Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1900-03-29
Mixed Poker and Drink
Wreck of a Lake Captain on the Ruin
CT q Royal Flush.
HALF-DOZEN lake captains were

A HALF-DOZEN lake captains were
n sitting together when the CONVEX
sation switched to poker; and then
Capt. Miner Davidson told this story:
1T has always struck me as rather
singular that you seldom hear poker
stories from this region. You hear OF
great sums lost in the east, plantations
exchanging hands at single sitting in
the south, and in the west of great
heaps of gold crossing the table in a
night; but for some reason you never
hear anyone tell about the games that
used to be played on the Great Lakes.
L am willing to bet now that some OF
the largest, stiffest and longest games
ever played anywhere took place at
lake ports and on lake vessels between
1850 and 1860. Several of you must re-
member it. It was not so long ago. 1t
was quite natural that such things
should be, too. There were very few
steamboats, and every one was making
money, even the seamen. More than
that, the trip from Chicago to Buffalo
often took as long as two weeks and
sometimes 20 days and the sailors had
to do something to relieve the monot-
ony of the trip. Poker was tried and
it fitted to a IT. and it also made Z
whole lot of lakemen poor and a lot of
gamblers rich.
I dare say some of you have heard
tell of Capt. John Gibson of the two
master Will-o'-the Wisp. He was we'll
known for time. The boat has been
out of commission for 20 years. Well,
John Gibson was the gamest gambler
that ever shuff1ed card along these
lakes, if you measure by liberal and
careless playing, which most people do.
He came up to Buffalo from Bradford,
Pa, some time in the 40's and took to
sailing. He was a hard worker and in
eight years he was captain of a small
boat named the Acorn, which was
owned in Bay City. In a few years
more he bought boat of his own and
named her the Wil1-o'- the-W isp, and
after working her few seasons he
was able to pay her off and own her
clear of everything. In 1857 he was
was making good money. Twas second
mate for him and in 1859 was made first
mate. Now, the captain was an in
veterate poker player and was known
in the rooms at all the lake ports and
by all the rowing gamesters who spent
their time on the lakes. He often de-
layed his departure from port so he
fric r
for him to miss three or four meals and
not know it.
In 1859, in the early part of Sep
TENDER, we left Chicago one after
noon for Buffalo with load of mer-
chandise, crew of nine and two pas
to the captain as Bennett and McDon-
aid, business men who desired to make
a lake trip for the benefit of their
health. We had fair sailing the first
night out, and the captain and his
guests sat on the deck till late telling
stories. and getting acquainted. The
next day was a scorcher, and at night
the lake was as quiet and shiny as a
tub of quicksilver, and there wasn't
a culver in the air. The moon was
full and so bright that you could read
on deck. The crew lounged on the
after deck, it was too warm to sleep
below, and the captain, his guests and
I sat on the deck just aft of the deck
house, smoking and talking. Some
how the game of poker was suggested,
and in less time than it takes to tell
it a table had been fetched from the
captains office, and we four were play
ing drnw.
"There's no use dwelling on the
early stages of the game; no need
telling how I was cleaned out in an
hour and how Mcdonald lost big
pot to the captain on a full hand. The
game was good from the start, and it
was better when Bennett and the cap
tain, each with q stack of coin and
bunch of bills in front Of him, began
TIC play it out. Anyone who knew John
Gibson could have told that he was
ready for anything, and the calm
manner Of the other player indicated
that he was thoroughly at home.
While and Mcdonald played the linn
it was $780, When we withdrew the
ante was mede five dollars and the
limit was removed.
s'Possibly two hours after the Sec
ond part of the game began q bottle
Of liquor was produced and Capt.
Gibson partook literally of it, as he
always did when playing cards. AS
the boat stopped around in the quiet
sea the hands ran up high and the
betting became spirite!- I remember
once how Gibson made q studied bet