch and call for five cards, when he
oticed that he held the nine and ten
clubs.
" I'll draw to straight flush; give
lie three said he and, do you know,
lie three cards that came to him were
i mines, and he drew in the pot One
AN had pat jack full, another three
ngs.