The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1901-05-10

Fate of a Crooked Gambler in the /
Early Jays GU the Missouri.
There used to be place on the river |
north Of here that was called Cat Isl /
and" said Billy Afford to a ST. Joseph |
News man the other day. He was an |
oId-time engineer, and many years ago
was familiar with every nile Of the
Missouri River He was assured that
an island bearing the same name was
still in existence. 1T may be the same
place and it may not" said Afford
The river is so treacherous that it
may have washed that island away and
formed ano1=Tf one in its place since l
knew anything about it. There was
big tree-5h the island as 1 remember
it. anu we used it once to hang the
rankest gambler on the river. We toll
Grated that man three seasons, because
the river men did not want to resort to
violence. AT first he seemed to be
square. but we began to hear whispers
about him. 1t was in IS that he heeced
a young fellow out of S5,OO0-just a
plain case Of robbery. He had let the
young fellow win just to get him inter
ested, and then aimed to rake in the
whole thing. Somehow the young fell
low got hold of the wrong cards when
there was $4,000 in the pot. The youth
reached for all the money on the board,
but the gambler made a grab for it and
took all his hand would hold. Stutting
it in his pocket as he ran, he jumped
overheard and made for the shore. BY
the time we realized what was going on
he was far astern, but the captain sent
boat after him, loaded with armed
men. They had to shoot him and break
his arm before he would stop. That
was near the place known as Cat Isl
and. and we headed the Henrietta
that was the name of the bOat-for the
shore. The mate and a dozen men did
the Job. and the inexperienced young
man from the East got his money back.
The Young man left the boat at Omaha
and came back down the river ahead Of
lis. When we returned the body of the
gambler was still hanging to the tree.
The other young man who had been
heeced came to st. Joseph and com
mitted suicide on account Of remorse.
His body and money were sent back to
his father, and l heard afterward that
the old man said the boy was worth
more dead than he was alive. He said
the youth had left home with $40 and
new suit of clothes. 1t seemed that be
knew the cards himself and that he had
got the best Of the man we hanged in a
a
to feel mighty queer after that when
we passed Cat Island in the-night.
never knew why it was called Cat Isl
. and. but imagined it was given the
name because It was inhabited only by
eats. know l could hear their cries
every time we passed the place aftel
that hanging and it made the cold shiv
ers run down my back. There IS elos'
connection between eats and murders
and ghosts anyway. l have wondered
a thousand times who the man was We
hanged on the island that night with 81
little ceremony. He was not a youn-
man. but he was handsome fellow
and might have had family some
where. l have wondered if some WON
an and little children did not wait year
and years for him to come back, an'
, wonder what had become of him. The.
might have believed him TO be an hon
est man. engaged in a legitimate bus
, ness. and even if they knew he was
gambler they might have loved hin
lust as we'll 1 don't believe the bod,
was ever taken off the island. but
don't really know what became of il
, I never heard anything more about it,
! st. Joseph News.