The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-22
ROSSLYN STRIPPED AT POKER
ny 4 PARCEL or HANDBAG TRAT.
ELLERS on THE ETRURIA.
Cost Him ~ $50 TO Sit In the smoking
Room Game With Trio. One Of Whom
lie Identifies a. boo Owen" Of the
Rosucs' Gaiiery-One Arrest At Pier

He Identifies 80 ''DOc Owen Of the
Rogucs' Gallery-One Arrest NJ Pier.
The Earl OF Rosslyn. the actor, arrived
yesterday from Liverpool aboard the
Cunarder Etruria, poorer by $3.50 than
when he boarded the liner at Liverpool.
The motto of his house Is Fight" and he
had fought. metaphorically. with foes who
posed as well-to-do Americans. playing
poker for the love OF it.
Lord Rosslyn has spent much time In
the United States. chiefly on the stage.
and thought he knew something about
poker; a dangerous habit of mind II no
didn't. But even now. he believes he can
play the national game. unless against
international gamblers.
He discovered three such skilful persons,
he thinks. after he had played for all sorts
Of stakes from Queenstown to Sandy Hook.
The discovery was gradual. in fact, 1t took
about seven days for the suspicion that he
had been duped by card sharps to find fast
lodgment in his brain.
The passenger list OF the Etruria was
small as happens in winter and there were
few dead game sports in the smoking room
on the stormy days and nights of a pro-
tracted voyage. Among the few were
three young men, one short, smooth-faced
and Of Jewish features. The three always
sat in at poker together. They were afrable
to one another. but, ostensbly. were merely
acquaintance Of the voyage.
They played with Lord Rosslyn. actually
and fieura,ivelv and let him win for several
days. One Of the young men then became
melancholy. He said he was $500 in the
hole" and he didn't think he would be able
to get out unless the limit which had been
only few dollars, were raised as the ship
was nearing port The other Young nen.
after some discreet hesitation, said they
didn't want to rob a stranger, and ii koss-
lyn were agreeable, they had no oh lection
TO taking the limit of and going against
the sky or as high as Rosslyn thought would
be gentlemanly.
Lord Rosslyn, as arbiter Of this elegancy,
! said he was willing, and the game went on,
until he was calling raises Of ESQ and 500.
He did some -histinG' himself ON full
houses, aces on top, which he had been led
| to regard as lead-pipe cinches; but there
werc four Of kind against him, and he
was forced TO give up with sigh that was
audible all over the smoking room.
| ~ me bystandcrs who surmise,d that the
trio were fleeing him mentioned their Sis
| picions after he had got up from the table
| out 81 $50. Then he began to think that
~" really fniRHt rave DeCn UP against trans
atlantic highwaymen.
| But he didn't make any complaint to
the purser. and he might have gone TO his
| hotel without becoming involved in the
! prosecution Of one OF the gamblers II the
Cunard lines. officials here had not
| been warned by the Liverpool office to
| look out for card sharps who had eInbar ked
| on the Etruria at the las, moment OF sailing,
| too late to give the ships officers a chance
| TO find them out.
The moment the gangplank was TrIt up
| here Yesterday the dock superintendent
sent for Detectives Lesson and Moody.
| pier. whore the Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse
had docked. But the sharpers were alert.
| Two OF them. carrying only hand baggage.
got away. "Ie trouble was to get Lord Ross
| Ign TO make COMPLIANT. He said he didn't
want to appear as "welcher' He was
| persuaded to point oN tall. well-built
| man as one Of the men with whom he had
] played. The man admitted that he was
one Of the three, but declared ;ha. he was
an American capitalist" A search Of his
handhaggage and clothing revealed no capi-
tai. He d; scrib,d himself as jerome Mckay.
20 ysars old, Of Harrisburg, Pa. He is not
known there as capitalist His name
Is on tho Etruria's passenger list.
| The detectives arrested Mckay as a
suspicious person. They asked him IL
ne would ike 10 go To Police Headquarters
n a car or cab. He said he preferred n
cab. and with Lord Rosslyn and the de-
tectives he was driven TO Mulberry street.
After opening the cab door the driver
looked expectantly at all hands Lesson
said to Rosslyn: You owe the cabman g.
, fosslyn handed % to the cabman. Then
the four entered headquarters. where
| rChnd lnNkaI v.