The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-06-26
RIVER GAMBLERS WERE BAFFLED
Dealt Wrong, Tried to Steal a Card and
the Resulting Fuss Reunited Two
Old Friends

met on board the boat at Dubuque
and whatever, check Il ggs had put
on himself between New Orleans and
the Iowa town was either thrown K
the winds Or forgotten ia the excite
ment Of mceting Hamilton and know
ing he would We passenger tor the
remainder OF the voyage
That evenings he played cards with
the two gamblera tie met with nc
losses, in fact, was allowed to win
/ little, ana the next night he was
/ again successful Ham ltcn, though
aware that Riggs was in danger, for
bore speaking TO him until the lasi
night before the boat reached St Paul
Early that evening, seeing another
game about to commence, he spoke rC
| Riggs, telling him lie knew the char
acter of his newly found associates
and advised him to refrain from furth-
er play Tie interference OF Hami
ton angered Riggs and he made his
way to the upper deck A large num-
5cr Of watermelons helped to make MP
the cargo on board and shortly after
Riggs reached the deck he was iolnc1
/ by the two gamblers, who suggeste
thaqit would be a good thing to enjay
the novelty Of eating a melon On deck
before supper A waiter was called
1 4 table provided, and the melon cut
and eaten, Riggs absent-mindedly lay
ing his fork on q vacant chair be Idle
him The boat was barely moving ar
stream, and there was scarcely a1
enough stirring 10 disturb thistIt
that was waited from the shore to the
vessel A suggestion was made that
little game be played where the mep
, sat. There was no object n. and the
. cards were sent for 1t is needless
10 recount the varied success met wit
by any OF the players, but the time
& had come for the gamblers to secure
{ their booty or miss it altogether One
of r ggs opponents had the deal, and
when Riggs glanced at his cards he
j, saw three kings.
r There was spirited betting before
the draw between Riag and the mar
: Fho did { deal and when Riggs tool
8 two cares the fun value Of his hand
r he gambler tooh the same number
Il and bet $lGo. Riggs glanced at hi.
l. cards and found he had mawn another
g ling and an ace The dealer had mad,
Il mistake The king fell where +
n vas intended, but the ace should hav,
g gone to his partner The two con
lt pifatcrs discovered The error at once
Il z gss saw ,he 500 bet aud said IA
" would raj i, $500 Just then Hamil
10 ton str He'd by. glanced at the PLAY
~ ers, unseen by Riggs. and passed g.
he The rear of the boat to watch the bar,
lg ly moving wheel as the pilot felt hi
N way over the shadows Riggs lai
e Town his cards and reached his lei
e. hand into his inside coat pocket. hol.
he ing his lapel 81 Chilly open and dror
Ie, ping his eyes TO better enable him {
of select the pocket he was seeking
~. The book containing the money h
re- longing 10 his firm. Requiring a littl
IN more room he shifted his chair slight
" from the table and partly sidewise. a
ne he did so, the gambler who was in n
)u pot tried to steal a card from Rigg
M hand and substitute another VIII
ad traHspired in the next two secons
ed must have been by reflex action
ant Riggs afterward said. because he d
rs not have time To think With his rigi
IDS hand he clntched the fork laying
Las the unoceic u chair. bringing it dow
.en with suce ssenness that it oaug