Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-05-25
AQUEER POKER GAME
IT WAS PLAYED BY TWO STOCkMEN
IN A DENVER HOTEL.

the Tab1e-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 a quarter of century, and
many famous sporting men were
among its guests. Numerous stories
are told of the "stiff" poker games that
used to be played there in the late
eighties and early nineties of the last
century.
A game was played one night be-
tween two stOckmen, banker and
mining man. The story goes that the
mining man and the banker played I'M
til they were call ill.," leaving the two
stockmen to battle it out. 1t 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 stakes were running high, the ante
being $500. with no betting limit. One
of the stockmen opened for $500 and
was promptly raised before the draw.
utH DlcEt lOllONcu d oCl iSo VI ASi7NS
and counter raises until the pot con-
tanned $11,600 before cards were
drawn.
"Gp me that one" blandly announc-
ed 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, III play these
Then the betting commenced in ear
nest The player had opened, and he
led off with $500 as a "feeler." The
dealer raised like amount, and the
other fellow followed suit. 1t was
plain that one or the other of the men
was going to lose his fortune. Checks
We're written. torn up and made out
for larger amounts. and finally mort
gage papers OH real estate and cattle
We're passed into the pot. Finally one
man said to the other:
Say, Henry, I'm going to stay with
you until everything I've got, right
down to the clothes on my back, is rep
resented on the table. Now, I'm in
doubt as to some of my property hold
ings, so I'll make you a proposition.
Give me until tonight Qt was then
4 a. NO. to find out just where / stand
and we'll play the hand out. Meantime
let us seal up my hand in one envelope.
yours In another and the deadwood in
still 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 ell
velopes and sealing wax were sent for.
The hands and remaining cards in the
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 full well that neither could
afford to bank his entire fortune on a
poker hand. leaving his family desti-
tute, but both men were obdurate and
would listen to no proposition to split
the pot An interested and eXpectant
group gathered in the lobby about g
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
up his assets returned. While they
were talking he walked in.
"Well, Henry, I'm ready to resume
our little argument" he announced In
a matter of fact tone. Then the crowd
repaired to the room where the game
had been played. The man announced
that he had $4,000 to "play back"
Securities and certified checks repre-
senting this amount were piled on the
table. Then, and not until then did
- e,I,0 s,f-x
BUSINESS. The opener had drawn a
check for $4,000 and started to tear
it out of the book when the other man
said in slow. deliberate voice:
'Looks a little strong for either of
us, doesn't 1t. Henry?''
"Well," rejoined the other man, toy
ing with the check, what would you
consider fair proposition at this stage
of the game?'
ITS not gambling, 1 know" said the
other but if you want to split the pot
and
'She's split" calmly announced the
man who had opened for $4,000. The
currency, gold. checks. mortgage pa
pers and securities We're equally divid-
ed. Not a word was spoken. Silently
tHe Iudu WIN OpeDtu LUX up tuc cli-
velopes, tore them open and laid the
two hands on the table, faces down
ward
BET you a cigar I had you beat" he
bantered.
you're called" said the other, turn
ing over four cards, jacks and skies.
The opener also turned over four cards.
They were jacks and skies.
''I'll bet you," said the dealer 50
thousand dollars that I've still got you
beat"
The other man peeped at a corner of
his buried card. toyed a moment with
a stack of currency and showed $1,000
to the center. Then, without waiting
for the man he had called to show his
hole card, he turned up a four spot.
The dealer looked at 1t, smiled, touch
ed the bell and put his hand in the
deck. He never told what the other