The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-26
POKER SWINDLER'S VICTIM
 HIMSELF PROVES SHARPER

the Pittsburg young man was going to do about it. And. when 1t comes to that, suppose that no man on earth could have figured out in advance just what the Pittsburg man did do near the close of the third day of the game, when he found himself nearly 5000 to the bad.
 Tt took the PittsDurger these three day to reach the conclusion that the man who had organized the game was the swlndler agalnst whom the placarded warning oi the purser had been directed. Then the Pittsburg man watched the sharper's work closely. lie finally snagged him in the act of dishing 'em out from the bottom of the deck.
 But the Pittsburger didn't say any thing about his discovery. When the game adjourned for luncheon, however, he got hold of one of the discarded decks with which they had been playing. The cards all came from the shlp's stock, and all had the same kind of backs.
 ''The Pttsburg man went to his state room and with his fingernail he carefully marked all of the tees and picture cards of the discarded deck. Then he slipped the deck of cards into his pocket and went to luncheon.
 When the game was resumed after the meal the Pittsburg man waited till it be- came his turn to deal. He engaged the other players in conversation with regard to the betting pools on the steamers daily runs, and while this talk was on he deftly substituted the deck which he had marked for the deck with which they had been playing, shuffling and dealing the marked deck.
 Then, when he picked up the deck to deal cards after the discard he began to scrutinze the backs of the cards care fully, and as he did so, he worked him self up into pretty good father. The swindier and the other two players watched him narrowly.
 This game is off!' shouted the Pitts burg man. pushing back his chair and jumping to his feet. These cards are marked and he tossed the cards into the middle of the table. backs up, and pointed out the ;ingernail markings which he him self had made. We've been played for suckers, he went on, stormily, addressing the other two players, and there's the swindler!
 finger with which he pointed. It was short-barreled bulldog gun that he flashed as he accused the professional shark.
 You shell out the three thousand that you've tapped me for, you short-carder. or I'll drill you the Plttsburg man howled at the shark, sticking the gun right into the mans face
 The gun wins, all right said the shark. pretty pale, and he pulled out his big roll and skinned three thousands from it, pushing the money across the table to the Pittsburg man, who still held him under the gun. But, all the same went on the shark, you're a dirty scut. and you're worse than l ever was or ever will be- You know that I didn't mark those cards.
 And it was right at this point that the Pittsburger made his mistake He could have stood pat on his statement and got away with it. puI he was shifty shuffler without much nerve or pride. and he did the other thing.
 Yes, he said. lowering his gun and sticking the money that had been passed to him by the shark into his pocket, I do know that you didn't mark those cards-I marked them myself But l do know that you're a professional short-card player and when l stack up against that kind it's case of dog-eat-dog with me. I ad- wise you two fellows he wound up, ad dressing the other two players, as he started to leave the card room. to make this swindler dig up what he has cheated you out of, too
 Well, he's welcome to what he got out of me, one of the players replied pretty gruff, and, in my opinion, it's a stand-off between the pair of you
 And that's how 1t came about that the Pittsburger was coupled in the bet ting so to speak. with the card shark for the remainder of the voyage and ostraczed by all hands just as plainly as the genuine short-card swindler was"