The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-02-18
"Gentleman" Card Shark Fell Vic
tim to Morphine at the
End of Great Luck.
HE WAS GENEROUS TO THE END.
When Doctor Refused Fifty Dol
lars He Impaired His Secret
Poker Method-NOted
Ship Gambler.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
New York. Feb. H.-Henry T. Paisley.
whose square red beard and faultless attire
were familiar to saloon passengers on the
big steamships of the Cunard and American
lines on which he had unostentatiousiy piied
his profession OF gentleman gambler for the
last seven years, TO use his own phrase.
cashed in HIS last stack" in Bellevue Hos
pitaI Saturday night. Flush Of money. after
experiencing a long streak Of luck and with
, a pack OF marked cards beside him. Paisley
died In a deiirium. His gamblers nerve
stood him in good stead in trying to WITH
stand his sufferings. but he fell victim 10
his old enemy, morphine. to which he han
been addicted for nearly twenty years.
Generous to the last. Paisley. on MS
deathbed. confided the cherished secret OF
his special system of controlling games OF
poker. by which he said he had made tnou-
sands upon thousands OF dollars. to Doctor
Barclay. who attended him and to whom ne
haa taken fancy.
story of His Life.
In his last Illness Paisley told something
of his life.
Il shifted from one line to the other. ne
said with a careless laugh. but. bless you.
the stewards all krcw me for years ]
tipped them well and never was interrupted
in my business in spite of the signs In the
saloons cautioning travellers against card
sharps."
Doctor Barclay. in order to lessen the suf-
ferings OF his patient, was obliged to ad-
minister an unprecedented quantity OF NOR
phine to him.
ION the second night" said the doctor.
Il was forced to give him twenty grains of
morphine in three hours In two doses of
ten grains each. l should judge that twen-
ty grains are sufficient to Kill ten ordinary
men. and never before In my experience
have seen a morphine victim capable OF
resisting such a quantity of the drug"
Harry a paisley s was taken from from, his us
the hospital Wednesday night. He gave
his occupation as that of a merchant. He
was suffering from the morphine habit and
Paisley told the attending physician. Doctor
Barclay. that he had taken opium for near
ly twenty years, and M that & he was then TAX
Paisley told the doctor of his occupation
and, taking big roll Of bills from his
pocket. extended a $50 bill to the doctor.
'and I'll make good"
Doctor Barclay laughingly declined the
According to the doctor. his patient dis
played remarkable nerve in trying to con-
troll his craving for the drug. During that
night night ns twenty-ays hyp9de,rmIic yps,rIn infections
drug had any effect upon him. The repeat
ed injections tired out the nurses and broke
nearly all the needles in the ward.
Secret Poker System.
You're very good to me, DOCTOR" said
Paisley. "and II I can't persuade you to
take money I'll do you q good turn in an
other way. I've got q secret system OF
poker, and as 1t looks as II I'd have to
cash In my checks might as well put you
on to It. It'r net you big money II you
Big BIZ haul az I~h with un nv u meihod's ct "A'e '
Paisley brought out his pack of marked
cards and explained the mysteries Of his
profession. Doctor Barclay said Paisley's
method consisted in controlling the second
card of the deal.
'I have no regular home" said Paisley.
TT has been my custom. on going aboard a
steamer, to make q close inspection of the
passengers. After / sized them I'd decide
upon what was the best line in which to
commence work.
I'D make several casual acquaintarfce9
and propose n game of draw, perhaps. after
opening bottle Of wine. Sometimes I'd
get the steward to have an especially
tempting dish prepared for me. and I'd in
vite chance friend to join me.
II never made more than one or two
games Of poker on a single trip. All this
necessitated. OF course a lot OF tact and
fine Judgment Of human nature. ] rarely
met with rebuffs and few passengers who
dropped their rolls were on to me-"
The gamblers fever steadily increased
and death came Saturday night. When
Paisley died his young wife was kneeling
at his bedside with flowers in her hands.
Paisley was conscious for a few moments
before his death. He recognized and kissed
his wife. saying. RUBY. I've cashed my
last stack"