The herald., 1897-10-30
CLEANED OUT
In "Poker" Davis Spring
Street "Office"
WHITTIER farmer ROBBED
BUNCO MEN THEN INVITE HIM
TO MAKE COMPLAINT
And Openly Defy the Law-Police De-
tectives Investigating the Lat
est "Sure Thing" Game

wild ha, ha, and told him to prosecute
them if he thought that he could make
out a case; that the police and detectives
knew where the gang made its head
quarters, and could find them there at
any time, and that they would be on
hand in court to answer any sort of a
charge he might feel like bringing.
| About 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon
| Mitchell Burke, who lives on ranch in
the vicinity of Whittier, was standing
at the corner of Spring and First streets,
| in front of the Western Union Telegraph
office, waiting for an electric car to
Santa Monica. While waiting, a well
dressed man stepped up to him and
asked the time at which the next Santa
Monica car would leave. Burke an
swered the question and readily drifted
into a conversation with the stranger,
who was fluent talker. He soon told
his occupation, and where he lived, and
| was glad that he was going to have a
companion on his trip to the seaside.
80 you live at Whittier, do your" the
stranger asked, and he at once became
very much interested in the conversa-
tion. How is the soil there? And the
4
place for an old man who is something
of an inyalid?" The Whittier man, too,
| became animated about this time, and
gave a glowing account of the lusty
bcets raised around Whittier, and the
unequaled climatic advantages of the
place.
"Well," said the stranger, my father
is getting old and feeble, and l think it
would be a good thing for him to find a
place out in the country. My sister,
| too, Is threatened with consumption. l
believe Whittier is just the place for
them both. But, then, is there any
land down there for sale? I hadn't
asked you that"
1t happened that the Whittier mans
own place is in the hands of real es-
tate agent, and here seemed an oppor-
tunity to do a stroke of business with
the stranger. He replied that there
was property to be had at Whittier. and
remarked that he was willing to sell his
own place at the right figures.
I'm very much interested in this
matter" said the stranger, land 1 know
that my father would like to talk to you
about the matter. He's down at the Of
down there and see him for few min
utes. 1t might be of advantage to us
both. We can afford to miss one car
to look into this business. There'll be
another along in half an hour" The in
vitation was accepted, and the two men
walked down the street together, the
stranger still much interested in an ac-
count of how the farming is carried on
at Whittier.
The office was found at 4311s South
Spring street, on the second floor, in
room 2. There were three or four men
sitting around reading. The stranger
was very much disappointed to find that
his father had stepped out. Inquiry
among those in the room elected the
information that the old gentleman had
gone over to the postofflce, and would
be back Immediately.
By accident some one brushed the
newspaper off a table in the center of
the room, which disclosed a table all
| ready for a game of poker.
| The men again gathered around the
table and stranger No. / took seat with
them. 1t was only sociable game. they
explained for small stakes, and the
| Whittier man was invited to join until
the party he was waiting for should
arrive. At first he refused. He was
dealt hand anyhow and his friend
played it for him. 1t was great hand
and took everything in sight. The next
time he got even a better hand than be-
| fore. His friend showed some chips over
to him and, nudging him in the ribs
fairly implored him to bet. And he did
hi rn in l11
his friend, who was watching the game
closely, cried in his enthusiasm: "Bet
every cent you've got on that hand
| Throw in your purse" And that is ex-
actly what the man from the country
did. He threw down his hand and saw
that he was beaten. He had lost every
cent that he had.
By this time the scales had begun tc
fall off his eyes. He got up and de-
nounced the men as confidence sharps
and got laughed at for his pains. The
man for whom he had been waiting, the
feeble old man who wanted to get out
on ranch for his health, now put in al
appearance. He was none other thar
the notorious card sharp, e. c. Davis
alias Poker" Davis. When he heard
what had occurred he grew very angry
to think that the stranger should have
come to his office and enticed his son into
a poker game, even his own son, who
had always been brought up to abhol
such things.
The towering passion of this right
eously provoked man was something
Ominous. He ordered Burke, whom hi
characterized as a vile corruptor Of
youth, out Of the building. Now that hi
had lost his money the rancher was MOI
so easily shaken as would have beer
pleasing to the card sharps. He stait
close to the man who had "steered" him
in spite of his curses and threats of per.
sonal injury. When the young fellow
went out onto the street again Burke
| followed him, intending to ask the firs1
policeman to take him into custody
They had gone but short distance
when the young fellow ducked into 6
building and disappeared
The bunco men evidently had become
uneasy lest the sucker should "holler, -
and when he returned to the Natick
house man tapped him on the shoulder
and handing him $40. told him to keep
ouiet about what had hannenad Tn.