The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-15

The death Of Lew Houck the inventor
OF three card monte, and the clevcre5t
card sharp in the world. started the old
time gamblers and police officials OF this
city TO talking about him and his ad-
ventures and tricks here and eisehere.
Houck was well known here He oper-
ated in this city OF and on for twenty
years. making Kansas City a sort OF way
station" on his trips East and West
The last time Houck was here ne had
Just returned from a European trip. He
produced papers and letters TO show that
while he was In London he was fsted and
dined by some OK the upper crust OF Eng
iish society. He has passed there as a
wealthy and travelled American. He had
letters, too, from Secretary Qlney, Secre-
tary Carlisle and other leaders Of the
American political world, which recon-
msnded him In the highest terms. not only
10 tbs American representatives abroad,
bat 10 any friends OF the writers who
might meet him. And these letters were
genuine. Their authenticity could not be
doubted. Houck had way OF getting
entrance into the exclusive clubs Of Wash
ington, Philadelphia, New York and other
cities. and In his role OF gentleman of
leisure he had SO imposed en- men OF
high standing - the nation that they
thought him all he represented himself
10 be, and gave him the letters OF intro
tocraoy OF Europe.
Houck invented the three card monte
game before he became OF age. This Is a
trick with cards that has feeced more
people out OF money than any other game
ever practiced. The trick Is played with
three aces. two black ones and che red.
II is always played with q confederate
20 help. or stall fer The game The
operator takes the three cards between
his fingers. showing them to the victim
and then shunles them about and drops
thena face down upon the table Offering
10 bet any amount Of money that no one
can pick out the red ace. At this point
the operator turns his head moment to
spit or speak to some one in the crowd
behind him, and In that moment the con-
federate picks Up the red ace card. shows
| II to the victim. "crimps'' tho corner OF
the card and slyly lays 1t down again,
apparently all unseen by the operator
The operator again shuffles the three cards
and throws them upon the table faca
down There lies the card with its
crimped corner The victim sapposes. Of
course. that II Is the red ace and bets and
picks Il up 10 md that IL Is a black one,
anu he has lest his money. The operator
when he picked up and shailled the cards
carelessly the second time, with deft
movement OK bis fingers removed the cr.mp
In tbs red ace card ana put a similar
crtmp in = black ace card. That was all
there was to the trick. Houck worked It
fer years In hotels, on billiard tables, at
fairs and circuses and on railroad trains
and steamboats,. He taught the trtck to
Canada Bill. 8 noted gambler. and the
two worked together over all the country.
They paid thousands upon thousands OF
dollars 10 railroad men In the old days
fog the privilege OF working ths game on
trains. ard they made money.
Later. when nearly every state In the
Union passed laws aimed directly against
the working OK the three card monte game
Il became Improbable and was given Up
by Houek. But about thai time an in-
gsnious English cockney Invented the
"thr.e sheh' game. which was even more
product tive than three card monte. and
Houck tock IL up. The three shell game
Is a modern improvement On the ancient
thlmhle rigging game that was worked
at English fairs for many years. The Old
WAY was ssr the operator 10 crock his
knee over the head Of "A cane that stood
upright on The ground and move q small
seed around between tbrea thlmblas on
TOP OF his leg. Offering 10 bet that TO one
could pick ths thsmhss unasv which the
seed vas hidden.
abe lessen tausht BY the lives ana deaths
| Of Heslck and Canada Bia AMI AL the
re=t Of their kind Is that IL never pays
70 Ia Z lsacnest cr TO live By Qne's wits
These men may get great sums OF money
by sharp practices Ia ths course Of lfs-
| tine. but they all die poor. and NEST Of
| them die Ia prison Canada BIZ. who
worked with Hauck on trains oat or Kan
sas Cify araA made probably s. GO 90 IL,
! his life died II pauper IN the Slnshaa@s Ia
| LsSaaon. Pa. and is buried IN a psa-
pes grave Housk dropPad dead or the
/ streets in Durango Mexico aud his wii-
| ow III ohio had 10 solicit aid te gek his
| to-sy home 10 give i decent burial Kan
/ ~as sNStv ssar