Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-06-03
BALDWIN
DIDN'T FINCH
Stake on a Turn of the Card Was
Land Worth a Large
Fortune

WASHINGTON. D. c.. June 3-"That
somewhat Psychological story in the re-
cent cable news about the Mississippi
contemporaries who succeeded in bat
ting $325.O00 out Of the Monte Carlo
institution of chance in two weeks play
sounds pretty good, but it seems to me
that it took him long time to get hold
OF a little money like that" remarked
a member of WashingtOn's Oldest In
habitants' association whose only pro-
longed absence from the capital during
sixty years occurred when he joined
the '49ers in California. II once saw
that sprightly young man Lucky Bald
win win 100000 in considerably less
than minute, although there were no
cables or telegraphs at that time to
fash the news of the thing around the
world.
THAT happened one night in Sep
TENDER. 1856. Baldwin owned several
acres OF fine land on the crest of what
is now known as Mob hill in San Fran
CISCO. This property even at that time
on account of it's obvious future value
for high grade residence purposes. was
worth easily 100000.
tom Vanbrugh. the proprietor OF
the Ell Dorado. big San Francisco
gambling club. owned faro banks all
the length Of the slope as far as it was
then settled. in addition to possessing
a big gambling club in the City of Mex
leo, and he was millionaire several
times over. Vanbrugh wanted Lucky
Baldwin's parcel of Mob hill ground
but Baldwin wouldn't even talk about
selling It, Vanbrugh owned whole
block on Lower Market street, on which
Baldwin wanted to build It was worth
about the same amount as Baldwin's
Mob hill ground. Vanbrugh had Of
fered to trade the Market street block
for the piece of Mob hill land, but Bald
win wouldn't listen to him.
That's the way it stood between
Baldwin and Vanbrugh on this night in
September. 1856. when Baldwin strollei
along toward midnight, into the Ell Do
RADIO after having dined pretty cozily
somewhere or other. Vanbrugh was
sitting at a desk in his private room
just of the main faro bank when Bald
win stepped in.
"'Hello. Tom." said Baldwin to VAN
brngh How are you feeling?
"'Still Mob hilly.' replied vanbrugh.
When are you going to transfer the
deed Of that piece Of ground to me.
anyway"
"Tom.' replied Baldwin. Tn getting
tired Of hearing you talk about that
ground. Come out here and get behind
the box and Lucky led the way into
the main faro room. vanbrugh seeing
that there was going to be something
doing Enthusiastically Baldwinesque,
followed him with alacrity.
1.-THE dealer at one of the no-limit
tables was just shuffling the cards for
another boxful.
"Sit down there. Tom. and get busy"
said Baldwin to vanbrugh, pointing to
the dealers chair.
''Vanbrugh motioned to the dealer.
who slid out OF the chair. vanbrugh slid
into it.
If the ace loses. Tom Baldwin said.
without a trace Of excitement, to VAN
brugh. the Mob hill ground is yours.
II the ace wins the Market street block
is mine. How about thatT
"Vanbrugh nodded. He shuffied the
cards. did the unusual courtesy in faro
bank Of passing them over to aliwin
to cut-Lucky could cut twenty-six
cards as well as any veteran faro-bank
dealer-and slid the cards into the box.
with your permission. gentlemen
said Vanbrugh to the other players
around the tables whose play had been
interrupted. and they leaned back in
their chairs to watch the outcome.
Baldwin removed the round topped
Panama from his head. and the cab
bage which he always wore inside of
his hat In hot weather fell to the floor
just as Vanbrugh started to slide the
cards out of the box. Baldwin stopped
to pick up the piece of cabbage leaf and
replace 1t in his hat. Before he stood
up erect again he was the owner Of
Vanbrugh's Market street block. The
ace had come out on the right side for
Baldwin while he was STOPPING over.
y III your name isn't a At. Lucky. I'll
be - was all that vanbrugh said.
and on the following morning he trans
ferred the Market street property to
Baldwin"