The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-01
MINE HIGH
IN AGAINST TEN HIGH.
Shocking Biedfing When Senator
Matt and Senator Zcb Split
the Jack Pot.

-
WASHINGTON, June so.-aThe most shook-
ing, not to say soandalous, instance OF
poker bluflng between gentlemen in high
station that l ever saw occurred In a game
here in 1885," said a former Representative
In Congress from the South, who makes his
residence In Washington. The queer part
Of " was that that fool, grimadng imp
that tempts the most cautious and con-
sentative poker players to try the blufing
business at certain weak moments Of their
lives sprang upon and vanquished both
Of these gentlemen that I'm speaking about
at the same time.
TThs two were Senators Zeb Vance and
Matt Ransom, both OF North Carolina.
There wasn't much money involved, but,
being earnest and thorough men, they
both handled their. shameless bluff as II
lands the size Of a Texas county were at
stake. And they split about even in the
matter Of nerve.
"Four OF us, the Two North Carolina
Senators, Representative Mansir OF Mis-
souri, and myself, the only survivor Of the
group, used to get together at our respeo-
dive houses on Saturday nights for the little
game Of 81 limit, which was occasionally
stretched to 81 limit II a working majority
Of us felt fiush-none Of us was rich or even
especially well to do.
"The rugged Mansir wal the lucky mar
Of our party, and he contrived to make
the pace, pretty comfortably in the lead
about all the time. I came next in the
matter Of luck, just about holding my
own in the game and maybe a little more.
Senator Zeb Vance played a steady. but
uniformly unfortunate game, never getting
his head high enough above water to give
him a breathing spell. The out and out
Jonah Of the game was the oourtly Matt
Ransom, one Of the most naturally amiable
and perfect hammered men I ever knew.
Some men who trail In a poker game,
sitting after sitting, month in and month out,
let the thing get on their nerves n become
peevish about It, but the ALMOST weirdiy
persistent bad luck Of Senator Ransom
at our little game vas only a joke with him.
Mansir got to be ashamed to win all the time,
and I used to feel some mean myself when
Mansir and I would be sort Of heading a lit
tie parade Of our own. away out In front.
with the two Senators tagging In the rear,
and poor Ransom getting hammered every
time he thought he had something that would
~ q 0L1oio bliAl W dPPiy " LLoiiOe w Ao
colleague and friend, Senator Vance.
Just for the FUN OF seeing these two
accomplished men OF the old regime fight
out their little battles between themselves
Mansir and I would often toss our cards
when We were pretty sure we we're at least
as wen of with something to draw to as
either Of the two Senators. On these
occasions Vance and Ransom would play
their hands for all they we're worth, with
mighty little bluf1ng, but even when Ransom
didn't ~overappraise his hand, as he some
times did, it almost always fell out>that
Vance had him on the hip.
This Saturday fell three days before the
close Of a short session and 1t was to be our
last game for the season. In celebration
of this fact we made it 81 limit from the be-
ginning Of the game.
AMansir. a poor man, with nothing but his
salary, felt 30 mortified over the fact that
he was some $500 to the good on the season
In our little game that he Immediately be-
gan to bluff like a Chinese mess cook. For
every time he bluffed he got away with II,
and he couldn't lose.
This wouldn't nave been SO bad, but the
blufing bug, which is both infectious and
contagious, 1 am told by experts, seized all
the rest Of us. Tried it as soon as l began to
suspect that Mansir was winning more than
the strength Of his hands warranted, but,
becoming the immediate recipient Of bumps,
quickly piped down on the blufing business
and played my cards as they looked.
Not 40 Senators Zeb and Matt. The
bluffing bee gripped them for keeps, and
they were pa rticularl industrious in whang-
l-v N Uo ~ NJ an oh Nfhar with h1,,6a uhnn
Mansir and I had dropped out.
sThe luck, as usual, was with Vance in
these little side battles with his colleague.
Neither Of them, however. got on to it that
the other was bluffing almost throughout
the evening.
we always stopped the game couple Of
minutes before midnight In pa rticular defer
ence to Senator Matt, who was a man Of
strong religious feeling and, therefore.
averse to violating the Sabbath in any way.
We began the last round Of jackpots at 11:4o,
figuring on five minutes for each jackpot
with leisurely playing.
we made quick work Of the first three Of
the last round of pots on this closing night
OF the game, and it lacked about thirteen
minutes of midnight when the final jackpot
hand was dealt by Vance. / was under the
guns with nothing but the makings of a low
straight open at both ends, and Ransom,
who was next, passed.
"Mansir cracked it for 50. Vance, looking
extremely owish, boosted it 81, and I stayed
on the chance of mailing something to my
two ended straight. Ransom muttered,
as II to himself, that he had at least "a worth
Of cards, and sta yed along.
"Mansir drew three to his pair Of jacks.
Vance said that a couple d do for him. I
got a dead n to my straightand quit right
there. Ransom observed hat one, prefer
ably pink, would suffice for him.
"Mansir, who hadn't caught anything TO
his pair Of opening jacks, bet 81.
Boys said Senator Vance, who hadn't