The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-06-09
LOST A BIG FORTUNE.
THE STORY OF A Merry BLUFF IN A
GAME OF POKER.

ern PlunEer Sized Up Property. but
Lost Confidence In Ills Own Hand
at the Wrong Moment.
Big games On the Mississippi river
steamers. where poker fOurished at its
best, were by no means the only in
stances wherein fortunes were made
and lost on the turn of a card. The rec
ord Of the game wherein Pete Welch.
a noted eastern plunger, met Colonel
Wallace of South Carolina is regarded
az one of the stiffest battles on the green
baize ever fought in any land. Wallace
was very wealthy, a heavy slave owner
and al extremely lucky man at cards.
He was. as every southern gentleman
was and is. perfectly honorable, and his
victories were the admiration of his
friends. Pete was a gambler by profess
zion, had plenty of money and was full
OF nerve; so a battle between the two
vas certain to be of absorbing interest.
When Colonel Wallace heard that
WEIGH was coming to meet him, he
calmly replied he would be ready. He
said he had a limit fixed, and, if the
gambler went beyond that, he would
drop out and let the money go. Welch
came on. the colonel was notified and
the date set for the game. 1t was to
take place in a club where no games
were supposed to go on. The colonel
drove to town, met the enemy and a
number of friends, had drinks all around
and the two men sat in for a single
handed game. They commenced at 500
jack pots. and at first the colonel's luck
stuck to him. He won steadily, but the
gambler was game and met him.
AT last the tide turned, and the cards
began to fall to Pete. He won until all
the gold in front of Wallace passed to
his side Of the table. Wallace became
fierce and took all kinds of chances, los
ing his head in a manner drinking
heavily. while his opponent coolly play
ed his hands for all they were worth.
When Wallace had passed in his last
stack, he pushed back his chair and said
his pile was gone. Then he said:
"Welch. you've got an even $50, 900
there if you will count it. l brought
that much with me. and l may have
been foolish. / believe if l had more l
could get it all from you in half a dozen
hands,
''I'll gladly give you a chance. colo
mel Perhaps some of your friends here
can accommodate your
Nobody spoke. The colonel ratified on
the table.
"Welch." he said when the silence
got oppressive, II have no more ready
cash. but l have property that is as
good as gold any day right here in this
town. never did it before. but 7 will
play you "a Of my best slaves against
$50, 600. The negroes are worth fully
that amount as these gentlemen will
testify. The slaves are the best in the
state, but if you think the value too
high we can arrange it otherwise. Will
you finish the game?'
IF these gentlemen say the slaves
are worth that much. then fix your pa
pers while l count this money. I never
like to turn my back to a good thing"
Everybody got up and took a drink
on the new game. When the papers
were arranged. the players got a new
deck of cards, and there was not a word
H0CoSu VAN VIC NdAuo "CAC OCAAIS SAuA-
fled. The sky was to be the limit until
the $50. 600 was reached. Wallace's
sporting blood was up. and he seemed
to lose all quickly or get it
back in the same swift gait. He took
desperate chances in drawing and &C.
cepted foolish bets.
The end was drawing near. WEIGH
was dealing, and bad shutting on the
previous hands had left considerable
money in the pot. WEIGH was ahead on
the winnings. The colonel looked at his
hand and opened the pot for 81. 900.
WEIGH stretched his eyes and then
looked at his hand. He raised it 81, 600.
Without raising his head the colonel
raised back 81, 600. and WEIGH saw it.
He went 81, 900 better. and the colonel
raising. The players were less
excited than any of the other men in
the room. Pete took the cards and asked
the colonel:
"How many?'
"Two cards." he said.
"None here, put in the dealer.
The colonel took the two cards and
looked at them quickly. Then he stuck
them behind the others. ''I'll start this
on IS, O0O.' he said. WEIGH looked at
hand again and took the bet. He
went SIS, 600 more. The colonel raised
another S.. 600. WEIGH saw it and
raised another, and the colonel raised
still another SIS, 600.
"Well, I've got just $40, 900 here you
can have if you can get it" said WEIGH,
and he tossed in the chips. The colonel
his hand.
"I've got only IS. 0OO," he said,
land I think you've got me. even if it
is a bad thing to say"
With that Wallace tossed the cards
on the table. and WEIGH took the pot. It
was a clean case of bluff on Pete's part.
as the cards subsequently showed. The
colonel had held nm a nair of iacka his