The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-20
HIGH aIT N THE SOUTH.
A POKER PLAYER
$4,000
BIG GAMING At CHARLESTON
Before the War Thousands Were Ret
on Horses Followed by Other
Thousands On Cards -
Strangers Winnings

High play was sometimes INDUCED in
by the rich Southern planters who owned
barrels of money before the war" said
a former officer in the Confederate Army
to the Charleston Is. c. correspondent Of
the New York Sun. THE desire to
plunge on the horses and the cards was
strongest during the meetings of the
South Carolina Jockey Club, when thou
sands of dollars We're placed en- the run
ming Of an animal This club fiourished
To- more than one hundred years, but
now the Washington course where the
races were run is being dismantIed To
get a Site for an exposition. These meet
ings, which lasted for a week, brought
together the best horsemen from three
states, and there was no limit to the
pacing of their money. One feature diff
lerent from the tracks Of this day was
the absence Of the bookmaker, but this
ala not mean that money was not bet
Inc rlch Southern sports made bets
among themselves, and some of those
line horses made and lost fortunes when
ever they crossed the wire
The races, however, only served TO
%het the sporting appetite, for it was
IN the private club rooms at night tina
the greater part Of the Southern money
changed hands. Poker games were play
saw big sums Of money swept away
without so much as moving an eyeIash.
II was when these wealthy planters got
around the tables with the rare cd
Madeira flowing bountifuly, that they
were seized with the plunging fever
Everything was on the square and none
but gentleman was allowed to play.
Betore the jockey clubs decline the pro
,Iesslonal element got foOthold at the
track, but few of the blue-bIooded South
erners ventured in the rooms which were
set aside fer the games. The Sport
however, was unconttned, and the track
followers and the younger element pour
ed their money on the tables, While
rev more fortunate carried bags of it
away. The roulette wheel was the ia
Vorfte form of gambling in these rooms
and l have seen tremendous sums go
from the banker to the player and from
the player to the banker.
A story which I shall never forget was
told OF young man, a stranger in this
city who had heard Of the great sport at
the Washington track, and came down
here one winter to try his luck. The
chap was not well acquainted with the
horses, and more than half his bets were
placed on the wrong animal. But what
he lost on the running he got back at
the wheel, and when he had gone away
the men in the gambling room said he
had cleaned them up for the round sum
OF $4,000. There was good playing that
week. however and the bankers managed
to keep ahead of the game. When the
season closed the visitor told his friends
that he would return the next year, and
the gamblers waited for him, but he did
not come. But there were other people
who went against that wheel and lost
sums equally large. True, they we're
wealthy and able to stand the loss.
Men who stood highest in the fashion
able world of the time, and the same
men who would stake $4,000 on the run
ming of a favorite animal, would never
go inside the gambling rooms at the
track At night they would drop in the
quiet places ana shuttle the cards with
great skill and gain, and they'd toss up
a coin for 81 GOO, but they wouldn't risk
dime in the gaming room. Their ideas
were that such places were not for gen
tlemen, and they stayed away. Private
bets were made on the grandstand, and in
the fields by these gentlemen who re-
fused to enter the rooms.
THE meeting OF the Jockey club was al
ways held in February, and the event
closed with q grand ball in the city,
where the cream of society was present.
e was at the ball dinners that so much
of the fine old wine, worth its weight in
gold now was served: but the grand ball
was of minor Importance 70 the planters
with sporting blood, who sat with bags Of
FOLD at their elbow while they cautiously
picked up the cards and sent the gold to
the middle Of the table, according to their
idea of the value of the hands The most
noted game played during race week, /
suppose, was that in which a planter lost
$4,000 in one night, $4,000 u which was
swept away on one deal through an error
A small party were in q private club one
night late in the week, and thew had
been playing for high stakes, which was
the rule whenever these men got to-
gether They had been reckless in the
betting, but they were rich, and the loss
OF few thousands made no difference
70 theIn. There was man IN Washing
con who used TO live in this state, and
VINO always came back to Charleston for
inc races and the sport He was in the
party that night. Pattson's only weak
spot was his eYcsight one Of his ewes
having been injured in fox chase. This
night the game had been romping along
With luck varying from one side of the
table to another, and the players made
the time pass pleasantly with the free
use OF the fne Madeira.
''1'o the best oE my recollection ti,a,,o
IVES one JACKPOT which had been flied
In until 1t was enormously wealthy. ana
of course the players were all anxious
to set it. This made them put up good
sums 70 meet the money showed iu by
the opener. ard Pattison was particular
IL anxious 10 win il as ne had been play
Ing far bchjnG the others. Efe came in
after tire pot had reen opened and addeJ
o raise which lifted ;he hair on the head
Of two OF the players. but they stuck
with him and tpe chips made q big sum
Tor the man Who was to he the winner.
t'attson was we'll fixed to stay in, as he
had Three tens to start with. Tens wcro
his favorites, and he said to himself That
ne would get another as ne hal rover
failed to draw the fourth. He kent or
raising because he felt that his other
zen would surely como We'll. VIXEN Il
came TO the draw Fattiscn &c .wl,af
taany other poker p!ayers would no: do
10y drawing two cards, instead of taking
one and running blum. Hs knew h.s
Elen. however, and knew mat arcSacr