The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-06-19
AQUEER POKER GAME
1T WAS PLAYED BY TWO sTocKMEN
IN A DENVER HOTEL.

The Turn That Came When the For
tunes of Both Men Were Piled ON
the TabIe-A side Bet and a 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 it's guests. Numerous stories
are told of the "stih'' 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 a
mining man. The story goes that the
mining man and the banker played IN
til they were "all In" lea Shg 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.
4AC ob0hCc WCAO AuAAAA16 AleAf LAC 0AlC
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 until the pot CON
tanned $1,000 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, "Pll play these"
Then the betting commenced in ear
nest. The player had opened, and he
led of 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
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:
AAShAt IL 9OAA6 ~ OtOJ Will
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 ut was then
4 a. m.) 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. Well 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 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 or
some sort Of compromise proposition
knowing full well that neither could
afford to bank his entire fortune on 6
poker hand, leaving his family desti
tute, but both men were obdurate and
would listen to no proposition to spill
the pot An interested and expectanf
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, specializing upon what would hap
pen when the man who went to lool
up his assets returned While they
were talking he walked in.
"Well, Henry, I'm ready to resume
our little argument" he announced II
a matter Of fact tone. Then the crowt
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, die
either Of the men show signs Of nerv
BUSINESS. The opener had drawn {
check for $4,000 and started to teal
it out of the book when the other mar
said in slow, deliberate voice:
Looks little strong for either OF
US, doesn't it, Henryp
well" rejoined the other man, toy
ing with the check, what would you
consider fair proposition at this stag
Of the gamer
TITS not gambling, know" said thu
other, but If you want to split the po
and
"She's split" calmly announced thu
man who had opened for $500. Tht
currency, gold, checks, mortgage pa
pers and securities were equally divid
ed. Not word was spoken. Silently
the man who opened took up the en-
velopes, tore them open and laid the
two hands on the table, faces down
ward.
"Bet you cigar had you beat" h,
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, "s
thousand dollars that I've still got yor
beat"
The other man peeped at corner Of
his buried card, toyed moment witt
a stack Of currency and showed $f,OO(
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
card was.-Denver Times.