The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-12-27
ON THE MISSOURI

In the early navigation Of the Missouri
gambling was almost universal among the
passengers, and many thrilling as we'll as
ia9ghable events were witnessed
Oiu jim sharp was pilot on the
steamer kansas-spelled ''zas''-and he
was not only a persistent gambler but
generally a successful one. His game
was poker. and there was hardly a mig ht.
Wnen off watch, that there was MOI a
set-to IN his room In the Texas. IT
was not sport than the old fellow was
aLter. but the jackpots, large or small
D4Eihs one or MS trips from Weston
60 ST. Louis his winnings were usually
uedNN, and some OF his fellow officers
made up their minds 80 give him a costly
ll not a lasting, lesson. While in port
az 81 Louis they picked up one OF the
most expert poker players who ever
threw a card on the lower Mississippi
river and sent him up the Missouri a few
days ahead with instructions TO board
me Kansas at certain woodward in the
safp OF nayseed. He was furnished
with goOdly roll of money, the inten-
ton being to get him in touch with Sharp
The plan succeeded. The "havseed'' dis
played his money, and ON the very first
night that he boarded the boat Sharp and
he met in the texas" with the result
mat after an an-night game Sharp went
20 the wheel busted" man, even to
The last cent ne had, including his trip
salary.
Tt was said that old sharp never again
sat down TO a poker table.
one Of the games PLAYED at that day
was three-card monte. recently intro
A
thlmble rig. IN which now YOU see the
little joker and now YOU don't" The
game was played openly on the cabin
laDies. and usually a crowd surrounded
the player. there always being two or
more "cappers who were allowed to
win more often than they lost
One day on the Genoa Caotain ThrC ok
morton, young Quaker. fresh from
home en- route to Council Bluffs to take
charge Of school was watching the
dealer throw his cards. The thing looked
SO easy he made up his mind that ir the
Fellow was determined TO lose his money
ne might as well have il as anyone else.
tie, however, had conscientious scruples
against taking money on a sure thing, so
ne took the dealer aside and said to him
III can turn up the right card every time.
DuI do not want to take thy money
without warning thee"
The gambler was willing to take the
risk and the young Quaker, just 10 show
bet and turned the right card. Again and
again ne tried, gradually increasing his
bet, each time winning.
At last he said. My friend. thee seems
determined to make thyseif a suI greater
1901 so between thee and me we viii end
the game. Taking out his wallet he
counted therefrom every cent of money
he possessed sOmething over S4O0-and
laid it on the table. The gambler put mp
an equal amount. threw the cards, in
Nlted the Quaker TO turn and, To- when
ne did so. ii was the wrong card, and the
money went into the gamblers pocket.
The Quaker with rather a CHASTITY smile.
as he turned away, remarked, My friend,
between thee and me, thou arn't such
TOOL as | took thee to be
To the gamblers credit he gave the
young Quaker money enough to carry
him through TO Council Bluffs on the
stage from Weston, and to hold him up
until the receipt OF his first month 5 sal
airy.
A Big Game.
In 1851. on the steamer Ell Paso, was
witnessed one of the most thrilling poker
games ever played on the Missouri. Tire
game started early in the evening ana
reached its elimination after midnight
Four men sat down 10 the game; one
prominent jeweler of St. Joseph, who died
in St. Louis only a few years ago: one q
leading merchant Of Weston. who after
wards occupied a prominent state position
in St. Louis and died I'm St. Joseph about
ten years ago; the third a son Of one IL
the wealthy men of the Platte purchase.
and the fourth the representative of one
Of the heaviest mercantile houses Of st.
Louis.
The bets, to start with, were modest and
the game attracted little attention. In
fact there were other tables in which
the spectators eviuced greater interest.
Gradually. however, the other players
ceased and the passengers gather eu
around this particular table. Hands were
dealt bets made, lost and won; olutts
run, jack-pots taken in, and up to the
very last hand no one of the four men
seemed to have lost or won any very con-