The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-17
A BIG POKER GAME


It's old time popularity among the legis-
iators of Trenton, n. ]. During the last
two sessions Of the legislature some
heavy games were played and the old
times when the lawmakers and lobby
lists hurried away from the state house
to stretch their lesu under the table and
test their luck were recalled. Good stor-
les are told Of the games that were
played away back In the sos. and per-
haps none is better than that which re-
lates how a wedding was postponed be-
cause the bridegroom was interested in
O good-sized Jackpot.
one Of the hardest players that the
REGULARS" had to deal with was James
Rawson, who ran a general merchan-
disc store down in Cumberland county.
He also was interested In the oyster
trade and, as the saying Is nowadays,
he had money to burn.
In the winter OF 1854 Rawson came
TO Trenton to help push through the
legislature bill In which he was in.
terested, and one evening he got mixed
up in game Of poker In the United
States Hotel, with Sol Trayers. Jerry
Holcomb and Dick Collins, three Of the
gamest players that ever drew cards.
The game was innocent enough when
Il started, but along about 3 o'clock the
next morning II had assumed proper
lions calculated to make an ordinary
player gasp when the bets were made.
Rawson was the youngest man at the
table and had probably played poker
less than any Of the others, but he had
money and nerve. and the way he used
both made the other players keep their
eyes open. There wasn't much diner
ence in the winnings up to $3.50 o'clock,
when the cards suddenly got treakish,
as they will sometimes, and egan to
run against Rawson.
The players wouldn't give up the
game to eat and they had their food
brought to them when breakfast time
came They laid down the cards long
enough 70 eat, then went at II again.
Rawson'B hard luck kept up. BE turned
his hat around, crossed his legs, got up
and walked around his chair, rung IN
new pack Of cards and did everything
that a superstitous poker player does
70 change his luck, but II wouldn't
change, His money kept drifting away
until 10 O'Clock in the forenoon, when
he counted his capital and found that
he had 5000 left. He had fed about
$1,000 to the "tiger'' and naturally felt
o trifie cranky.
At last q Jack pot was started about
lO:3O o'clock and the cards were dealt
around half dozen tinIsp or more and
nobody got openers.
Rawson. i've got to catch that 11;45
train. I'm going to be married tonight
and must be In by 5 o'clock and dress
ed for the occasion"
But the boys didn't seem to be able to
hurry. They dealt and dealt but the
right kind OF hands wouldn't fall, and
finally there was snug little pot OF
about $500 on the table. At 1850 Trav-
ers opened the pot for 800. Holcomb
and Collins stayed.
81 feel Just as II was going to win
that pot" said RAwson, writing some
figures on a piece Of paper and tossing
II to the centre Of the table with whit
money he had left: I'm shy $50, boys,
but guess I'm good for II"
your check Is MS good as your mo-
ney," said Trayers.
Every Bit" said Holcpmb and Col
lips. "But you'll never cntch that
trnf1." remarked Travers
by thunder" exclaimed Rawson, 81
forgot all about that" He looked at his
watch and found that he had three min
utes In which to get to the station,
aThere's no use In trying to make 1t
now" he said: they'll have TO postpone
the wedding. 'Tll telegraph that I've
missed the train" A few minutes later
a messenger was sent 10 the telegraph
office with a message, and the game
went on.
The not was $1,000 strong when the
men drew cards, and the result was the
most remarkable set OF poker hands
that the old-tlme players In Trenton
recall. Travers was dealing. Holcomb
called for one card. Collins took one,
Rawson took four and Travers drew
one.
Everybody around the table saw that
there was business ahead. TraVers
made a bid for a raise by betting S25
which was lifted $500 by Holcomh. and
Collins raised the 5000 so that when. II
came around to Rawson It cost 1925 to
come In. Everybody thought he would
throw down his cards, but he didn't;
he slowly drew a check book ont OF his
pocket and wrote a check for $1,000 and
showed It into the middle Of the table,
thus raising Collins $515. The other
players thought he was blufiing, Trav-
ers met the raise at once and added
$500 to It, Holcomb saw that and raised
X another $500. Collins simply saw
the raise and Rawson lifted II another
$1,000. ss;,
Travers settled back In his chair and
eyed Rawson narrowly. you've got
petty good nerve. old man." he said,
''but you can't make me lay down: not
on a four card draw. anyway" Then
he saw Rnwson's $1,000 raise and In
creased II $500.
"I rail- you" said Holcornb, showing
in $500.
money" said Collins, laying $500 on
the pile. RawsOn put down another
check for $500
well. boys, I'm sorry for you" said
Travers. 1--WE got four queens" He
"That beats my four jacks" said
Holcomb. "and my four tens" said
Collins, but It don't beat my four
kings" said Rawson. spreading out his
cards He had four kings and an ace,
"Thunderation, what draw" eE-
claimed Travers.
"'Twas pretty good" said Rawson,
rakiug In the money. 81 got them all in
a bunch. ! held up an ace"
RRwson won $4,000. and $tl,250 OF II
came out Of tho pockets Of the other
three men. 1t was the biggest jack
pot ever won in Trenton.
After the money had been counted
and slowed away In Rawson's inside
pocket he expressed remorse over his
Indifference to his wedding appoint
ment. But he didn't have long to mourn.
The gIrl he was to marry had mind
OF her own, and when she received
RHwson's telegram she got herself
ready and. boarding northbound
train, came to Trenton, where she ar