The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-18
ANACONDA News.
LEW HOucK, The GAMBLER
Remarkable Career of the Man
Who Died at Durango.
WAS HERE LAST WINTER
Story OF the Last Trick the Famous
Card Sharper Turned in the
Northwest, Told for the
First Time.
WAS HERE LAST WINTER

Lew Houck, known in Montana to
the new Of l.. Ericsson Houck, perhaps
the most remarkable professional gam
bier of modern times, dropped dead the
other day at Durango, Mexico, and
Eastern newspapers are now beginning
to trace out portions of his romantic
career
Houck was the gambler who, through
sheer audacity and his wonderful abil
ity in taking on the appearance of a
man of birth and good breeding, gained
membership in the Grosvenor club of
London and there played poker with
the Prince Of Wales to the financial loss
of England's heir apparent. 1t is
story that has been told and retold i'll
many a gentleman's club on both sides
of the water.
When L. Erricson Houck came out to
Montana last winter and for a short
time became a familiar figure about
the hotels in Butte, always in the best
of company, there were few who knew
he was the Houck of Grosvenor club
fame. During his stay in the state ne
became on familiar terms with some Of
Montana's prominent men. 1t is not
known that he used his dizziness with
cards to his own advantage While here.
Leaving Montana, Houck went to
Spokane in which city he remained
two months or more and from there
turned a, trick in his own inir1itable
way. The story is one that is familiar
to the members of the Montana colony
in Spokane, but it is here told FOR the
first time in print.
Spokane, as those who find a charm
in the rattle of chips, the swish of the
shuffled pasteboards and the color Of
the green cloth know, is a city where
private poker games of huge size are
carried on. Bets of $1,000 and $4,000 on
hand in recent years have become too
frequent to attract marked attention
and $4,000 and $4,000 games are not
unusual. Houck went there attracted
by the reports Of the high play.
At Spokane he was the close friend
OF a prominent professional man who
sits in the big games and plays
steady, high game, but it is not known
that Houck himself was admitted to
any OF the notable sessions. However
he was literally supplied with cash.
AT this time there came to town in
advance of the Frawley company o
theatrical man who formerly had beer
a newspaper writer in Ohio and knew
Houck. This man confided the story of
Houck's identity to few friends and
these in turn to another few friends.
1t so happened there was in Spokane
a business man of none too scrupulous
principles who plunged at poker fire.
uuently. One of the principal owners
Of a rich dividend-paying silver mine
at Sandon. 3. c., had played with this
business man. who, for the purposes of
this story. will be called Smith, and
had won from him. Smith wanted re-
venge.
Accordingly, Smith cultivated the ac
quaintance of HOuck, unfolded his
sol a md went SandOn
They "nursed" their mine owner along
until he was in a mood for high play.
game was the result, in which Houck
and Smith took $1,000 in cash and sew
eral !. O. US away from the mine
owner. A few days later they got him
in another game, won between $1,000
and $4,000 in cash from him and also
had him make over to them consider
able block of stock in his mine. Then
they left and Houck has never been in
the Northwest since. The mine owner
learned who Houck was and publicly
posted the stock, warning people not
to buy, as it had been obtained under
false pretenSeS.
Houck's whole career was a pictur-
esque one. He was born in Sandusky,
Ohio, nearly SO years ago. At an early
age he became an adept at throwing
three-c card monte and piled that trade
on Ohio railway trains. He took in
with him a young Jew who was train
butcher and the two were highly sue
cessful. One day, on the way from
Toledo to Columbus, they fnveigled Paul
Lohman, a travelling man, into their
game. AS the train neared Delaware,
Ohio, Lehman discovered he was being
tieeced and grabbed for his money. A
fight ensued in which the train butcher
shot and fatally wounded Lohlnan.
Houck got away but the train butcher
was captured. The latter swore Houck
No. t1,or 1asNt r. a Y
two years in the penitentiary.
Houck, in his escape, made his way
to Canada, and from there to Antwerp.
He remained in Belgium and Holland
then non-eXtraditable countries-fcr
some time; then went to North Africa,
Next he visited South America. making
a princely living by his talents the
while He gradually came north and
visited Southern California.
All this time John r. Norris. detec-
tive, had been tracing him. When
at Deming. where he was watched by a
spy in Houck's employ. The spy filed a
telegram in the telegraph office to
Houck, warning him to fee Before the
message was sent, Norris, who was
telegraph operator. had obtained access
to the Office on the brother operator
plea and changed the address to Las
Vegas from Los Angeles. Doc Davis"
was the alias under which Houck was
then travelling and the message remain
ed at Las Vegas waiting for "Duc
Davis to call, while Norris was speed
ing to Los Angeles, following up n tele-
gram he had sent to the Los Angeles
police.
Houck was arrested and Norris start
ed East with him. On the way, a. Oak
land, Call mob gathered to effect
rescue, but the determined attitude of
Norris drove them off.
Houck's trial was one Of the greatest