The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-02-15
THREE CARD MONTE.
CAREER or THE MAN WHO INVENTED
THE SMOOTH TRICK


he Imposed on Many Men OF High
Standing In the nation, Made =
uarreI of Money with His swim
dIinR Game and Died n Pauper.
Lew uouck was the Inventor OF the
sotorIous three card monte trick and
about the clpverest card shnrp In the
world upuck was well known IN Nau-
ma city. where be operated on ana
og for 20 yrars. making the city a
Iort OF way station on his trips east
and west.
The last time Houck was here he had
lust returiwd from n European trip.
lie produced papers and letters TO
show that while he was In London be
wns feted and dlnrd by some OF the
upper crust Of English society. Ee
had passed there as wealthy and
ira yeled American. lie had letters,
too. from Secretary Oluey, Secretary
Carlisle aud other lenders of the Amer
lean political world which recommend
ed hlm In the highest terms not only
TO the American representatives
abroad. but TO any friends OF the writ
ers who might meet him. Aud these
letters were genuine. Their nuthentlci'
" could not be doubted. Houck bad
way OF getting entrance lntO the ex-
elusive clubs Of Washington, Phlladel-
phln. New York aud other cities. and
10 his role OF gentleman Of leisure he
had 30 Imposed on men OF high stand.
ing In the nation that they thought
him all he represented hlmself 10 be
aud gnve him the letters Of lntroduc-
tim that helped him 10 fleece the aris-
tocrncy Of Europe.
Ilouck Invented the three card monte
game before he became OF age. THIS 10
trick with cards that has hceced
more people out Of mouey than any
other gnmr ever pracilcrd. The trick
IA played With thrpe ncpa. Two black
onps aud one red II Is always played
with confederate 10 help, or stall"
for the game. The operator takes the
three cards between his tingprA, show
Ing them 10 the victim. and then shuf-
Hes them about aud drops theru face
down upon the table. Offering TO bet
any amount of money that no one can
pick out the red nee.
Az this point the operator turns his
head moment 10 spit or 10 speak 70
some one In the crowd behind him,
aud ln that moment the confederate
picks up the red ace card. shows II to
the victim. "crlmps" the corner Of the
card and slyly lays Il down again, ap.
pnpnlly all unseen by the operator
Tue operator again shuilles the three
cards AMI throws them upon the table
face down. There les the card with
lts crlmped corner The victim sup
poses. OF course that Il n the red ace
aud bets aud picks II up 10 fnd that II
Is a block Que. aud he has lost his
money.
The operator. when he picked up and
shuilied the cards carrlrssly the sec
ond time. With a def movement Of his
hngrrs removed the crimp In the red
ace earl aud put n similar crlmp Ia
black ace card, That was all there
was 20 the trlck. Ilouck worked Il FOR
years IN hotels, on billiard tables. at
fairs aud clrcuses aud on railroad
trains and steamboats,. lie taught the
trick TO Canada BllL noted gambler.
and the two worked together over all
the country, They paid thousands up.
ou thousands OF dollars 10 railroad men
In the Old days Tor the privilege OF
working the game on trains. aud they
made money.
Inter, when nearly every state In the
Union PASSED laws aimed dlrcctly
against the working OF the three card
monte game. ID brcame unprohtahle |
aud was given up 10y Houck HUT about |
that ilme an lngvnious English cockney |
Invented the "thpe she'll" game. which /
was even more productive than three |
card monte, und ilouck took lt up. The |
thrve she'll game h a modern Improve
mvnt on the ancient thimhlrrigglng I
game that was worked al English fairs |
for many years. The old way was FOR /
the operator 10 crook his knsr over the /
head OF caue thai stood upright on /
the ground and move small seed /
around between three thlubles on top 4
OF ulh lrg ouWlnH 10 hvi that 40 one 4
could pigk the thimble under which /
the seed WAS hidden.
The ksson taught by the lives and
draihs OF lloucG and Canada Rln and
all the rest OF their klud In than Il never
rays to be- dlshua,-si or 20 Tive hy ones
Wits These meu may Fri great sums
of money by sharp paettrs Ia the
course OF a lifetime. hut they all dle
poor, aud most of thvm die 10 prison
tanada RllL Who worked With louck
on uains oul Of Kansas CITY aud
made probably Si.OOWO la hls NE
died a pluppr Ia che aimshaus, In
Lebanon, Pa, and b. mri,d q pau.
prrs grave houck dpppd apad on I
the sinvt 10 numugo MrNvo. aud nls
Wld0w 10 Ohio bad i0 sUiiyu aid 10 r,i
eis bnty home 10 ri,v a dsceut hur,al
-hanssis Cily STAR