Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-17

Some years ago remarked a man last
night, who has seen gambling in all its
stages. to the Charleston, S. c.. cores
pendent of the Chicago Inter Ocean, II
was spending the eight in an interi r
town Which was being run wide open,
because the mayor belonged to the green
cloth himself. The man at the head Of
the police department kept a swell poker
room and made good money. 1t was NO
secret in the town, his gambling of tl.a
officials, but the people never kicked fho
long as the games were square. And they
We're. They had to be, and the regular
business of the place was carried on in the
day While the sports from points far and
near drifted in for the festivities which
started after the work of the day wits
closed. Under these bright conditions the
gambling was fine-for the gamblers.
They had no licenses to pay. no fines Or
fear of imprisonment, and everything
rocked along happily regardless of the
way the dice might fall.
But while telling of this town, the
name of which is withheld for reasons
best known to myself, 1 am getting away
from my story. You have doubtless
heard of gamblers starting in with d
handful of small coin and coming out
with a fortune. Well, this incident I can
vouch for, as l was there and saw it. 1t
a cOld night and the snow was COM
ing down at a steady pace. Everybody
hunted warm rooms, and so naturally
the people from the streets We're in the
bars and gambling places. A friend .iv-
ing in the town offered to take me out to
see the sights, and very early we drifted
into a bar with gambling departments
attached. A wide door led from the bar
to the room where four or five games
were in progress. l was sitting with my
friend, who had just ordered the drinks.
when a thin man, shivering. n minus
an o%vercoat, came in and shook the snow
flakes from his shoulders. His face and
ears looked frost bitten, and he glanced
around the room like a frightened hare.
He got near the stove to thaw and i'm
proved his time by using his eyes.
TRIES THE SLOT MACHINE.
The man was a stranger, I was told,
and he got more than passing attention
from the loungers and buyers. When he
had grown comfortable the stranger un-
buttoned his coat, walked near the door,
and began inspecting a new slot ma
chine, which had just been put in. Some
people had played it with bad luck, and
when they quit the stranger got by the
wheel. A negro boy, who had a spare
moment, was standing by.
"'Well, I've been UP against it lately
said the stranger, and | have just one
half dime left. | am going to drop that in
here for a drink
"The boy suggested that he should play
a number which made a small payment,
as he would nave a better show to win.
"'NO,' he said, I want the whole hog OF
nome
with that he dropped in the nickel to
win So, the largest payment, or 60 broke.
The boy showed back a bar, and the
stranger turned the crank. The wheel
went spinning, and then came to a slow
stop.
Purple lady WINS cried the boy, and
with that the nickels came Smelling out
into the cup fastened neal the floor. The
stranger gave a smile of delight. I'll just
repeat thai one for luck he said, and
another five-cent piece went into the
same slot. The wheel spur again, and
sure enough, the purple lady, worth 50
showed. The coin was snapped to the
barkeeper for larger money, and the
crowd was asked to take a drink.
1.-THE stranger introduced himself as
Brown from New York, as he said, and
his identity was not questioned further.
With he Sc to his credit Brown went
down stairs and a a beefsteak on top
of three stiff drinks, and then came back
to buck the gamblers. He had even 81
left after buying two good cigars and
another drink, and he left like a prince.
GETS INTO THE CRAP GAME.
This must be my night he said to a
man who watched him, and / think I'll
risk three of these simoleons on this
witty crap game.
''There was a row at The table at the
time, though. instinct seemed to make
everybody give room to Brown. Chips
were not used, and a man simply had to
put up his own coin and shoot for it.
Brown waited until his turn came, and
then tossed out two silver dollars. He
took the dice and rubbed them well and
they scampered out to show an ace and
a six, making the money double. The
banker showed out two bright dollars,
and Brown shot again, without taking
down. He made eleven. Then he said
he would try for his third lucky pass,
leaving the s. before him all the while.
He rolled the dice, and the banker smiled
as he counted four. 1t was a hard point
to make, though Brown chuckled and
said he had never failed to make his Lit
tie Joe on the third pass. And, sure
enough, he took the bones, and in four
rifles had turned his point. The fever
had coursed through his veins by this
time, and he quickly took the dice and
tossed them again, when the banker had
placed So beside the S. on the table. Or
the first dash Brown mad the SIG $32, sc
he raked down his winnings and played
on close margins like the others. But he
was having a fine streak, for on stray
bets made on throws by others at the
table he would win, while in the long
run the theirs were losing. Brown said
to himself that it was his system, and il
was working like a charm. The luck
continued, and in an hour Brown had
more money than the banker, and was
| still winning. One man who had lost
heavily offered to sell his overcoat to
Brown, and the latter was quick to take
it at $50. The $50 however, was soon
lost. and the man went nome in the
old without his coat.
BEATS THE ROULETTE TABLE.