The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-08-04
AQUEER POKER GAME
N WAS PLAYED sY TWO sTocKmEN
M DENVER HOTEL

the rabIe-A side Bet and CARD
That was Not shown TO the board
The old St. James hotel in Denver
was one OF the landmarks Of the city
for over quarter OF a century and
many famous sporting men we're
among its guests. Numerous stories
are told Of the "stIn" poker games that
used to be played there in the late
eighties and early nlneties Of the last
century.
game was played one night BE-
tween two stockmen, a banker and
mining man. The story goes that the
mining man and the banker played IN
I'll they we're .'all in" leaving the two
stockmen to battle It out. Il came up
to the consolation" jack pot, and those
who had fingered to see the finish were
not disappointed when they expected
something spectacular to take place
The stikes we're running high, the ante
being $500, with no betting limit. one
Of the stockmen opened for $500 and
was promptly raised before the draw.
Then there followed series Of raises
and counter raises nudl the pot con
talned S1l 900 before cards were
drawn.
nCr me that one" blandly announc
al the man who had "seen" the last
raise. The dealer slipped one card
across the table, laid the deck down,
relighted his neglected cigar and said
unconcernedly. "Ill play these
Then the betting commenced in ear
nest The player had opened. and ne
led on with $500 as "feeler." The
dealer raised like amount and ths
other fellow followed suit Il was
plain that one or the other OF uie men
was going to lose his fortune. Checks
were written, torn up and made out
for larger amounts, and finally mort
gage papers on real estate and cattle
were passed into the pot, Finally one
man said TO the other:
"say, Henry, I'm golLy TO stay with
ron Until everything I've got, right
down 70 the clothes on my back, is rep
resented on the table. Now, I'm In
doubt as TO some Of my property hold
ings, 30 I'll make you proposition,
Give me until tonight Or was thei
a. nj TO fnd out just where stand
and wen play the hand out. Meantime
I let US seal up my hand in one envelope,
yours IN another and the deadwood In
rflll another Wen leave the three en-
velopes IN the Office safe. to be deliver
ed TO both OF us together"
The other player agreed, and en-.
velopes and scaling wax were sent for
The hands and remaining cards In the
deck were duly scaled and deposited
as per arrangement.
Meantime friends OF the two players
endeayored TO get the men together On
some sort OF compromise proposition
knowing full well that neither could
AFFORD TO bank his entire fortune on .
poker hand. leaving his family dest
tute, but both men were obdurato and
would listen to no proposition to spill
the pot. An interested and expectan'
group gathered In the lobby about
o'clock In the evening, among them be
Ing the man who had opened the pot
They talked together In friendly man
ner. speculatlng upon what would hap
pen when the man who went to lo0l
up his assets returned. While thel
were talking he walked in.
"Well Henry. I'm ready to RESUME
our little argument" he an ounce1 Il
a matter OF fact tone. Then the crow'
repaired to the room where the gam'
had been played. The man announced
that he had $4,000 TO "play back
Securities and certified checks repre-
senflng this amount were piled on tn
table. Then, al I not until then. dil
either OF the men show signs Of nerv
business. The opener had drawn
check for $4,000 and started to tea
II out OF the book when the other maj
said in q slow. deliberate voice:
'Looks a little strong for either 0
Us. doesn't IT, HenryT
Swell" rejolned the other man. toy
ing with the check. "what would 70
consider a fair proposition at this stag
Of the game"
TITS not gambling. know" said th
other. "but II you want to split the %
and
~She's split" calmly announced ID
man who had opened for $500. Tn
currency. gold. checks. mortgage p'
pers and securities were equally divil
cd. Not a word was spoken. Silent
Che man who opened took up the 81
velopos. tore them open and laid u
two hands on the table. faces dow
ward
~Bet you a cigar / had you beat"
bantered.
you're called" said the other, turl
ing over four cards. Jacks and nixe
The opener also turned over four card
They we're jacks and skies.
I'll bet you" said the dealer.
thousand dollars that I've still got n
bat"
The other man pceped at corner
his buried card. t0yed a moment vi
. stack Of currency and showed $40
a the center. Then. without WaitlI