The sun., 1898-01-23
"DICK' WATTS, GAMBLER.
LAST OF THE "sPORzs" VINO MADE
LoUIsVILLE FAMOUS.
Kindly or Heart ana Popular All Eiis Life
won Easily nna Best without ReGret-His
FiEht for an Open Gnms-worEed an .
Clerk when His Place was Closed.

LoUIsvILLE, Jan. 22.-With the death OF
'Dick" Watts this week thero passed away the
last, the best known, ana the most popular OF
all the old'time gamblers who once made
Louisville 30 widely known as sporting
town. The others died years ago, some with
their boots on and some In their beds. Andcr'
son Waddell, who was DICKS greatest rival as
an owner OF gambling games ana racing DOCKS
and who was one OF the very Few who could
hold on to money, died OF hoart disease two
or three years ago; ELI Marks, a prince in his
way. died heartbroken ana poor; BOD Cath-
cart, tho famous pool seller, finished hfos
course In Cincinnati; MAZE Edward hughes,
Chief Of the Louisville Fire Department, was
once partner In tho ownership OF the Iurt
Exchange, tho most noted poolroom In the
South. but tho Maze as he Is called, was al
ways first fireman and next o sport, and Tor
long time he has had no connection with
such enterprises
Watts was fine typo OF the old'fashioned
gambler, prodigal In his way OF living, will
Ing to bet his last cent on any proposition, not
ashamed OF his calling, and yet holding himself
good citizen. He was equally noted for cx-
travagance and generosity; for his daring rs q
bettor and skill In calculating desperate
chances He never Quarrelled Anderson Wad-
dell had the memory OF the taking OF three hVes
had no mans III will. and lived In such an
atmosphere of popularity that he must have
found 1t hard to believe that he could be looked
upon as lawbreaker or that he was one.
James Richard Watts was born In Louis
vile 62 years ago. He learned the printers
trade. When the war broke out he enlisted In
the Federal ranks and became First Licutcn-
ant When he returned he worked at his trade
for WHILE but, as he afterward expressed 1t,
sticking minion Mt 90 cents n thousand was
too slow" and, as the gambling houses were
wide open" then, he drifted into the owner
ship Of one. He had special fondness for
keno and faro, and in manipulating these games
aat saau sao ,o oa',,od ''u sio "s "", nittr
nial and daring eamester, so he soon had the
largest following of sports" in the city. He
noted players. There was no limit when he
ho,d tho bor ond rnorv .ro tho stories ~ the
neio INC poA' ana many are tho s'orios VI ,no
desperate plays no made when he was In his
prime. lie was always ION the square," and
a., ,..,,. -, h,a h.,,.a ,r h;a r,on,a ,,.o. ,,o,or
.ne honesty or ms mouse use OF MS game WAS ne,er m
prince and he never lacked players. AS a
Se srsn n%aT % s sns
that no anncaI for charity passed unbcodcd II
he "b had nd cent cent in n0h his % pocket p'''N "'
II 4! DICK & Mae.' ma nSa savea = ms money sn,a
sum for necessary expenses and living as good
as any man could ask, he would to-day be
worth ssoo.ooo There must at least be 5000.
600 owed to him by people to whom he loaned
money and who never returned It,"
watts made 1t rule. IL player at his games
ever lost money to the Inconvenience of his
without question. II mo1her' ~iie' or a
sr ssseS Ss Da n %nd
10 ~. -, 49,. go, n,ratn IIs ,o. a,.a IA,
epa 10 SIT liver m naE tn cbarty 9ue fie was also I'D
of man
dollars dol S Without Y. locking up he would q h9nd 9
Snd when thu man sd Re wond ask
VINO was tnat fhS renoW' doar 9ne %ii ever know
noT nrTey eot ban and never exneeted 70 ect
H. II remember en- e an instance o., which shows how
ACQUAINTED ,tI,,d with the game when t. was vide
Spem IN on th teain was goha TO new
ras oH WHICH was SonE ON IN the
6i% Sod % out t. sstsR ST. his his train he Xss
MS plans ne put on MS nat ,, ana hurried out
without trying TO retrieve MS hi, fortune.
ne was close lriena ot IN m CraWt2ra; M iaro
banker, VINO ran game IN nIhcinhati, put VINO
was wen KnoWn IN Lomis'iieii i Walls was sit
| tlhg IN Crawtoro game, anu sreat ueai OF
money h9d 10 ehanged ;ng m hands id watts watts got tired
i, ahd said ne peneyea ne "ouiu returh 10 Louis
WIG ON tne ngSG poal: p ,, D;.,, col, 1,.,.
no use MSe gong PACK now, DICK, saiu lIhw, ~,
ford; ait until tomorrow mornihK and ~
go down Win you you vd Besldes, you WI TIi get @ INTO
another game, ana you might as well stay mere
in mine; me- .. ,,,.uo ~. ,.,,,. Watt, ..,o, :,
A. IN ORDER 10 please nis triend MhtIs st,ayed N
the game and returned 70 LOUISVILLE broke,
loser TO the the tune ot Sio,s3U4 ,o,,,,, a.,
w aus was one OF the Irst pooKmakers IN the
West lie 8RsnSSd SdI In st. LOUIS some 1 time in the
seventies. HlS pook was tne only ono on inc
track and when II was found that he would
take take 5ets rs. on any morse me Sports or me
Wy Ih9Sght S tney coIia nsda mage t .heir or
away d with rGll h Of Coming PaeS % here ere
ne iounded the Iuri EXchange IN leIs, the
nrst p9olr29m IN Louisville @ % ana the ~ most fI sue
| cessrMi. his partners were Mac Ed huGhes
ana bob Cathcart Inc income from the iurf
dinG vas WAY 5 n n
order 70 open magnincent gambling establish
ment In the heart OF the city. ,.,
| ALWAYS a