The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-14
CLIMAX ()F 1 POKER CANE
SENSATIONAL FINISH TO A SESSION
OF DRAW ON AN OCEAN
LINER
MYSTIC TRIO ALWAYS WON
Losers Decided That the Unknown
Were Card Sharps, and After
a Long Struggle One of
Them Said So.

1.-THE renewal of the agitation against
the professional card sharpers who infest
the ocean liners, and especially that re-
cent story narrating how John w. Gates,
the steel and wire millionaire, was done
out of a large sum on one of the steam
ships by an impudent pair of polk y
swindlers, recalls to my memory poker
incident that occurred on one of the big
liners on which l was a passenger in
the fall of 49," said a we'll known New
York clubman, who frequently goes
abroad
''At that time, as a present, the steam
ship companies were making strenuous
efforts to drive the professional gamblers
from the ships. without, however, meet
ing with much success. The companies
could never Absolutely prove that such
and such a Suspeceed man was Il swintt-
Ter on account of the natural unwi.iIug-
ness of the "oyagers who hal been chs
eled out of their money to make formal
complaint. thus subjectiAg themselves To
the ridicule of their friends.
There was Il big card of warning
against professional gamblers hanging in
the card room of the liner on which I
crossed In October, 81, hut most Of The
men voyagers who read the warning
simply laughed 1T it. 1T is one of the
cocksure characteristics of men who play
even a game that is only moderately
good at cards that theY firmly believe
themselves capable of withdrawing all
of the tricks of professional gamblers.
WILL ADMIT no WEAKNESS.
THAI they can be done Ia Just hke
to clap eyes on the wise deck ritfler who
CAN pull the wool over my eyes at a
game of draw or any professional cheat
who fancies he can put me in the hole
by employing unfair methods is welcome
to all of my money that he can get are
remarks you'll often hear men make VINO
ought to lsilnw letter. Ne ye.thci Ass the
warning card hanging in the cardroem
of this vessel had the effect of putting
the passengers on their guard against
the possible appearance of card sharks,
and they were on the lpokouS for a bunch
of the latter to discover themselves frcn
from the moment the steamer pulled out
into the stream.
The passenger list, owing 10 the late
ness of the season was not over full, and
on the first day out there were only a
few small games in the card room, most
of them, apparently. between men who
knew each other quite well. Things be-
gan to tven up in the card room on the
second day out, however, and the chaps
VINO olun appear TO know anybody got
together in four. five and six handed
games OF draw. One Of the six handed
poker games was the storm center of the
incident that I started to tell you about.
was one of the players in that game.
was acquainted with two of the men
in the game, but the other ,chree were
strangers to me. Oae of the men I knew
was wealthy New York city politician,
and another was former Washington
ian, who went to Chicago and made
money on the board of trade there. We
three just naturally fell in with the three
the three strangers WAS foreign look
ing chap. with a bronzed skin, who spoke
with a slight French accent.
HIS MANNERS WE'RE FINE.
Another was a well grooned English