The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-03-27
GAMBLERS

pui him ln rum cure Institution. I,
hadn't. On hir own admission, been
qIiis sober Tor eight years lost $4,000 |
a. the shark In the course of the yoy- |
age
At the beginning of that costly trip
hc met In the smoking room clever.
engaging sor; of chap of thlrty-nvs
or 40 for whom he conceived a great
liking. This fellow pretended to be a
gentleman writer. and said that he
was going out TO Manchuria for the
purpose OF doing some writing for a
magazine. Not only that, but he ex-
hibited come fine-reading credentials. |
which were no doubt forged.
This shark had not made any pre-
yious trip on any OF the boats Of that
line. II afterward came out, however,
that he had been the head clerk Of n
ST. Louis hotel during the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition and that he had
been incontinently fired from that job
owing TO his penchant for seducing
foreign tourists into seances at the
game OF draw.
"One OF the men he fieeced at the
St. Louis hotel. by tine way. was II
wealthy German with title OF no.
bIlity. The German nobleman wrote a
book about the United States when he
returned to his home and some pages
Of the book were devoted to an en-
gaging account OF how he had learned
the American game of poker In st.
Louis. The German, at the time he
wrote the book. did not seem to be
aware that he had been done.
"The dissolute young chap from Los
Angeles and the shark were at cards
the day after they met on the Yoko-
hama bound steamer, and, for half the
trip down to Honolulu the shark was
| content to pose as a heavy loser,
| which, I'm fact, he was. He had con-
descendingly allowed the rapid and be-
| fuddled young man at the other side OF
the table-lt was a two-hand game
throughout-to win thousands from
him during the first three days.
| "As the young Los Angeles chap had
always been a steady and prodlgious
loser at every game Of chance, includ-
ing horse racing. he was naturally
flushed with delight over his winnings,
and those who listened TO 1t told me
that his hraggadocio was something
painful in view of what came later.
on the fourth day out, and day and
a half from Honolulu, he began rapid
ly 10 lose his winnings. Before night
fall that day he was $2S,000 In the hole,
and he was scribbling checks on his
Honolulu banker as IL they were twen-
4 ty-five cent message scraps Of paper.
The crafty shark, feeling that he had
enough for one trip, and perhaps IN
some doubt as 10 whether the checks
were right or>not, advised the Los
Angeles man to abandon the game at
that stage Of 1t.
, "T can't, OF course, quit myself, now
: that I'm into you so deep said the
, shark, but I'd advise you to chuck II
now. / didn't mean To get into this
{ thing 80 heavily--contrary to my Gus
tom. I assure you
"'We'll play on till we fetch Dia-
mond Head doggedly replied the Los
; Angeles youth, referring to the prom
ontory which announces a steamers
, noarness to Honolulu.
"1hen some of the other passengers
| got around the imbecile young chap.
"Are you acquainted with the mar
a you're playing WITH one of them ask
0 ed the Los Angeles victim.
; "INo, I'm not-nelther do / know
4 voui he renIled. don't care a damn
wbetber be,s ali right or not. he can
o NAV any better cards than | can. IL
take 4, kindlv n vou,d mind your ow.
i LJazine business
q "There was nothing Of course TO b.
0 dime with n fellow who talked N thl
fashion. and he was permitted TO g,
Lis wav without any further expostula
tion on the mart of his fellow voyag
ora come of whom solid business me,
y ~ San Francisco had known the youn
= MANS father
:. "rhe vounR man quit the game onl
y v,ban tho steamer hauled into Homo
3 lu,u torhor Ue was then s42. 900 TO IN
% haS
".t,,, sor,v to,ve dug so deem int
~ vo, sata ,ho shart before the deba RI
T. a,io, 60 ,oot, owor Hono,ulu Jf va
~ sav On IN anil, Tho nile with vou'-
u .os nrnhah,v am wonSerIn
who,her ,ha checIs on the Honolulu
~ banE would he oasbable.