The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-14
OPENED ON DEUCEs.
Jack Pot Won by "A Risky Game
and Afterward Restored.
From the Washington Star.


From the Washington Star
The man who opens jackpot without
holding the openers takes about the long
est chance possible in card gambling
said Colorado man who has seen some
historic doings in the American game of
draw. ITS risky work 1t means bull
lets in a good many sections of this coun-
try, and even in peaceable communities
the man who's caught at it has heap
of trouble in squaring himself, whether
he has actually made a mistake or not. l
only recall the case of one man getting
away with that kind of a proposition, and
he was on the level and made good after
ward.
This man was Byron McGregor. who,
back in the swirling days of Colorado,
ran the SWEETEST esta blishment for money
hazarding purposes in Denver. McGregor
was a finely educated and polished man,
and he was in game with three OF the
most prominent citizens in Denver, one of
whom afterward became a United States
senator-no, not Ed Wolcott; another man.
The game was served out in the private
parlor of one of the players, and | vas
one of half a dozen witnesses of it. There
wasn't a high grade man with liking
for draw poker out that way who wasn't
content to sit into a game in which Byron
McGregor was one of the players. All in
ALL McGregor was about the most per
fectly honest man 1 ever met up with.
He could beat any magician l ever saw
al card tricks but when it came 10 in
sorting any of EN- into a legitimate game,
McGregor wasn't there. He played a mag
nificent game of poker, of course, although
he was often a big loser after long bouts
at draw with manipulating friends.
In this particular game McGregor was
way loser after the first couple of hours
nearly $1,000 in the hole. He wasn't both
cred a little bit over this, for he was
thoroughbred loser, and, besides the re-
ceipts from his rooms frequently netted
him $4,000 or $4,000 on nights of big play
at the cases. But he didn't like the way
the cards were running, and he finally
pushed his chair back, remarking:
" This isn't one of my nights. Make
it triumvirate, you three. l think I'll
stay out
" Better hang on a bit, McGregor, and
get some of it back, so you won't have to
smoke a pipe said one of the players,
demurring. Stay in a while, anyhow.
Such easy ones as you don't come our
way very often
oh, well, well play a final jackpot
said McGregor. But win or lose, I've got
chilblains so far as continuing play to-
night is concerned. one more jack
''McGregor dealt the hand himself, and
l was behind him as he did so. The best
he gave himself was a pair of deuces. 1t
was a 500 jack, and the $500 was in the
center of the baize in gold. 1t passed
around, and none of the three opened it.
"'Well, If I've got to smoke a pipe,
see my way clear for $500 worth of smok
ing tobacco, anyhow said McGregor,
when it was up to him. She's open.
II couldn't believe that he'd do thing
like that, and maybe McGregor heard me
gasp behind him, for, upon the pretense
of coughing, he turned his head around
and screwed up his left eye at me.
1.-THE three of EN- stayed along and drew
to their hands. They all filed, too Nc
Gregor drew two cards to his pair of
deuces and the eight spot he held up, and
he caught another deuce and another
eight-a comfortable looking full house,
deuces atop of Fights. When it came to
betting McGregor poked them 10 stand
still. and the three of EN- had finally TO
look at each other and say:
"If anybody in the crowds got 'em, it
must be McGregor.'
"And so they called him. He showed
down his full hand and scooped in $500.
Then he yawned, put on his topcoat and
stuffed his winnings into the pockets
thereof and left The three others played
on for an hour or so, and then the game
broke up and they went down to the lob
by of the hotel. When they made their
appearance the night clerk of the hotel
called them. He had three envelopes in
his hand. one to each of the three players
with whom McGregor had been pokeriz-
ing. .. n
Mr.. McGregor left these for you, gen
tlemen. before he went out awhile ago,
with instructions that they were to be
handed to you when you came down. said
the clerk, handing the envelopes to the
gentlemen addressed.
Zach of the envelopes contained
check signed by Byron McGregor for the
amount each of the players had involved
in the phony jack pot, together with
note reading:
81 didn't want to get shot to pieces, so
employ this method of stating that
deuce-opened jackpots are vicious in prin-
ciple and dangerous to the peace of soci-
civ. especially in these parts. Never meH-
tion a tobacco pipe TO a loser 1t vitiates
his sense of squareness. Check inclosed.
Query: who's the laugh on?'
"'P. ST. guess it's on me.
"'B. McGregor' "
Distance Travelled by Walter.
dancing master at Gardiner Me-, has