The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1899-04-12
FARO PALMISTRY.

a palnlslry expert in the modern ac-
ceptance OF that phraise, but | can tell
whether a man is a thief OF not as soon
as see him handle his chips at a faro
game" said Colonel X. B. Brown, the
retired chief of the Virginia City fire de-
partnent, who, before holding that ex-
allied position, won social and financial
position in the Comstock community as
a high roller in front OF and behind the
faro layout.
YOU'D be surprised to know how
many men are subject to temptation
that way" added the Colonel, land
only the dealer and the look-ou get an
insight into this phase of human char
acter. You see, most OF the players are
busy with their own play, and so have
no chance to think of what others are
doing, for which reason they miss the
little episodes that are noticed by the
men behind the box.
Now, Won must understand that | do
not a accuse every man OF being a thief
just because he picks up a sleeper once
in awhile, Tor that is part of the game,
as it helps to ever up what he is likely
to lose in a similar way that is letting
which makes them lawful pre- by right
of discovery to the first man who detects
their orphan condition. v hen / speak
at such temptations, refer to the way
some people have OF Systematically try
ing to separate fellow players from their
checks.
Close observation in this regard once
proved of value to me, for it sa we'd me a
snug fraction OF my bank roll and no.
body ever knew how | got onto the com
bination. 1t happened along in the 70s
when l was dealing in Dick Browns
Silver State saloon near the divide be-
tween Virginia and Gold Hill. | was
running the night shift and had just re-
lieved Long Brown, the day man, when
| saw one Of the leading stock brokers
" u VIC DldCC tdhC u oCutd HA pay " Wv
worth OF checks. He Was not u frequent
visitor at our place, but as | had placed
a small section OF my stock ascount With
his firm he probably thought that reel
procity demanded hat he should be-
stow on us part OF his patronage. | had
never watched him closely, but there
800 .o,--4l.~. .t...,t ai.. ,t..n - IL.
hands that | didn't like and almost his
first motion aroused my suspicion, and
from that moment l kept close scrutiny
on his doings. The movement that
caused me to think he WAS not alright
was when he touched a stack of reds
that were heeled from the Undertaking
the seven to win. At first he only junl-
bled the checks as he placed another
stack of exactly the same color and val
ne heeled from the ten for the eight to
win. With careless case he straighten-
ed up the checks AMI gently tapped
them az with the hand OF All owner.
After the next turn he again touched
them, ~ If by accident, this tim knock
ing off the copper and letting the bet go
straight for both cards. 1t was a swift
but easy movement by which he showed
that stack OF checks between the nine
aud eight, and from there to the four ON
the other side OF the board.
'What became Of my bet OF the
nine?' roared a Young fellow called Ike
Furst, . few minutes later, but nobody
seemed able 10 say, except to intimate
that he had switched and lost on some
other card or that he was sinking on
himself. {
"My broker friend won as if pushed
by a demon of good luck, yet once more
| saw him chase Ike's checks into his
pile in the same ingenious way. The
change WAS 80 gradual that only Il per-
son that is posted OH the scheme could
detect it. Just before midnight he
'whip-sa we'd me and as | paid both his
red stacks, | showed them over to Ike,
telling HIM that they were his, which
statement he accepted without knowing
or caring to ask why.
1.-THE broker looked up, caught the
wink in my right eye, under the down
turned rim OF my hat, and cashed in.
Next day when | asked to have my
account transferred to a rival establish
ment, he only smiled and said. Certain
w. Ten days later the big brokers of
San Francisco sent the Sllerif alter him
and was about the only stock buyer
in town who didn't ge, finrhed. II
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