Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-02
WHEN ANACONDA GAMBLED.
Stories of the Time When the Tiger
Held Court in Montana.

Held Court In Montana.
II there is one place in the state where
the anti gambling law passed by the legis-
lature Of 1897 is rigidly observed it is Ana
conda, relates the Standard of that town.
Reports keep coming that games are run
ming in Butte. in Helena in Great Falls
and other places in the state, but in Ana
conda not card has been turned in many,
many moons.
Anaconda has never been sporty" town
in the popular acceptaton OF the word
even in its palmiest gambling days most
Anaconda men who wanted to play "big
money went to Butte. Yet there have
been plenty OF gamblers and gambling here.
Anaconda saw it's best faro days during the
races in 1888 and 1889. During the 1888
meeting all chips were worth $25 apiece.
You couldn't get into a game-at least 1t
wasn't worth your while to get into
game-unless you had several hun
dred dollars in cash. There were
gambling giants in those days. One night
Jack Dearing came over from Philips
burg. He spent two nights and two days
at faro table, and when he quit he was
s4,s 800 loser.
There were several celebrated gamblers in
Anaconda about that time. Occasionally one
would die and the boys would always make
he got 1rst-class funeral. There was one
of prominence known generally by the name
Of Red" who, when he died one day in
1891, was found to be without any visible
estate The hat was passed around for the
funeral expenses, and all hands Clipped in
freely. Jimmie johnson, who was passing
the hat, happened to meet Colonel Estes on
the street and asked him ii he would like
to contribute. The colonel. it seems, had
dropped $500 at faro the night before.
Go to my cashier" said Colonel Estes to
Mr.. Johnson. "and get all you need. And
| the Lord knows l would put up the cash to
pay for the funeral OF every gambler in
! town"
One bitter cold night in February, 1893
| "Si'' Murphy died in his room up over
Barney McGinleys place. He was one OF the
best known and most respected gamblers in
| the west. He was always on the square, d
| man OF generous impulses and many fine
traits Of character. He caught cold and
| died OF pneumonia. When it was known
that he was dying all the games down stairs
were stopped and all the dealers and look
| outs went up to bid Murphy goodby and see
| him die. Then all hands went back and got
| drunk.
Barney Mckinley and one or two others
went back after a while and deliberated how
to remove the corpse into front room. 1t
was a difficult task, for the room in which
| the body lay was reached by means of a
short, narrow bend in the hall. 1t was i'm
possible to carry the body horizontaIly-it
would have to be either doubled up or car
! ried in perpendicular position. The lat
ter plan was agreed upon, as the boys were
anxious to offer no indignities to poor S
Murphy's body. But suppose they tried tc
| ~
ton, how could they do 1t without itt
falling all over them? The boys were pretty
full and they were not sure OF their ability
to carry 81 out in any position.
Lets open the window and freeze hin
stiff, and carry him out in the morning, >
said one.
This plan was unanimously adopted.
was 80 degrees below zero and still grow
ing colder. The window was ac,ordingl!
opened. At II o'clock next morning tn,
boys went to the room and found the corpse
as stiff as a board. They lifted 1t out o
bed and stood 1t against the wall One maj
begged to be excused from his share O
carrying 1t, as he said he had a horror o
touching corpses. At this the others In
sisted, and during the alteration that en-
! sued 1t is regrettable to state that tn
corpse fell over. and in falling knocked on
man down with 1t. But the body at las
was safely carried to the front room an
properly cared for. 81 Murphys funera
was the largest gambler In Anaconda eve
received. All the gamblers and their friend
engaged hacks and accompanied the hears
to the cemetery.
Speaking OF "hoodoo" faro fiends. ther
was Carr. Carr was telegraph editor Of tn
Standard from 1891 to 1894. Carr was a geo
telegraph editor and good fellow. but tn
poorest faro bank player that ever bet
chip But he was hcodoo to himself an
the house, not to other players, for the
coppered his Plays with regularity and sue
cess. His appearance in gambling hous
created CONSERVATION among the proprietor