The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-01
WON THE POT BY A REMARK.
The Flash of a Card Cost over Seven
Thousand Dollars.
From the Philadelphia Times.


Six men sat in room in a swell South
Side hotel the other night playing poker
The game was for table stakes, and all the
participants were we'll supplied with
money. One Of the players was heavy
operator on change, another was man
widely known in racing circles, the third
was a politician of high rank the fourth
was a railway man with big income, and
the fifth was a merchant whose check is
good at any time for several hundred thou
sand dollars. The sixth member of the
party was a, stranger from California, a
portly, well-garbed, Incorporating indi-
vidual, who had been introduced by the
politician as an old friend who was visit
ing him for the first time in many years
They had been chums at school, and later
in life were interested in a business ven
ture together. Away back in the 70s they
had sold out their business at good proht
and the visitor had taken his share and
gone to California, where he had become
Immensely rich by investments in ranch
lands The first named five had been
playing poker at weekly sittings for some
months and the day before the regular
session in question the politician had sent
word to his brother gamesters that he was
entertaining his /old California friend and
would not be able to join them unless he
agreeable TO all tAe Others, and the visitor
was brought in md formally introduced.
His fund of anecdote, ready wit and re-
fined manner made him a favorite from
the start. There was an abundance or
wine and cigars, and the party was a
merry one.
For several hours the game went along
with varying results, the money being
pretty well distributed and nobody winner
or loser to any great amount, despite the
fact that big bets were the rule. flush
or straight was good for at least 500, and
some neat bluffs were made, the Callfor-
MAN being noticeably given to this feature
of the play In all jack pots he would
draw one card and raise the opener from
500 to $500 If called on bluff he would
lay his hand down with a merry laugh, as
if the losing of that amount of money
was a mere bagatelle to him, and this
made him an even greater favorite with
the others, who unanimously voted him
prince OF good fellows. close observer,
could have seen that, notwithstanding his
apparent carelessness in placing his mon
ey, the stranger made no foolish plays,
for at midnight, after three hours of high
gambling he was about even with the
game No notice was taken of this, but
the good luck of the politician was COM
mented upon. For weeks the latter had
been uniformly unlucky and his aggre-
however, he was a few dollars ahead. and
the rest of the players congratulated him
upon what they called a turn in his
luck"
Shortly after 1890 there was a big jack
pot to fight for. 1t was the strangers deal
and as he took up the cards he looked at
his watch and, remarking the lateness of
hour. said he would have to tear himself
away after this hand was played, he
was booked to take an early train for the
East The cards We're dealt and the race
horse man, who had captured three
queens opened the pot for 500. The rail-
way manager raised it 500 more on
short flush and the Board of Trade opera
tor. VINO was sitting behind kings up, gave
it another tilt for a like amount This
brought il up to the merchant. who felt
pretty strong with aces up and lifted 1t
another 800. Here was 2C00 in sight be-
sides the pot itself before it got around to
the politician and his California friend. At
this iuncture the colored attendant, who
was looking after the liquid needs of the
party. saw a peculiar play. In the act
of gathering up some empty wine bottles
from the floor by the side Of the politician
he caught a flash of the latter's cards and
saw he held. only two Fights. When the
politician deliberately showed $500 to the
center of the table and announced his in
tention of trying to capture the pot, the
darkey was 50 astonished that he drop
ped his tray-load of bottles with a thuu-
derjng crash. The Californian gave an
exclamation of disgust at the paucity Of
his own hand and dropped out. 1t took
the man with the three queens only
second to make a back raise of $500 more,
which all of the "stayers" promptly met,
Including the politician with his two
eights. bringing the total up 10 $500.
The draw was dealt and the holder of
the three queens took one card and failed
to help. Neither did the men with tine
flush and kings up improve their hands.
As the merchant called for his one card he
said in a cold matter-of-fact way:
Give me the ace OF hearts and for the
first time in my life | Will hold a royal
flush"
In dealing oft the card rhe Californian
Tilted the deck a trihe ana the politician
saw the pasteaoard that went to the mer-
chant. II was the ace Of heart. The pol
itician's face blanched and his lip quiv-
cred as he asked for Two cards, holding up