The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-08-10
AQUEER POKER GAME
n WAS PLAYED sY TWO sTockMEE
M DENVER HOTEL

That Waa Not shows 70 he hoaF@'
The old st. james hotel IN Denver
was one OF the landmarks Of the city
for over a quarter o. a century. and
many famous sporting men were
among It's guests. Numerous stories
are told OF the estlns' poker gahaes that
used to be played there in the late
eighties and early nlneties Of the last
century.
A game was played one night b.
tween two stockmen. banker and .
mining man. The story gees that the
mining man and the banker played IN
III they were "all ii" leaving the two
stockmen TO battle It cut Il came up
to the consolation" jack pot. and tisoss
who had fingered TO see the finish were
not disappointed when they expected
something spectacular to take place.
me stakes were running high. the ante
being $500. with no betting limit. One
OF the stockmen opened for $4,000 and
was promptly raised before the draw
Then there followed series Of raises
and counter raises n.l.ll the pot con.
tained sl1.000 before cards wers
drawn.
"Gf me that one" blandly announe
ed the man who had "seen" the last
raise. The dealer slipped one card
across the table. laid the deck down.
rellglted his neglected cigar and said
unconcernedly. I'm play these"
Then the betting commenced In ear
nest. The player had opened. and be
led Of with $500 as q ''feeler." The
dealer raised Ike amount and ths
other fellow followed suit II was
plain that one or the other OF the men
was going 10 lose his fortune. Checks
were written. torn up and made out
for larger amounts. and finally mort
gage papers on real estate ard cattle
were passed Into the pot. Finally one
man said 10 the other:
Say. Henry. I'm golEy to stay with
you until everything I've got. right
down 10 the clothes on my back. IL rep
resented on the table. Now. I'm IN
doubt a. 10 some OF my property hold
ings. 20 IN make you propositioll
Give me until tonight Qt was fhel
IA. M 30 end out just where | stand
and well play the hand out. Meantime
LET u seal up my hand In one envelope,
yours In another and the deadwood In
Efill another Wen leave the three err
Telopes IN the ONCE safe. to be deliver.
"a % 10th OF us together"
The other plnyer agreed, and en-.
velopes and sealing wax were sent for.
The hands and remaining cards IN tina
deck were duly sealed and deposited
as per Arrangement
Meantime friends Of the two players
endeavored TO get the men together on
some sort Of compromise proposition.
knowing FUN wen that neither could
AFFORD 70 bank his entire fortune on .
poker band. leaving bis family desti
fute. but both men were obdurato and
would listen to no proposition to split
ghe pot. An interested aud cxpectanl
group gathered IN the lobby about 8
o'clock IN the evening, among them BE-
ing the man who had opened the pot
They talked together IN a friendly man
ner. Specializing upon what would hap
pen when The man who went TO look
uD his assets returned While they
were talking he walked IN.
~Wen, Henry. I'm ready to resume
our little argument" be announced In
. matter OF fact tone Then the crowd
repaired 20 the room where the game
had been played. The man announced
that he bad $4,000 to play back"
Securities and certified checks repre-
aenting this amount were piled on the
table Then. and not until then. dld
either OF the men show signs Of nerv-
ousness. The opener had drawn a
check for $4,000 and started to tear
Il out OF the book when the other man
said In a slow. deliberate voIce:
"Iooks a little strong for either Of
us. doesn't Il. Henryf"
well" rejolned the other man. toy
inr ulth the check. what would you
consider . fair proposition at this stage
of tfe gamer
tffs not gambling. ! know" said the
other. "buf n ycu want to split the pot
and
~she's split" calmly announced the
man who had opened for $500. The
currency. gold. checks. mortgage pa
pors aud securities were equally dlvid-
Cd. Net a word was spoken. silently
the man who opened took up the en-
volspes. tore them open and laid the
two hands on the table faces down.
ward.
~Bet you . cigar I had you beat" be
banfered.
"You'rs called said the ether. turn
ing over four cards. Jacks and nixesI
The opener also turned over four cards
Thsy we're Jacks and skies.
~rll bet you said the dealer. =
thousand cellars that I've still goi you
beat"
The other man peoped At corner 81
hls buried card. toyed q moment with
Z stack OF currency and showed $1,000
70 the center. Then. without waiting
for fho man he had called 70 nhow hls