The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-08-18
CARRIED HIS PREJUDICE TO THE
CRAVE


'-Tooth-pick Ben" has been mentioned in
this city for ten years. and yet Tooth
pick was a famous visitor during the
cowboy days. He hailed from Texas, was
a gambler and his arrivals were as sud
den as his departures. He was killed
several years ago by Jack Harris, who
was killed by Jack Kelly, who was killed
by Ben Thompson, who was killed by an
unknown. according to the chronology of
Doc" Kessler
It was in % that "TO0th-pick' made
his last visit to Wichita. There was then
a gambling house on the Kansas National
bank corner and .Tooth-pick' went there
TO try his luck. At the end Of the first
sitting he came out $500 to the good. He
had q thorough conception Of the uncer-
families Of gambling. and he wisely con-
cluded TO stake himself to q wardrobe
before the next sitting In Texas at that
time undershirts were not commonly
worn, a least "To0th-pick" never had
indulged in the comfort of one. The per
suasive eloQuence OF clothier and haber-
dasher. Robert Jacks. was too much for
him, however. and when he left the store
It was with a silk undershirt on his back.
In his new toys he returned to the gaming
table and within a few minutes his win
nings were gone. Then is when Tooth
pick" made a dramatic demonstration that
paralyzed the entire concern. He got out
into the middle Of the floor. stripped him
self down to natures undershirt tossed
the silk garment through a window into
Main street, saying a Texas man who
was darn dude enough TO wear an I'M
dershirt ought to lose. Redressing him
self he resumed his seat and within the
next few hours made a net winning OF
81 O00
For several years "Tooth-pick' had am
hition To visit New York and go UP
against the game run by the famous John
Norrisey Now that ne had a reasonably
good stake, he pulled out for Gotham.
where he was received with all the re-
spect and encouragement due a fresh
fish" He had figured it ont that the
principle Of progression could not lose.
and he doubled every bet he lost. Within
two hours he had lost everything.
While wandering through the streets.
not knowing a soul in New York, he ran
across Matt EckenrOad. q famous Texas
gambler TO whom he told his troubles.
Matt gave him a hundred, put him on TO a
place where there was an easy poker
game and then invited him to Delmonico's
for dinner. "Tooth-pick" had one thing
he never lost-an appetite-and as it was
particularly keen that day. he ordered
very literally He almost dropped dead
when he found that the dinner cost Matt
$50. He took his hundred. nit the poker
game and cleaned up 50 500 the first night
Next day he went back to Delmonico's,
pretty wei keyed up and ordered SIS
worth of ham and eggs. After three or
four days he had a roll Of nearly IS 090.
and decided to blow the town. He gave
a dinner to a party OF gamblers at which
funny incident occurred. Delmonico
served coenac with the dinner. and when
''Tooth-pick'' saw one Of his guests pour
some of it in his glass and touch the
burning taper TO it. he cried out in right
eous Indignation:
Look here. my friend, I am willing to
paw for the dinner the drinks and the
cigars. but I'll be d If I propose to pay
for any bonfres
Shortly after this 'Tooth-pick" was kill
ed, and when he was stripped At the IN
dortaker's it was evident that he carried
his prejudice against undershirts to the
grave with him
HOW DOC" APPRAISED THE GODS.
doc" Kessler is none Of your ''new
mon who scorn the innocent supersti-
tions Of the fathers. Last Sunday when
fl rained so hard. n policeman went into
his dispensary TO borrow an umbrella.
Doc" gave it to him, but was sorry he
cid afterwards; for the policeman had no
more Fumption than to open that UNI
hrena in the house. When Doe saw
him commit this ofcnse against the gods
he made frantic sprint for the salt box.
lie poured about a spoonful of the salt
on the floor. set fire to it and in this man
ner appeased the gods the policeman had
anCered
do You set those fits very often?'
Doc" was asked by q reporter for The
Eagle
..Fits? Wen. Won can cali them fits
d You want to. but if I hadn't burned that
salt then and there. trouble would follow
me an day. If ever n man opens an UNI
brella in your house knock him down. IL
he isn't bigger than you or a policeman.
and then burn some salt as quick as YOU
can get at it,.
did You ever hear of me having much
trouble?" Mr.. Kessler asked. OF course
you didn't Why Simply because L trim
my toe nails at midnight every Wednes-
day night as certain as the clock strikes.
That's what keeps devils away from this
boy
i suppose YOU walk around YOU chair.
too when Won want good lucl1?"
YES. and spit on it. You can walk
around Your chair until YOU are as old
rs school ma'am and it won't change
your luck a bit unless you spit on it. The
spit is what does the business.
WESTERN CLIMATE is CHANGING.
while Judse Eric Cole Of Great Bend.
was in the city during the week. ne gave
a reporter for The Eagle some interesting
points about the changing conditions Of
Western Kansas He SAYS that the next
decade win see the wheat belt extended
thirty miles farther west than il now is.
and indicated that the time may come
when the entire short Grass country viii
he "a productive wheat yielding section.
The climate IS changing every year ard
ground thar was practically barren
twenty-five wears aro when Judge Cole
came 10 the state. is now producing good
wheat corn. cane alfalfa and good grass.
This condition he attributes 20 the fact
that moisture is Increasing yearly. Ten
years ago the ground or Western Kansas
was hard from being tramred Tor cen-
turtles bv buffalo herds. and when rains
came the water. instead ~ soakine into
the sod. flowed down into the river and
went 20 the gulf. When the farmer came.
he nlowod the hardened earth and the