Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-06-21
AN ODD POKER GANE.

bad my attention called to a massive
old fashioned poker table, which stands
in one corner Of the lounging room at a
club much frequented by horsemen.
On the green baize cloth, at opposite
sides, are number OF curious little
stains, In which minute fragments OF
red sealing wax can be seen on close
inspection. The table is never used
for card playing ut present, and the
story told in connection with il is
really remarkable. One afternoon some
eight or nine men, oil ut, that time
pretty we'll known in sporting circles,
star ted . game of poker in one Of the
little back rooms of tile club. They
rocked along for several hours without
doing much damage one way or the
other, when suddenly an exciting
tussle began over a jackpot. In a few
minutes the man who opened 1T dropped
out, followed by one Of the others leav-
ing the remaining two players to fight
for the spoils. One OF them was a
bookmaker. from Chicago, and the other
was a man from SYRACUSE, N. ~, who
used to be partner in. famous art
gallery bar. don't care to identify
them any closer than that. The Chi,
cago man began the trouble by betting
hundred, which the New Yorker saw
and raised $3.50. The bookmaker came
back with thousand, and whom be
counted out the money he noticed that
he had exhausted his roll. That over
sizes me, said the Syrac Use man, Il
haven't got thousand or quarter OF
it in my leather, but il you'll give me
half m hour to go out ard rustic, I'll
stay with you till the COWS come home.
Well, the proposition, as the story goes,
was accepted, and the question then
arose rs to what should be done in the
meantime with the two hands. 1t was
finally suggested TO lay them face down
on the table and fasten them there
with sealing wax. The idea seemed
good, and was adopted. A
"A dab Of melted wax was dropped
at the corners Of each of the PASTE
boards, and both players stamped the
seals with private marks. The New
Yorker used a cameo ring and the other
simply made an impression with his
thumb. The money on the table was
locked in the safe, and botk men
thereuron rushed out to replerish,
agreeing on an hours limit.
Now comes the queer part Of the
story. The bookmaker went straight to
Of a certain big gambling house, and
borrowed 81, 500. lie started pack on =
dead run with the money in his hand,
and while crossing the street was
knocked down by cab. One of the
front wheels passed over his shoulder.
and be was picked up unconscious and
taken to a hospital. Meanwhile the
otherplayer had hunted up wealthy
distiller OF his acquaintance, told him
in strict confidence what he had, and
WAS on the point of securing loan
when a constable walked UP and ar
rested him on the charge of swindling.
The case had grown out of some race
track transaction, and there was really
nothing to it, but it was enough. to
give him considerable annoyance, and
1t was late at night before he succeeded
in fixing up a bond. Next day the
condition of the bookmaker was still
very serious, and, rs neither man had
returned within the hour, his friends
insisted that the poker affair should
stand Just as 1T was until he got better.
The Syracuse man wanted the stakes
taken down, but the others wouldn't
agree, and a week or SO later he was
obliged to go home on some business.
Meanwhile the table was locked in
the card room and nobody was allowed
to go near it. When the bookmaker
was able to talk he protested vehe-
mently against any division of the
money. H
Let the game stand until can
play my hand out, he said; but he was
never able to do it, and after lingering
nearly half year he suddenly got
pneumonia and died. Less than a weeb
afterward the Syracuse man was acct.
dentally drowned while out bathing
with some friends off Long Island.
THAT left things in very peculiar
situation. The manager of the cluL
wanted to divide the money in the safe.
between the two estates, but the book
makers brother, who was his executor,
objected vigorously, insisting that the
last bet had never been called, and con
seqrently the New Yorker had lost
Then the distiller, who had agreed Il
back his Syracuse friend, offered Il
make the call good, and the two origina
players who had dropped out, and who
we're still in tho city, began to clamol
for the return OF their money, amount
ing to about $50 apiece, on the grouut
that everything should be declared Of
on general principles. Altogether, i
was the worst mixed-up affair tina
ever happened.
Finally the matter was left, b,
agreement, to a prominent Louisville
business man who knew nothing abou
cards, but had high reputation TO
honesty and common sense. He deolarec
that the two play ers who had dropped
out had no claim on the pot, and a.
nobody could remember how the pre-
limipary betting had stood. that two
thirds of the lump sum should go II
the representatives of the, boolsmaKe
and one-third to the estate OF the New
Yorker. To prevent endless debate
and squabbles In future. he also directe'
that the cards should be removed from
the cloth, face down, and destroye,
without exposure. These instruction
were carried out to the letter, although
1T nearly broke the hearts of nunerou
friends of both parties not to get
look at the two hands. The cards wer'
carefully detached, one by one, an,
burned in the crate without bein
turned over. After such an experience
notody cared to play on the old tabl
again, and it was relegated to oorne
as a curiosity. I'm tod there was
good deal of wax on the cloth origi
nally, and although most of it ha
been busted away, enough still remain
10 indicate the position of every card.
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On Reading Aloud.
1t is distinct loss that reading
80 badly taught and that SO few peopl