The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-01

games and stringing farmers wherever he
found them. He had to make a living the
best way he could. and sometimes the way
was pretty bad TO the best of my rec
election he never did anything else much
till he came to Seattle.
If my memory Is right, he came TO
Seattle dead broke in 1855 ! have been
told that one OF his friends who was In
the gambling combine sent for him. and
that the gamblers paid his fare here. Any
way. | know they took him in. gave him
an interest and set him his feet. He
became one of the old NJ & y. comhna-
tion, Then gambling was profitable and he
made plenty of money.
But he wasn't satisfied with his share.
About year after the big fire, I've
heard his partners in a house he was in
terested in, the old Beede club, in the
basement Of the Butler block. let him
handle the bank roll for few months
That caused trouble and Mr.. Way was
retired as the financial man.
During part OF that time gambling was
closed. and the gamblers Clipped In and
got up fund 10 be used in getting II re-
opened. WAY handled the fund. One OF
his partners told me afterwards that he
found out when it all over that Way
had given all hands the double-cross.
Ask any gambler in town that knows
Way, and he'll tell you that he can't he
depended on When the First state legis-
lature met, the Seattle gamblers raised
a fund to be used In lobbying through n
bill; to license gambling. Way, i've been
told had charge of the fund and went to
the Legislature with u. Gamblers have
told me that he and some OF his friends
deliberately threw down the combine and
spent the money 10 defeat the bill in or
der that they might he IN better posi-
lion to control the business in Seattle.
but I'll give Way the credit OF being
one of the shrewdest confidence takers I
ever met Just after the nre here there
wasn't a gambler In the city that stood
higher In the estimation Of legitimate bus
ress men than he did He could borrow
money at the banks. and his credit
was good anywhere, II he had not
tended to his own business and been on
the square with hts own associates. he
might have been rich man today But
the gamblers SAY he simply couldn't do It,
They tell me It was always job with him
to cheat some body else. lie was never
satisfied with what he had
Even IN gambling, people have told me.
he wasn't on the square. There used 20
ne a little gambling den NJ on Second av-
cnuc IN the kiigen block. In which Way
was interested. II was "a matter 81 COM
mon knowledge then that any man who
/ went there 10 gamble found an the mod
ern conveniences for skinniug the limo
cent
"Anerwara the same mitt Joint was
moved down below the dead line into "a
suite Of rooms over Dan Shaw's saloon.
where the Yakima meat market Is nov.
square gamblers have told me that no
( player was ever allowed 10 win there "a
+ cept hy accident Bat that IL the kind N
. places that run when there Is no opsa
gambling and the games are behind clo.s 4
doors
/ An This was In boom times Then Gore
Mas a Republican. In the srg!nE 81 1889
/ r Rcnat was psf up for MAYOR By ulF
1 Democrats IL was thrr ] understand. tha'
| Gene FIRST began 70 aspire 10 be political
I boss Tie was interested 81 the heals
/ house then The story Eoes that no put So
| into the Democrats campaign fund and
| quietly passed around word among INC
| dealers and boosters employed IN the house
| that a vote for Ronald was the price 81
| every JOB.
| the story 81 that time vas taat Nay
/ had arranged a deal with the Democrats
whereby he was 20 control EamhlinS, whics
| was 70 be moved below the dead line and
| placed under restrictions II was said TIA
| rival house was making the Beeie ciut
! Improbable and that Way framed up Nitt
/ the Democrats fn order 20 force his com
/ qetitors out az the business
/ After the election o. Mayor Ronald Was
/ was distinctly out Of favor with the gamb-
! lers They voted him a turn COX; and a
/ traitor and to that fact more than any.
! thing else x is due that Way Is now max
/ ing his living as a political reformer rathsi
! than BY running "A faro hank. He clozCl
! his career a. a gambler by taking part ir
I ;he dgh, on Bolton Rogers. now dead. whs
, was appointed chief Of police ty Mayor
! Phelps in 1896 n produced the books 81
{ the old Beede house before the police
-~-ouniSSian and testified ,Aat he had PAID