The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-04-20
KING WON AND LOST.
HE WON A BIG BET AND LOST tsaS LIFE
At THE SAME TIME.

ing Another In the Days When Hell.
ena Was swarming With swindIera
and Swindllns Games.
In 1887 Helena, Mon, was overrun by
n shoal Of sure thing gamblers. Prior to
that time gambling had been licensed
and there had been fair play. Not only
were sure thing games running in many
gambling houses, but along the sidewalks
Of Main street for several blocks games
Of all kinds were in full blast. In one
gambling house n short faro game had
been started and attracted a great deal
Of attention.
1t was run by a couple Of Frcnchmen.
In playing short faro the dealer uses a
dealing box somewhat similar to the
regulation faro box, the difference being
that the sides and ends and top are put
away until there remains only the frame
of box, exposing the cards from every di.
rection, with just enough of frame to
hold them in place compactly. In short
faro the cards are placed in box backs
upward instead of face upward, as in
regular faro. There are no cards pasted
on the table upon which to place bets.
In the middle Of the table is gittering
heap of gold and silver money, with
greenbacks of all denominations lying
carelessly around.
The dealer having carefully shufIled
the cards places them in the box backs
upward lie then slowly and with many
hourishes deals ont six cards. placing
them face downward in semcrcle on
the table. He then invites bets. A
player can bet on any one of the six
cards lying face down upon the table,
and as many as care 10 do so can play.
When all bets have been made, the
dealer pulls from the box the seventh
card and turns it face upward. Then he
turns up each Of the six cards upon
which he had invited bets. If the deal.
cr's card is higher than the bettor's card,
the bank wins. II the bettor's card Is
higher than the one turned by the dealer
the bcttor wins. II, however, there is a
tie-i. c., the dealer turns the same card
that the bettor had placed his money on
the bank wins. But in such a case the
player has the option Of losing his money,
or he can have another chance the next
hand around if he will double his bet.
This process can be continued as long
as the bcttor is willing to double his
stakes. If he wins, he gets paid in full;
if he loses, the bank gets all.
1t is this option of doubling bet to
save loss that fascinates players of
short faro. OF course, professional gam
blers did not play short faro, because it
was known as a crooked game. The
dealer, in placing the first six cards upon
the table, does it with many lourishes
and in such way as to enable player
to see just what each card is before it
lies face down upon the table. If thc
game was to be played on the square, the
odds would be against the bank 6 to /.
But it is played with fixed cards, and the
dealer is able to hold in the box and on
the top of the deck all of the high cards,
SO that he can at any time beat or tie
a player who seems to have money. Cap.
pcrs are always used, and when a stran-
ger appears they play and win large
sums, which they turn in afterward.
When man is playing high, doubling his
bet each time, it Is possible for a man
making small bets on other cards to win
with ease. The high player may be on
a comparatively low card, and the dealer,
in order to tie him and make him double
his stakes, will have to turn the same
card, so that all the small player has to
do is TO watch for an ace or king, place
his bet upon it and pick up his money
each time the cards are turned.
1t was while playing at this game that
Dave King lost his life in June, 1887.
King had been living in the mining camps
Of Marysvillc and Wickcs for couple Of
years. He was one Of the best gamblers
In the west. He looked, however, like
typical miner as, wearing soft, gray
hat, blue flannel shirt, trousers tucked
in his boots, he strolled in where this
short faro game was being played. He
was spotted at once, and the cappers be-
gan to play for big stakes. After watch-
ng the game for few minutes King be-
gan to play, placing 81 bills rolled into a
ball on the cards. He won almost every
line and always called for his pay in
bills. Now, however, another player at
he opposite end of the table had begun ,
o double his stakes, and the dealer was |
giving his attention to the high better.
King didn't get excited, but continued |
o make IN occasional bet, always with
| 81 bill rolled into wad. The dealer |
II pdJhlB Noulu plth w IL Pl VII anu |
PASS it across to King. This had been
;oing on for perhaps half an hour when
he dealer again tossed 81 bill to King
II payment, as the dealer thought of
Il bet.
Come again" said King to the dealer.
Look at that bet"
The dealer, slight built, black eyed,
ervous Frcnchman, leaned over and un-
oiled Kings bet. As he did so he saw
hat he had been tricked. A crisp, yell
ow $1,000 note rolled out Of the dirty
1 bill. King had won $1,001. The deal
+ was white with rage. There was no
init to the game, and King had won
airly. The dealer, instead of paying the
ret, leaned back in his chair, reached his
and under the table and sprang forward
nd over the table. In his right hand
leaned long stiletto. In an instant
e had buried it in Kings neck, pulled it
ut and buried it again.
The place was in an uproar in an In.
tant. The visitors broke for the door,
nd the cappers and bouncers pulled their
uns and jumped upon King. He was
armless, however, for the Frcnchman's
i'm had been true. lie had killed King
18th the first stab.
There was great to do about this
rhine. The Frenchman managed to get
ut of town aud was never caught, and it
,as given out by the owners of the gam
ling house that King had been killed in
row of his own making. But the short
arc game was closed and never reopen
d. Shortly afterward an antigambling
NV was passed in Montana, and all
sure thing" games were closed.-Chca-
0 Inter Ocean.