The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-24

er Ihree IN the HAND OF His OPP
pOnent a Remarkable Ro-
nance of Gambling in the Jury
Room.
Chicago Inter Ocean.
1T sometimes happens that gamblers
are drawn to serve on juries," said a man
with story, who was telling it the other
night, land the public seldom knows Just
what occurs while jury of this kind is
celebrating on the life or death of a
prisoner. l have heard OF prisoner S
fate being determined by a deck of cards.
but in this instance I was member Of
jury which allowed a guilty prisoner to
go free because of the lucky falling Of
the jack of clubs. 1t was a trial which
had attracted attention in three states,
and the strongest of efforts was made to
convict the prisoner in question, while
equally strong influences were brought
to bear to clear him.
Il was an insurance man in those
days" went On the story-teller, land I
was sent to a Western city to manage an
agency for my company. 1t looked as If
1 would be fixed there permanently, and
1 prepared to make myself comfortable.
Two years later I was a fuil-fedged citi-
zen, and. like every good citizen of the
town, I was naturally excited when the
newspapers printed tho details of a most
horrible murder. Briefly, the facts were
that Henry Seymour, wealthy oil man,
was shot and killed by Thomas Walker.
At least the coroner's jury said Walker
hn 1f,,c To ono rad
same woman whom Seymour had been
counting, and while there was no direct
evidence to show that he was guilty,
public opinion condemned him, and a
number of things pointed to his having
committed the crime. In time the case
went to trial and I was unfortunate
enough to be drawn on the jury. l did
not want to serve, but was forced to.
The trial had been in progress for six
days before the case went to the jury.
It was given to us at p. m. on Saturday,
and we knew that it meant a week. stay
in the jury room. AS soon as we got to-
gether ballot was taken. Elghk men
stood for a conviction and four demanded
an acquital. For hours we wrangled.
Then we saw that no agreement could be
the other into submission.
GAMBLING IN JURY ROOM.
along about 10 o'clock that night, Bosy
Thames, the foreman, who gambled for
the stuff when he was not working. and
he was never known to hold any regular
job, suggested that game Of seven-up
be started. There was a long table in the
room, and presently a constable brought
in several decks of new cards. Some Of
the jurors did not want to play, and for
a time the seven-up game dragged along
without any particular interest being
shown In the run of the cards. Thames
finally proposed poker. Six men agreed
to play, and the others got in the grand
stand and looked on with as much inter-
est as if they had big money on the re-
suits, though they were half asleep over
the seven-up. Thames was known as a
heavy gambler. but two Of the other
chaps at the table were also old hands
at the business. 1t was the queerest
game 1 ever saw, There were all kinds
of draws. and more lucky hands fell than
in any other single game I have ever
seen. Matches were used for checks, and
a ringer would have meant fight. It
was square game, in which the stakes
got high during the course Of the night
and the players kept their eyes open for
anything that might not be exactly
proper.
Finally the playing got down to
Thames and another star gambler named
Wall. Wall owned a furniture factory
up the road, and was said to be wealthy
He was plunger when he got the fever
and the fact that the jury was watching
his nerve made him anxious to show it
at any cost. There was no limit, and the
betting went on until the players were
tired Of showing over little matches
About daylight the crisis came There
was a big jack pot, and Thames opened
1t. Wall raised him high before the
draw. When cards were taken Thames
called for two and Wall wanted only one
Then the betting got warm again. 1t
finally came to the pinch where Wall Of
fered to bet his factory, which was val
ued at 100000 Thames had paper to
cover it and called the bet In drawing
Wall took one card to fill a straight flush
from the middle. He had the four, six
seven and eight of clubs, and caught the
five spot. Thames drew to three trays
and caught the fourth. The game ruined
him financially.
POKER FOR A HUMAN LIFE.
That stopped the playing for money
but tin-horn gambler suggested that
the prisoners fate be decided with one
jack pot. There was opposition at first
but the gambling nerve was UP. Wall
had been voting all along for an acuuit-
tai, while Thames wanted a conviction.
After an hours elaboration it was de-
cided to let the cards settle the case. A
new deck was ordered. Thames was to
hold the first hand for the bloodthirstv
crowd and Wall was to play for the gang
that wanted the man to go free It had
been agreed to have just one pot The
proceeding was strange, but 1t went
'fhe jurors lined themselves out by the
table Cards We're cut and Wall got his
deal. There was GREATNESS excitement
while the cards We're being distributed.
When Thames looked at his hand he did
not have openers. Neither did Wall.
Then Thames dealt. After the cards
had been scanned they were turned faces
up. There was wall when it was seen
that Thames held three jacks to go on.
Wall did not have pair. The best he
could show was the queen and nine Of
clubs. Some Of the men behind him
wanted him to draw new hand 1t was
a desperate situation for those who were
fighting for the prisoners acquittal and
who had agreed to let the matter be
ended by poker hands. They did not know
what to do. Finally Wall discarded ev-
erything but the queen and the nine He
took three cards and Thames two. No
body moved as Wall took the papers ST.
lently and glanced at them. When he
took the last the expression on his face
changed. He had half smile on his