The times., 1899-10-02
A FAMOUS CARD SHARP DEAD.
The Passing OF Lou Houck- VINO
SwfndIed the Prince of wales


COLUMBUS. Ohio Oct. 2.-When Lou
Houck. the noted card sharp. dropped oead
IN Durango, n NJ, few days ago mere
passed from the earth one of the smooth
est crooks in the country. He originated
three-card monte and the shell game, and
was known as the man who had swindled
The Prince OF Wales at cards.
While years have passed since Houck
was IN this city, his wife has been hVlng
quietly ia one OF the most fashionable
narts Of Columbus, and on Friday received
a telegram that gave the news OF her nus
hands death She started at once 10 New
Mexico TO claim the body and accompany
II to Connersville, Ind, where II VIII De
buried. -,
Houck's life story reads like mover.
He was born in the little Ohio city OF San
S1slrv nearly fifty years ago and spent
u,oe+ of his boyhood days there. Al an
earlv age he learned the fascinating art OF
gambling. and found that he had the aDii-
itv TO manipulate the pasteboards 10 SUIT
himself. Fse became a professional gam
bier. and was well known all over lhs
country not only as man OF eAceptioA4l
ability in his profession, but also as a man
who SO thoroughly UNDERSTOOD lne ar VI
deception that he was able 10 neece Inc
same victim several times over
His only term OF Imprisonment was IN
7sS2 when he was caught in Texas by De-
tective John T. Norris Honck had leeceo
! travelling man named Paul Lohman on a
Hooking Valley train near Delaare- IN the
quarrel which followed Houck drew q re-
voiver. The gun was discharged ana Lon
nan was killed. Houck fed the country,
but was located in Los Angeles. OaI, ~ NJ
ris who was a detective for the HoeAhg
Valley Company. was placed on his tran,
and he had followed Houck as far west as
nernng where some Of Houck's confed-
erates were laying for the detective
Norris is an expert telegraph operator :
while in the telegraph Office al Demlng
he learned that one Of these confedsrates
had sent telegram 70 Houck- Ihere was
no doubt il was a message OF warning
Norris used his knowledge Of teiegTaphs
10 good advantage He astonished the op-
orator by placing silver dollar pe1meeH
his teeth and telegraphing. This put them
on good terms at once Norris saw the
message hanging on the wall but could
moi read it. He gained permission TO en-
ter he Office TO talk to a brother opera
tor. There was a mirror on the wall, SC
that he could watch every movement ol
the operafor. When ne was not looking
-roy-ris secured the message which read
..Doe Davis" fthis was Houcks alias
..I.os Angeles. Look out for Ohio.
Norris changed the address 10 Las Ne
gas and in consequence Houck never go
The message. Norris. having through thii
telegram definitely located Houck, at one
telegraphed the police 10 arrest him I'M
was done. and then began the celebrated
chase across the continent AT Oakland
Cal. cutie a crowd gathered around tn'
rar in which Norris was bringing Houci
as q prisoner back 10 Ohio. Norris mad
them an address and todd them that II the.
made an attempt 10 rescue Houck ne woul'
Kill the prisoner instantly, as he woul'
hardly dare to return TO Ohio without him
The gang weakened and Norris got AVA
all right AT ogden, Utah. Houck's friend
IN force boarded the train, presumably L
rescue Houck. Norris gave out the wor
that he was going down to Salt Lake Cit
for a DAY. The car was started in tn
right direction, but as soon as IL was out
side the city limits II was uncoupled an
taken on East while the gang, unconsciou
OF the trick that had been played, rod
Oh to Salt Lake City.
Al Cheyenne, Houck's friends walked IL
IN the sheriff and had everything fixed
court and all, to get legal possession o
I4ouck Two men we're TO swear that thi
prisoner was not Houck and he was to b,
released. Norris received the tip in ad
vance. and several miles outside OF chey
enne q special engine met him, and tool
his car 81 cannonball speed through Chey
enne ahead OF the regular train. Houcl
was finally landed in the Ohio peniten
4isry to serve sixteen years.
He was psrdcned from the peniten
fiary after serving seven years. After hi
release be disappeared from the country
and Was not heard from for several years
when he returned and announced 20 hi
friends that he had been viewing tn
sights abroad He showed credential
from three aristocratic clubs In thre
leading European cities. emitting him q
ell the privileges Of a member.
During his residence abroad he ha
beaten the Prince Of Wales al baccarat
he had skinned royal dukes out OF thei
pocket money in ways peculiarly his own
be had relieved more members OF the Eng
Jish aris;ocracy OF wealth than any high
way robber since the days OF Turpln. An
nf all times he moved in the best of SO
ciety. He produced papers TO show tina
while he was in London he was fefed an
dined by some Of the best people OF Eng
land.
A few weeks ago he left for Mexico
where he was 70 remain during the win
ter. ostensibly as an agent for an Ameri
can manufacturer. He got as far as Du