The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-13
The Generals Jltk Pot Melted Him q Third
Of tAs Town Of Wichita, Kan.
DISPUTE AS TO TITLE HAS ARISEN
Mrs. Dswsy Wshss 10 Sell The Property which
Hsrsa's Fsw Kings, or Queens, xsS fUm
6anMoiI's Jack Full.

town lots were used as poker chips In
the boom" days of Wichita, Kan. 1t
was then that Gen. Hazen. the first nus
band OF Admiral Dewey's present wife.
won fifty or more lots. fully a third of
the town as II then existed. Mrs. Dew
ey now wants to sell the lots, but is
having trouble 10 prove title.
Harvey Fleming, now editor of the
Kansas City Journal, and Charles A.
Edwards. correspondent of the Houston
Post. were In Wichita in the early 's0s
and knew about the town-lot game. Mr..
Fleming said yesterday:
Gen. Hazen was I'm Wichita taking
observations. The town was filled with
real estate agents, boomers and specu-
lators. Gen. Hazen was a lucky poker
player and was regarded as danger
Gus opponent at the weekly sittings.
THE game I'm which the town lots
We're won was wonder. 1t was Ave-
handed, the players being Gen. Hazen.
Dave Payne. oklahoma Harry. Hill,
Capt. Crouch and Dave Bancroft.
Payne. Hill and crouch were all inter-
ested in the opening for settlement or
Oklahoma.
TOWN LOTS PUT UP.
"Cash was played for when the game
began, as Gen. Hazen was .averse to
putting up real money against the ffc-
titious values OF town lots. After Gen.
Hazen had secured most OF the cash in
sight the other players, TO continue the
game, reached an agreement of an up
set price on all town lots. ~-sis was sat-
isfactory 10 Gen. Hazen.
THE game went on. First one>man
would own an entire section OF the
city, then another would hold title.
"a stack of blues Would often repre-
sent an entire subdivision. Gen. Hazen
was a great hand at bluffing. A jack
zen. oklahoma Harry Hill and Dave
Bancroft playing. Bancroft opened. Ha-
zen drew three cards, Hill one. and
Bancroft stood pat
KINGS OR QUEENS.
Bancroft bet few city lots and Hill
dropped out. Gen. Hazen raised the
bet and Bancroft. believing he was
bluffing, tilted IL again. Gen. Hazen
saw the raise and went him a few lots
better. After another raise Bancroft
called and Gen. Hazen laid down four
kings or queens, l don't remember
which. Bancroft had jack full. In
this way Gen .Hazen became the own
er OF the fifty town lots.
Nearly every one VINO pdTtlClpdteu
in this game is dead. Capt. Crouch
was shot in Oklahoma shortly after
the territory was opened; oklahoma
Harry Hill was kicked i'm the head by
a mule in Texas and died: Gen. Hazen
is dead. / don't know how Payne died.
and do not know that Dave Bancroft
Is in the land of the living.
when the bottom dropped out OF the
Wichita boom the values Of property
rapidly decreased. Property Is now go
ing up. and II Mrs. Dewey can prove
title she has fortune there"
MAY BE ABLE TO PROVE TITLE.
wichita, Kany April 1s.-The record
Of the transfer Of the town lots from
Dave Bancroft to Gen. Hazen is still
upon the county records. A power of
attorney Is also recorded wherein Gen.
Hazen gave power 10 transfer certain
of his property. bnt just what It Is is
difficult to ascertain.
Gen. Hazen's lots were chiefly along
Wichita. street. lively quarter of the
town. Mrs. Dewey eighteen months
ago transferred one OF the Wichita
street lots. She holds a shadow of a
title to a large portion of this city
The taxes were not kept up. and of
course the property took the usual
course. vet deeds or transfer OF any
part Of this property held by Gen. Haz-
en- when he left here still need the Quit
claim OF Gen. Hazen to make the title
clear. ttN