The Elk Mountain pilot., 1901-02-26
Great Gambling at Helena

~ reckon" said an cid Montana gam
bier that there is no town in the coun-
try where you can get as high a limit in
bucking the tiger as you can right here
In this little spot in the mountains. The
legislature meets here next week. and
that may be the cause Of the abnormal
raise but no matter wha- the cause is,
1 hardly expect to see any one kicking
because he can't bet all he wants to on
the single turn of a card. There is
faro game right here In Helena with
81. 600 limit on singles. and in my career
I've seen no man holler for a bigger
limit. We've run along for years with
limit varying from $3.50 to 500 on cases,
and seemed to satisfy the demand. with
occasional exceptions but 1 understand
there is to be an unprecedentedly heavy
game this winter. and after consulta-
ton we have decided to place the limit at
$1,000 on each of the fifty-two cards in
the deck, and l imagine that win satisfy
'em all.
And the raise of the limit from 800
to $1,000 is not based wholly on senti-
ment, either During the last session OF
the legislature we had a private game
for young man with a $500 limit right
after the grand jury's investigation of the
senatorship contest. and in just fourteen
hours he lost $4,000. or about IS 900 an
hour. which IS, guess, one of the steep
est games ever played in Montana. But
ho came back the next day to show that
he was true blue and won back 100000
tn an even shorter time. This man sent
word over that he would be here again
this winter. and he wanted a 81, 900 limit
this time, and 1t was partly at hi. re-
quest that the limit was raised. but. of
course, the game is open to all, and any
one can have the same privilege.
And not only can the highest lnnst in
the West be secured here. but you can
play In the most magnifcently furnished
gambling house to be found in the coun-
try. have Travelled from coast to coast.
and while some private clubs are more
elaborate, and have costlier paintings. for
q public gambling house the swellest Of
'ern is right here in this town. why. the
lookout has a finer char to recline in
than the cover or of tn state. Yes, I've
played in Congress han at Saratoga, and
dealt in all the Hot Springs resorts, and
know WI ereof I speak
'The Montana anti-gamblng law Yes,
there Is one. and 1t is probably as strict
in Its provisions as any to be found in
the country. But don't you know that old
adage about mining camps and faro
games. that Is. where you find the first
named you Will also find the other? And
faro in Montana all the years since the
first discovery of gold In Alder Gulch In
'63 these men would send man to the
penitentiary for simply lndulging in their
favorite pastlme? Preposterousl There
has not been a conviction under the
law and there never will be. In fact
the law is such n dead letter that it will
probably be repealed this winter"
ANY high rolling lately?' asked ths
reporter
yes we have had a pretty stin play
all the year Swede Sam is 100000 to
the good inside OF sixteen months, which
is not bad record by any means. and
there are several others who have won
and lost fortunes in that time"
But l mean individual plunging" raid
the questioner.
YES had some Of that too A young
fellow came over here from Butte en- n
special train not long ago to clear up
the town after having won n big stake
there. He arrived at about o'clock in
the morning. after most of the sports
had retired He didn't do a thing but
hire some hacks and send for a few
friends with a request that they join
him In game of poker. The game was
for table stakes and between $4,000 and
$4,000 changed hands before 10 o'clock
that morning That is. he carried that
much back to Butte with him, In addition
to the stake he had on arrival. His
train cost him $500. but he could easily
Afford that after winning over $4,000.
Then, again, a Utah mining man lost
500 900 at roulette in one night. after
having been $50 900 to the good at ono
stage of the game. He had a ffty-dolar
limit on numbers. which pay 35 for l.
you know. 80 that when he won he re-
ceived $3.50 In return. Helena (Mont.j
Correspondence New York Sun.