Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-11-27
POKER RUINS A BANK
GAMES THAT BROUGHT DISASTER tn
AN INSTITUTION IN RENO,
Four Aces Good CoIIatcral-Bnnker
Who Furnished Funds to Loves
Opponents Forced Out of
Ranking Business.

fiugser Joe struck the mining camp. two
months before. was on. The .parlor" of
the Reno hotel. with it's side door OPEN
irg into the bar. was the scene of the
contest. More than 4 thousand times the
little old marble top table had been fairly
covered with greenbacks. silver and gold,
while seated around it prosperous miners,
like these four, hid battled with Dame
Fortune.
John Love had come to Reno from tie
East. Big. jolly and good natured. he was
the brunt of all the jokes the horde of
miners in the hotel could conceive. But
he was a poker player. With five cards
in his hands and a high stack of yellows
and blues, he would back his judgment
until the last check had passed into the
hands Of his adversaries and the last dol
lar from his pocket. These four played
for cash and cash only.
Put you papah in the stove. Gentlemen
nevah ask favors in a sentleman's pokah
game" Colonel Reed had frequently OBJ
served when paper was offered in lieu of
cash. And the colonel was a poker player
also. He played with n calm deliberation
which threw his companions entirely IF
guard. Lucky Sanders. so called because of
his good fortune at poker, his first name
having never been known to his compan-
ions, was a quick player. A glance at his
1--WE cards and his draw settled it with
him.
Plugger Jones had acquired his Christian
name because of his anxiety to spend all
his waking hours at the Reno hotel poker
table. When Plugger got up in the morn
Ing his first act was to low" to someone
that, he wouldn't mind sittin' in" He
about the marble top table before the din
ner bell was heard. 1t was so on this
occasion, and Love and the colonel seemed
ran until Lucky and Plugger saw their
piles of checks each representing 500 dis
appear one after the other. Lucky was
dealing and he asked Plugger. who sat
at his right, TO cut the cards.
"shucks.. Go on. I'll see If can't drap
on somethin' without cuttin'," he said.
Greatest OF Their Games.
The pasteboards were dealt without the
cut. The colonel as usual was in calm de-
liberation after picking up his hand. Jones
seemed suddenly to become serious. and
threw his cards into the discard with an
oath. Lucky peeked at his just as Love
covered the colonels ante with a $50 raise.
Lucky's cards followed Plugger's into the
with a $50 raise. Love looked again and
raised the pot another $50. The colonel
met the raise and called for two cards.
guess" Lucky remarked. Love stood pat
and bet 500. The colonel stood pat and
raised 500. Love raised 500 more; So did
TIE COlOIlcl. IiuSStf uedlty z lIoLi iio
chair when Love made another 800 raise:
and suggested that the limit he drapped."
The tn n colonel sss agreed 3D., and hrs began g h. to said count mt
he pushed It into the center of the table.
Here's s+.s. All l got here. III write
you an; an I; n o. uss Il Love yess said; pushing anG so ms
mo gentleman would offah papah.' the
colonel said. as he had under similar cir
cnmstances a thousand times before
'Plugger. burn up all the cards but our
hands" he ordered, and PlugSer gathered
up the discards and deck and threw them
Colonel. i propose to see them cards OF
yourn. VIII you trust me on the honor OF a
gentleman to leave the room for more mon
of each card"
bankers Become Their Backers.
The colonel did as requested and passed
over his hand face downward for Love to
mark. Then Love left the room. He bent
his footsteps toward the larger of the two
banks of Reno. At the doorway ne encoun-
| tered the president of the institution,
George Thomas. Pulling his cards from
his pocket he laid them before Thomas. ana
George. me and the colonel is a-goin' it.
What's them WORTH
Thomas eyes fairly stood out of then
sockets as he surveyed the pasfeboards.
.'Them's with the whole sheebang," he
replied.
A few minutes later Ihomas. WIN ms
pockets bullying. accompanied Love TO the
Reno hotel parlor.
Colonel, this gentleman sees yo' raise
and raises you a thousand" Love s M,,I
the heap of greenbacks and gold.
The colonel glanced at Thomas. Wal:
ten minutes. No gentleman would offah
papah.' he said. and he forthwith dlsap-
peared from the room. He walked around
the corner Of the hotel to the second bank
Of Of R aeRod f step 9hIIi B b. ths eash tse oW W1eao of
the institution. Bill came around the par.
tition.
A glance suficed Bill. Holy snakes and
grasshoppers." he said; Colonel. them is
worth every cent in this his, bank" ,na a..
colonel appeared at the hotel parlor. Daw-
son saw Thomas and nudged the colonel.
The two bankers glared at each other. but
neither spoke.
See you and raise you five thousand"
the colonel said. laying a pile of bills in the
heap.
BY this time the news of the fierce poker
game had spread about Reno and a score
of miners were soon crowding about the
players. Thus the betting went on. 5000
al a time. until the resources of both
banks were exhausted. Loves last bet
was $500 and the colonel called it.
Breaking of DawsOn's Rank.
Every one in the room stood on tiptoe
and the deepest silence prevailed. for every
one knew that the fate of one of the two
banks hinged on those poker hands. Love
locked so serious that his old acquaint-
ances standing near gaZed in wonder at
him. With elaboration he threw his n.e
cards. OH which hinged the fate of Thorn
as or Dawson's bank, on the table before
him. face DOWNWARD
Colonel. look at that writin' and tell
the boys if those are the five cards held
in the game he said.
The colonel looked at his signature on
the back OF each card and. after nodding
assent. he laid his hand face downward
for Loves inspection.
"AIi right. colonel" Love said.
Thomas and Dawson. both confident.
Were ,giaring at each other when Love
turned over one card. 1t was the ace OF
spades. The miners leaned forward and
Love turned over the ace OF hearts. Then
he exposed the ace of clubs. Dawson and
the colonel looked at each other. and both
co'ored slightly. Then Love turned over
the tray of spades. The two men looked
Wonderingly at Zach other They knew
Dawson's bank. Love did not hesitate a
Toment before he turned over the ace of
diamonds. The colonel and Dawson seemed
stunned for a moment. The colonel was
the first to act. Taking up his five cards
he tore them in two and. walking over to
son looked at Love as he raked in the
pile of currency. gold and silver to his
side of the table. Then he left the room
and three minutes later the doors of Daw-
sons bank were closed for all time.
The Last Days of Carlyle.
Thomas Carl, lie. In the December Atlantic.
He generally spends his mornings till
abcut half past 2 O'Clock between lying on
sL@ T.