Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-03-24
STORIES OF WoLcoTT.
Late Senator From Colorado Was q
Man of Nerve.

STORIES OF WOlCOTT.
Late Senator From Colorado Was q
Man of Nerve.
The late Edward o. Wolcott, former
senator from Colorado, is said to have
been one Of the coolest Of men when
engaged in a game Of poker. In de-
scribing his play to reporter Of the
Washington Star Albert Watson OF
Denver said:
"The senator once found himself in
game Of poker where three Of the
other players were playing a sure
game They were professionals and
were after big bundle of money VOL
colt had In his possession as well as
looking for that which fifth player,
mining operator named Durkin, was
known to have.
"Wolcott knew in twenty minutes
after the first hand was dealt that the
intention was to rob him and wearied
his wits In trying to find way to get
out of the game without making trou-
BILE, but ne could not do 1t. At last he
was dealt a pat flush Of diamonds,
made up Of the five, seven, eight, nine
and jack. He skinned the cards over
and did a mighty piece Of thinking
He felt in his bones that flush would
be of no account In the world when II
came to a showdown, but he Clipped
in to draw cards.
He pondered a long while between
discarding the five spot or the picture
and at last tossed away the jack and
called for a card. The dealer looked
astonished. at his wanting any, but
gave a card.
"Wolcott picked 1t up and found
that he had got the six spot Of dia-
monds. He never turned hair. The
betting began, and he nursed his Sc
quence along, letting the other fellows
do the raising. At last It got down to
Wolcott and one Of the professionals.
Finally there was a call, and the
other man showed four queens. VOL
colt laid down the five, six, seven
eight, and nine of diamonds and swep,
in the money. The game stopped right
there. I reckon that was the greatest
piece Of luck any man ever had ir
poker.
On one occasion Mr.. Wolcott was or
stagecoach when 1t was held up
by three highwaymen in a western
state, says the Cleveland Plain Dealer
They were armed with Winchesters
and the driver and passengers capitu-
lated at once-all except Wolcott. HI
snatched a revolver from the ground
where one of his frightened fellow
travellers had thrown it, lodged behind
bowlder and drove the gang of af.
ter wounding two out Of the three
There was $7S,700 in the Wells Fargo
safe, and his action saved this as wei
as all the personal valuables OF tht
passengers.
Another time he drove out from Den
yer twelve miles to q ranch where
crazy swede had killed his wife ant
children and held a posse at bay fol
twenty -four hours and captured TIT
man. He rode quietly up to the house
while the Swede kept firing through
window at him, smashed In the doo
with an axe, hit the lunatic over TIT
shins with the same implement ant
then "roped" him while he was help
less with pain. Later he defended th'
same man against a mob who wantet
to lynch him, shielding him with hi
own body and saw him safely LODGED
in jail.
All the while Mr.. Wolcott was
leader In the Republican party In pri
vate life he was John Fox, seeking
excitement and amusement, says tn
New York Evening World. He dit
not gamble for any remunerative gain
but for the pure inspiration Of tn
moment. Before he was elected to tn
senate a story got abroad that he hat
lost $4,000 at a game Of faro. Hi
po .itical advisers besought him t.
deny the story, fearing that 1t Nigh
hurt his prospects,.
He laughed at them and admitted
I publicly that he had lost the money
He explained, however, that he mrs
won II on a horse race and that tn
fun of losing it had not cost him
cent This story was repeated In ev
cry corner of Colorado and instead
losing him any supporters won hin
undying fame as a good sport"
So 1t was all his life. Wherever h
was found good spirits prevailed AM
yellow money poured forth In
princely food. His charities wer
without number and his beneficence a
. times eccentric. On one occasion n
asked a waiter in a restaurant II n
would like to take trip abroad. In
waiter assented with eagerness, an
, the senator from Colorado took hir
in his suite and gave the garcon tn
time Of his life.
, When he left the senate his presenc
was sorely missed. He was the oni
| left handed member, and the Who'll
house would watch him write as n
, turned almost completely around IN ri
chair to give sweep to his left hand.
Mr.. Wolcott was one Of the bes
read men in public life. He was also
, collector Of old books, queer books, GU
rious books, most Of them out Of prir
: and forgotten. How he found time
cultivate his literary taste was anoth
er source OF amazement to his friend