Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-07-09

cause nothing had happened in the way
of an accident or a disturbance since
we left New York.
HE didn't say anything about it.
That wasn't his way. But he seemed
nervous and walked about more than
usual.
"Soon after we left Vicksburg there
was a poker game started in the sa-
loon, and when had finished my after
dinner cigar I strolled in to look on.
There were three or four others stand
ing around behind the players and one
Of these was Tipstock.
He didn't say anything, but as
came up I saw his eyes cleaning in
a way that showed me he had found
something at last to interest him, so I
knew that the game was unusual in
some way, and I became interesed my
self
"At first saw nothing out Of the or
dinary. Two Of the five players were
evidently professional gamblers. but
that was to be expected.
| "You could tell them by their looks,
and it was q foregone conclusion that
they were playing together with an idea
Of doing up the other three, but as
looked the others over, got the notion
that maybe they wouldn't get all the
money.
lone man was yap from back In
the country somewhere, who looked
and acted as II he wouldn't be safe till
he got back home. A second was big
breezy fellow who might have been a
miner or a cowboy, judging from his
style, but who, as I afterward learned,
kept a store in one Of the river towns
and was on his way to New Orleans to
buy goods.
"The third man was a puzzle. He
looked like an actor, but he had moth
ing whatever to say, and I judged he
wasn't. Tipstock told me later, that
he too, was a professional gambler,
though he wasn't in with the two part
ners.
They were playing table stakes and
had started with hundred apiece, 80
Il was a stiff game from the start. 1t
might have been expected that with
three professionals in the game the
others wouldn't last any time, but the
other two had luck enough to get
few good hands, and as they both play
ed we'll, whether by accident or not,
they were both ahead at the end Of half
an hour, though they had both been
down to the last chip once or twice.
/ 1.-THE two partners started the see
saw two or three times, but didn't
catch slayer either time, and I was
looking for some fancy dealing when
Tipstock spoke up suddenly.
"I wouldn't mind taking a hand II
there Is no objection he said and as
there wasn't any, he bought chips and
sat in. Then I felt certain there'd be
something doing soon.
ut was soon, too, for on about the
third round after Tipstock came in 1t
was the actor-looking chaps deal (they
said his name was Somers), and Tip
/
1T was a Jackpot and it had been
sweetened till there was s42 on the
table, for they were playing flve-dollar
jack-pots and the white chips were
dollar.
"Tipstock sat under the guns, to the
dealers left and passed without looking
at his cards. The countryman sat
next, and he passed and so did the next
man, who was one Of the two partners.
1.-THE storekeeper opened 1t for the
size Of the pot, and the other partner
stayed. Then the dealer looked at his
cards carefully, and after some hesita-
ton came in.
THAT brought 1t to Tipstock again,
and he lifted his cards. stood behind
him, and he held them purposely so
that could see them. They were three
kings and an ace and trey, but to
my surprise he only glanced at them
carelessly and threw them down. 1 no
ticed though, that he didn't throw them
on the discard pile, but squarely IN
front Of himself.
"The opener took one card, the next
man three, and the dealer two. Then
the next man dropped and Somers
raised 1t $40.
1T was a curious sort Of bet consid-
ering the size Of the pot and 1t puzzled
the storekeeper for fair, but finally he
called it, showing down queens up with
an ace on the side. Somers showed
three tens and took the pot.
"Then Tipstock turned his own hand
over, and said with drawl; l knew
enough to stay out that time
1T was a most surprising thing to
say, for, of course, his three kings
made the best hand showing. They all
looked at him and the storekeeper said
in sort Of bewildered way.
"Why, man you'd have won the
pot
But Tipstock grinned.
"'Oh, no, 1 wouldn't he said. I'd
have made an ace full, and the dealer
would have caught his fourth ten
And he grabbed up the deck and show
ed that the next card that would have
been dealt was ten-spot
LAS he did it, Somers drew gun
and fired point blank at his face across
the table, but quick as he was Tip
stock was quicker. Ducking his head
like a flash, he lodged the bullet, and
reaching out with both his long arms
he grabbed Somerss right wrist with
his left hand and his throat with his
right.