The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-01-04
A WOMAN THE STAKE.
SHE WAS PLAYED AGAINST $50, 900 IN
A GAME OF EcARTE.
Though the Kentuchian Won at the Game,
He Was Beaten In Another way-strange
story Of AN Old. Grewsome Looking
House In San Francisco.

by the Presentation convent, in front o.
the graveyard. and the people in the
neighborhood used to tell strange stories
about this grewsome looking dwelling.
For several years its occupancy was APP
parently confined to a decrepit old man,
who used TO crawl in and out about once
day, his arms filed with packages
from the market
He was known in the neighborhood as
the old dago, though in reality he was
a native of Alsace. For several years he
lived hermit's life, and the neighbors
got so accustomed to his comings and
goings that even the small boys forgot
to modest him. But one morning all the
gossips found food for conversation by
the appearance of a remarkably lovely
young woman who went out to and re.
turned from the butchers stall and the
grocer's. She spoke English imperfectly
and with a very pronounced French
accent This little cabin was destined
to be the scene of very dramatic Incl
dent in the history Of California gam.
bling.
1t was natural that girl as pretty as
Irene should not be long without adj
mirers, so it came to pass that the win
dows of the old house were lighted up
every evening, and the Frenchman de-
veloped the natural hospitality of his
race and gave little dinners and suppers
to his exiled oountrymen. But among
those, as was only natural, there were
some who existed not by honest indus
try, but by the gaming table. Among
them was young man Of striking APP
pearance who had served in France as
sous ofticier in hussar regiment, had
gone the pace, ruined himself, and final
ly drifted out to San Francisco, where
he became the hanger on of the gambling
table
Louis LIE Marronais was strikingly |
handsome specimen of the Partisan of |
his class. 1t did not take him very long
to gain the confidence of the old French
man, and to him he confided the story
OF his life. 1t was not very eventful
one. de was member of an old French |
family and could use if he pleased a
title which dated back to Charles the
Bold. He had been ruined by the ex-
travagance of his younger brother and
was then living on the income of a lit
lie property i'll Brittany, which he had
aved from the wreck. Irene was his
'nly child. and he idolized her. For her
axe alone he wanted to be rich. He
wanted to take her back to France and
einstate her in the position to which
Ter rank entitled her.
The ex-hussar won the old man into |
ne belief that his only chance of getting
lch was through gambling. So night
liter night old Lescant was found at |
ne III Dorado or some other gaming
ell losing his money under the direc-
ION OF the arch mentor. One night Irene
ollowed him there to bring him back.
nd her first visit was a fateful one.
ON Monroe, Kentuckian, one of the
'lldest and most reckless characters of
nat period, saw her, admired her and | &
wore that she should become his prop i,
'ty.
1t is not necessary to recite the Incl c
ents that led up to the scene. which
ere related to me by an eyewitness. 1t
sufficient to say that LIE Marronais
I'd convinced the old Frenchman that
onroe would stake $50, 900 against =
o hand OF Irene. If he won, she was
become his wife, but if he lost the {
oney was to become the Frenchman's
operty and Irene was free to bestow d
r affections wherever she pleased. Il Il
enc was informed of this proposition. '
q she looked resigned and rather u
nused at the transaction. u
Inc eventful night arrived. Monroe. IL
old man, Louis, Irene, and a friend Sc
q countryman of t&a SsS>were the re
~ inmates of the little room. Tho ~
me was ecarte, and the cards, which io
uis had marked, lay upon the table. n
10 old man got the deal. Monroe Ger *
led check for 500, 600 was placed in a
custody of the hussar. The old man nc
'rked the king in the first deal. and sn
len the pack changed hands he had 10
best of the game. The play went op Ia
int.
Iene is mlneF" shouted the Ken M
khan, reaching,for his check. ma
At this momentthe lights were.dashed n
> and Monroe fell to the floor from pr
stroke of some heavy instrument. ia
only disinterested spectator of the in
ne fed from the room. The next 90
rning there was no sign of0ife in the fri
house, and in the evening when the co,
kman knocked he heard a eroanipp ba
N the inside. He forced his way into de,
mouse and discovered thewretched M;
1tuckian bound hand and foot. ZION. sta
avowing murder, rushed the ne1t otl
rnng to the banking house. The ma
OK had been cashed by an individual
answered the description of the
sar. The other actors in this star.
g scene were never heard Of. Nothing wa
the house was disturbed. not even me
girls wearing apparel. and the Incl wr
; became portion of thisnetranee "p
DRY OF old time gambling Tin San 9th
ncisco. San Francisco News Latter Tn
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