Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-06-02
A QUEER POKER GAME
1T WAS PLAYED BY TWO sTockMEN
IN a DENVER HOTEL.

WIS Ollc OI Tie lnnumarES Oh the city
for over quarter Of century, and
many famous sporting men were
among Its guests. Numerous storic
arc told of the "stlnf'' poker games that
used to he played there in The late
eighties and early ninctics of the last
century.
"a game was played one night be.
tween two stockmcn, Il banker and n
mining man. The story goes that the
mining man and the banker played I'M
til they We're "all ill.," leaving the two
stockmcn to. battle 1t out. 1t came M
to the consolation" jack pot. and those
who had fingered to see the finish wcru
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 stockmcn opened for $1,000 ami
was promptly raised before the draw.
Then there followed Il series Of raises
and counter raises until the pot con
tanned Sill 600 before cards were
drawn.
"Gi' me that one" blandly nnuounc
cd the man who had "sccn" the last
rnise. The dealer slipped one card
across the table, laid the deck down
religlltcl his neglected cigar nnd said
unconccrnedly, I'M play these"
Then the betting commenced In ear
nest. The player had opened, and he
led of with S2,5nO MS a ''fcclcr" The
denlcr raised like amount, and the
other fellow followed suit 1t was
plain that one or thcso,licr of the men
was going To- lose his fortune. Checks
were written. torn up and made out
for larger amounts, and finally mort
gngc papers on real estate and cattle
were passed into the pot. Finally one
man Snld To the other:
Say, Henry, lin going TO stay with
YOU until everything I've got. right
down 10 the clothes on my back. is rep.
resented OH the table. Now. I'm in
doubt as To some OF my property hold
liiaS. So I'll make You Il proposition.
Give me until tonight ct was then
4 a. M to find out Just where stand
and we'll play the hand out. Meantime
let MS seal M my hand In one envelope.
yours in another and the dcndwood In
still another. Wen leave tlic three on
rcloprs Ia the office snfe. TO be deliver
ell 10 both of us together"
Tie other player agreed. and en-
vclopcs AMI sealing wax were sent for.
The hands and remaining cards in the
deck were duly scaled and deposited
ns per arrangement.
Meantime friends Of the two players
Il ,.nI - H.
some sort of compromise proposition.
knowing full well that neither could
afford tn hnnk his entire fortune on Il
poker hand. leaving his family dcsti-
tute. but both men We're Ohdnratc and
would listen to no proposition to split
the pot. An Interested and expcctant
group gathered In the lobby about 8
o'clock In the evening among them be-
Ing the man who had opened the pot.
they talked together In friendly man
nor. Specializing upon what would hap
pen when the man who went to look
up his assets returned. While they
werc talking he walked in.
"Wcll. Henry, I'm ready. to resume
our little argument he announced in
matter Of fact tone. Then the crowd
repaired to the room where the game
had been played. The man announced
that he had S23,000 TO "play back"
Securities and certified checks repre-
scntinE this amount were piled on tile
table. Then, and not until then, did
either Of the men show signs of nerv-
BUSINESS. The opener had drawn n
check for $4,000 and started to tenr
1t out of the book when the other man
said in slow, deliberate voice:
Looks little strong for either of
us, doesn't It, Henry?,
We'll" rejoined the other man. toy
ing with the check. what would you
consider fair proposition at this stnge
Of the game"
| TITS not gambling, know" snid the
other, "but II you want to split the pot
| and
shes split" calmly announced the
man who had opened for $4,000. The
currency. gold. checks. mortgage pa
pers and securities were equally divid.
] cd. Not word was spoken. Silently
the man who opened took up the en-.
velopes. tore them open and Ind the
two hands on the table, faces down.
ward.
"Bet you cigar 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.
"Ill bet you," said the dealer, IN
thousand dollars that I've still got you
beat"
The other man peeped at n corner Of
his buried card. toyed n moment with