Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-04-28
CHEATED AT POKER.
A PAGE FROM THE UNWRITTEN HIS
TORY OF A UNIVERSITY.
Punishm<sE Melted Out to . Dishonest
Student by Society and the Faculty-A
Young Man Who Kept Step With His
Not Brilliant Autecedents.

1Oun8 MAN VINO hept Step Win MS
Not Brilliant Autecedents.
"Talking about poker" said mid
die aged man to coterie at Chamber
Inns, reminds me of something that
occurred about 90 years ago at the Uni
versity of Virginia. That was about the
liveliest epoch in the history Of the
| university since the war, or for that
matter Of that before it, when the life
led by the students is taken into con.
| sideration. There was big crowd of
devil may care young men there, most
| Of them with plenty Of money, and
they made Charlottesville and sur
| rounding Albemarle fairly hum. These
| kindred spirits formed a society which
| took the name of Eli Bananas.
| Here the speaker smiled at evidently
amusing "reminiscences There is no
telling what the Eli Bananas didn't
do. For the quintessence of mischief
and devilment they took the laurels.
There was nothing downright bad about
them, but their antics were awful. Fan
tastic were the tricks they played and
grotesque their jokes. Between freaks
the Ellis were prone to poker, and it was
customary down there for the players
to assemble at this or that students
room. That brings me to my story. One
coterie of poker players comprised sons
Of some of the best known and Wealth.
est men in the south, and into it was
introduced young Virginian who was
gifted with many attractive traits appar-
emily, but whose antecedents were not
particularly brilliant. III call him Dick
Lurk, but that wasn't his name.
"Most of the other fellows in the co.
terie had roommates who were boning
up for the final examinations 1t was
well along in the spring, and Lurk had
quarters to himself on East Lawn. Con-
sequently the poker began to be played
exclusively in his room. When the
evening seemed propitious, the word
would be passed around at supper that
three Kentuck' would be in order, and
at O'Clock or thereabout the players
wohld assemble at Turks. Turks luck
was stupendous. He won steadily, and
as the game was pretty stiff his win.
rings were substantial. 1t was noticed
after awhile that he always passed out
when somebody had particularly big
hand Oh somebody else's deal, but that
be always held top hand when there
were big ones out against each other on
his own deal. Then somebody noticed
, that the seals were always broken On
= the half dozen new decks of cards pro-
vided each night before the game began
and that Lurk in dealing always closely
scrutinized the cards as he gave them
out.
sat last one night the son of IA
nous Confederate general who now
: lives in Baltimore became convinced
that Lurk was cheating. Picking up the
deck that Lurk had just dealt and out
, OF which he had got hand with four
queens against an ace full held by q
young Kentuckian the young man said
quietly:
"'Some one is cheating at this gama,
and, Lurk, I think it's you *
Nov, at the University of Virgin q
such a declaration, if improved, mei 1t
= | coAiSbOuy uSatn W u SCl tdlutys tAul ~
an instant the party was on its feet,T
e "'Just wait minute, gentlem IN,
said the accuser quietly. I've been
watching this man. Let some one eyam.
inc the backs of these cards wit, thi.
magnifying glass.
1.-THE Kentuckian took the glais and
e closely scanned the geometrical esign.
;. on the backs of the cards
q By C9sarP he calculated. Every
d court card is distinctly markell Exam
d ination by the other players quickly
proved the truth of this
'. "There was consultation over wha
;. should be done with Lurk, who stood
d with head hung down, overwhelmed
= with the proof against him. 1t was de
), cided that he was not worth calling out
as he was not gentleman, and the yer
|, dict was that he should make restitu
|, ton of all the money he had won sine,
! his participation in the game and SUITE
3 ostracism in the university. He wa
= compelled to sit down and write out ;
check for all the money he had won
the memorandum books of tine othe
players showing the amounts they hat
Y. lost at various times, ana he was KEEP
u under surveillance until the Charlottes
i vile bank, in which he kept heav,
d account, opened next morning. One o
= the party rode down to Charlottesville
a and cashed the check, and then the sen
J., tence of ostracism went into effect.
!. THAT fellow had the unheard of ef
? frontery to remain at the university I'd
$. til the finals were completed. He wa
70 there six weeks. No student or professo
~ or servant o. townsman, no man or VIC
man, white or black, spoke to him o
took any notice of him. He attended tn
p final balls. and no one recognized him
i. He was not quizzed in lecture room o
!; addressed by professor. Still he re
+. manned until the university closed 70
Y, the season, but be might as we'll hav
j; been in the middle of the Sahara deser
~ go far as intercourse with people wa
D. concerned. Washington Star.