The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-04
GREAT GAME OF FREEzEOUT
$4,000 WOY BY nj HOLDER OF Il
BOBTAIL FLUSH.

AN
JERSEY SHORE, Pa. Sept. 3.-Thcy had all
been discussing the fine points Of the great
national game OF poker In the Office OF the
Hotel Dunkle in this place the other day. and
some very fair stories Of games OF freeze-out,
stacked cards aud monumental bluffs had been
related by the drummers who were in the
town overnight. but It remained for Charles G.
Campbell. q retired capitalist, who is known all
over the East In numbering circles.to relate the
bona-nde story of one of the greatest freeze
outs in the history Of the American game.
1T was back in 1876" said he. that 1 saw
one of the most remarkable exhibitions Of
nerve and incidentally OF properly making use
OF the time-honored freeze-out game, in all
my experience. At the time / was engaged
in numbering operations in the Atchfalay
Bayou. 250 miles north OF New Orleans. Bust
ness called me to the.Crescent City. and. arriv-
ing there. 1 found that 1t was necessary for me
to proceed at once to Cedar Falls, a place on
the Ohio nearly 100 miles west of Pittsburg.
In those days the great river steamboats, were
in the zenithsof their glory, and the Mississippi
boosted some of the fastest boats of their kind
In the world. The Great Republic had left
for up the river the day before. 80 that 1 found
! that l would have to wait until evening and go
up on the Eliza. then one OF the crack boats
plying between Cincinnati and New Orleans. 1
had engaged a stateroom, and boarding the boat
an hour before it started. / went down into
the saloon and there met. through q mutual
friend. the cashier of a big New Orleans bank
ing house. who. I later learned. was going to
Cincinnati with 100000 in cash as the agent
OF his house to commission merchants in the
City OF Pork. He seemed an exceedingly pleas
ant fellow Of about 80 years Of age. was an
excellent raconteur, and. moreover. had n
reputation as a nervy poker player. Time
passed quickly In conversation with him., and
we were both standing on the deck as the
gong rang for the landing boards to be taken
In preparatory to our immediate departure.
Just before the gangplanks were hauled in a
hack drove up to the wharf and three we'll
dressed, big-mustached men jumped from the
vehicle. one OF them stopping to place q bill in
the hands Of the jehu. made for the plank and
walked aboard just before the gong rang to go
ahead We both had an opportunity to -ex-
anime the men as they stood together near
the rail. My new-found:friend, whom, for rea-
sons the story will disclose, I will not name,
closely scrutinized the trio and then said: L
know those chaps. They are professional
gamblers. and they are evidently after some
lamb to pluck on this boat. 1 wonder IL L am
supposed to be their game. II 80 they may
be disagreeably surprised. for there is some
thing in q satchel in my stateroom which may
cause them the loss of a few dollars
with this enigmatical remark the cashier
slowly sauntered into the saloon, and it wasn't
ten minutes before l saw the gamblers en-
gagged in earnest conversation with him. It
afterward came out that they had heard that
the bank was sending $4,000 up the river
with him. and. knowing that he was a dyed-in-
the-wool pokerite. they had determined to in
veigle him into a little game and thoroughly
pluck him. Unfortunately,for them, they reck-
oned without a big bundle OF notes which was
In tha nnScpasioD IF tha nochiar hut oopoarn
ing which he wasn't telling anybody.
There was q Jolly crowd of sporting men on
the boat that night, and after dinner some ten
Or fifteen repaired to the smoking room. where
stories. quip. and jest passed quickly amid the
clink Of glasses and the glow Of fragrant Ha-
vanas. At about IL o'clock. 1 remember-we
had'justl left Natchez-one OF the'gamblers sug-
although, he had strict orders from his house
not to. play with money in his possession. to
;2hIay 9 few hands with them 1t was suggested
thither, eight Of us repaired. While going
Their, the, cashier whispered to me:
one hand. and there are going to be be three Of ft the
against a Tartar on a Mississippi boat
cur tiais c sGd Ha1n me = s sfigS e ny aroused 7tnG Sc lP ny
proved to be tie stiffest game Of pure and % una.
d G1ker bluff that ! have eyer seen IN a
% T9Eer n eP@ geiine e TO T Be a eE fa% pics aR1t the a stb b6fS
the cashier and the trio laid out Big rolls Of bills
on on the table; There was a tense movement
gamblers produced a new pack OF cards. shut
fled them and handed them to the cashier.
the cut, and the deal commenced. / was
WATCHING, the game closely, and l saw a look OF
as he picked up his cards. The ante was SO.
and a limit was, made OF the sky-high variety.
ers seemed to be after the Hons share IA Of it. '"'-
The look of satisfaction on the cashiers
@ss w Was g SRssf tSs f by the ei ss9IS s15td Is ss OnS Sv who ShS
covert glances they cast at one another. The
lamb, however, didn't seem to notice that they
out %GtG a S Wad Of P' birs sp' Each 2@i P man, one Io Ok ifTan at
his cards, chipped IN his eagle and the draw
right drew one, The lamb didn't, ask Tor any.
Va s T ! Sin " P% &siIi5oftRR liz asslS 81 t t2S o' tRrss
the right Of the cashier. whose bid It was s.
thirty ths6;er sI RsDt on nth the s@8ti%dd bet Of the t Tba 1o The
looked dubious for q, ONE then showed in
the call of $500 and clapped on $500; The
esa ahEirF G rfg8t. alter erG annPethe Gn look H Al b hai t TO 1he
IA faint smile hickered for an instant around
300 'a and piied % o@ s2.6 IS ne mo Ta'etRFXi s l dppo SHTR
SIZED him up, and then, with an oath, not only
Cd to r&ke IN {1he pie, Hold on there. said
yet by a juEtul,, and suiting action to word, he
laid down $4,000 and placed $4,000 more on
top Of 1t.
THE gambler smiled uneasily and begged to
be excused from the game for a moment
Walking to one side. he called his pals and.
still keeping one eye, on, the pile OF gold and
bills on the table. he talked them into a transfer
from both OF two big rolls OF banknotes. Walk
ing back to the table; he again looked at his
cards, then at the cashier. who was easily puff
ing at a big Havana, Then with another look
a, his cards, which IL a~fterward proved was for
raise with Sl0,060in banknotes and added an
other $4,000 Ia the precious pile. Instantly
the, cashier slapped down $4,000. and then,
making Il rapid computation. he showed out
another pile. all he had remaining in sight. and
sald; ooo,
excitement around that table when the gam
bier, who, according to his calculations. llg-
100000 was on the table. ~joyfully called with
$1,000. and then with n grand flourish laid
down two 81 900 notes. and saying: i raise you