The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-24
COL. BILLS TWO GAMES.
HE ToLD or THE INpINCIBLE DEAD
MINIS HAND AND NOW IT WIS BEA TEN.

Again but Came TO Grief because One OF
iii. Hearers Had an Analytical Mind.
WASHINGTON Sept rs. Col Bill Johnson,
n noted poker player from Dayton o., has been In
the capital for the last two weeks visiting his friend
Dave Crocheron. one Of the clerks In the treasury
Department In that time, he has participated
in a number of hard fought battles over the green
cloth and he has almost invariably proved VIII
ncr. TO his new acquaintance, however he has
been n aource Of Joy from the remarkable ability
he displays as story teller.
II was 3 o'clock in tho morning two days ago
when the game broke up because the Colonel had
cleaned out the entire party. The game had been
composed OF Crochcron and the Colonel and three
men named Antilles, Dyer and Doran The crowd
congratulated him on his good fortune, but the
Colonel putrcd out his chest
ITS q mere bagatellc," said he with grandiE
oouent gesture. But there was ono game In
which played that beat anything in my life for
excitement Your cousin joe Antilles, was in the
game and am surprised that he never told you
anything about IT, Maybe he thought that you
were too young TO talk poker to. This Ii war
story, and the game played when we were in
the trenches before Nicksburg with Grants army
II hot work in those days but your cousin
Joe myself and two other fellows that messed
with U.S. were oil poker nends. We would sooner
play a game of draw than cat Whenever the
order would come for us TO rest on our arms and
get dinner. four instead of getting our coffee
and salt horse ready, would get out greasy old
deck of cards and start to play. DO you know
what the dead mans hand Isl"
Everybody confessed ignorance
We'll" continued the Colonel IAN old story haa
It that long ago in a Western town there
man who had been losing his money steadily al
poker for several days. He was getting down
TO close quarters and night, he said in a dis
gusted sort OF way, I believe il did get winning
hand, I'd drop dcad' The next hand had barely
been dealt and the bets made. when he pitched
over across the table, dead. They looked at his
cards when the body had been carried away and
they found that he had held the winning hand.
all right The hand was and eights and
since then il has always been known as the dead
mans hand. Some poker players have a super
ston that it can lose and they will play II harder
than they would straight or flush Now. Jack
Tucker, one of our poker playing quartet was
ono Of those players.
IF there is one thing pride myself on, II 10 my
wonderful quckness in sizing up the situation
and not being taken by surprise, no matter what
happens On this particular day Of which
speak, the bullets were flying pretty thick and We
had been fighting like thunder when suddenly
order came for us to cease firing and TO get some-
thing TO eat Out came the inevitable pack Of
cards After several hands, got pair OF fives.
drew three cards and caught four. a nine and u
ten. Tucker stood Pot and so did your cousin.
but the fourth man dropped out. / determined
TO try TO win the pot by blufing, for Tucker tho
only man Of whose hand was afraid, had habit
Of making a swell play. and II you would como
back at him hard. he would drop without calling
you. But this timc. to my dismay, Tucker played
EN- good and hard and finally your cousin Joe
called the pair of Us
"'Tve got pair Of aces, said Joe, and believe
that you're all blufing and that It's tho best hand
out at that
1--we got tho dead mans hand shouted
Tucker triumphantly, as he reached for the pot. I
would bet on that hand till the cows come homo
You can't beat that hand, Johnson
81 was lying there on the ground with my cards
spread out in front Of my face like a fan. just
as was about to throw my hand on the ground,
a bullet came along, and crashing through tho
centre OF one OF the cards. went through my cap.
/ was about to yell at my narrow escape when
noticed with my Characteristic perception and
presence of mind, that that bullet hole was In the
four spot and in whirlng through. the ball had
torn ragged edge that made the four spot look
exactly like the five Of clubs saw that the others
had not noticed the circumstance. and so l coolly
laid down my hand and said to Tucker. Don't
be in hurry and burn your fingers with that pot
I've got fifteen"
"Sayi Tuck looked at the three fves, hs
thought as il he could not believe his eyes. Be-
fore he could detect the fraud. the order me 10
renew firing and scoopcd in the pot in the confu-
sion ! told Tucker how fooled him the next day.
and would you believe IL, he was immensely re-
lieved. He said that he knew that the dead mans
hand could not be beaten on the level and frankly.
although am not a bit superstitious. done
think that ii can either"
The whole crowd looked al the Colonel In dazed
admiration and several rounds of drinks
were promptly ordered. Then Col. Bill said
that this was not a circumstance 10 q game in
which he had once played on an ocean voyage.
Il never tell a story that can't be proved" said
he I've got that card home at Dayton now
souvenir. This other game however was
one that marked the holding of the most marvel
lous sets Of hands that ever seen ] was
coming homo from Europe and We started tho
game. There Oscar Patten, theatrical
manager Jim Mccormick. a politician: Ed Cob
bett, an advance agent; Bill Mcclure, a newspaper
man. and myself. Mcclure dealt Patten drew
ono card, Mccormick took three. Cobbett two,
myself one, and Mcclure who was dealing, stood
pat We be, and bet and raised and raised until
all Of us had rsked iar more than could afford
TO lose Finally there call all around.
Mcclure laid down his pat flush Patten
showed four Fights, he had held three of them
and caught the other. Mccormick felt good
for a moment he showed four nines,-he had
caught two to his original pair Cobbeu laid
down four tens having caught ono In his four
card draw. But made EN- all look sick when
l played hand that held but once in my life
before. Ii was royal flush Of hearts, gentle
men, and -
Hold on, Col. Bill" shouted Crocheron, you
said Goblet held four tens How many tens
were there in that pack?"
"Crocheron" said the Colonel, after a silence
that had been so dense that you could cut chunks
out of it, "Crocheron Iyour mind is too analytical
l have nothing 10 say in my defence. l was
carried away by my enthusiasm. Lots have
q drink"
That's an equitable proposition" chorused
the party.
Here, waiter" shouted Col Bill, bring US
five high balls. No. make 1t four high balls
and lemonade for Anthea He's too young
TO drink any more whlskey"