The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-02-07
A FAMOUS CANISTER,
Amazing Skill of Captain John
Scott at Whist. II.
HIS RAPID ROAD TO WEALTH.
The Winnings of the "Gentleman Gam
bier" at Whites, In London, In the
Eighteenth Century Exceeded $5,000,-
0OO-Fox's Reckless Play,

Eighteenth Century Exceeded $5,0OO,-
000-Fox's Reckless Play.
OF all the gentlemen gamblers at the
close of the eighteenth century in Eng
land single one is noted for the i'm
mensity and the regularity of his win
nings. This was John Scott, who, be-
ginning as penniless captain, wound
up his career as millionaire general.
On the subject of the campaigns he
conducted history is silent, but con-
temporary London was full of talk Of
his marvellous luck with dice and cards,
and the marital misfortunes of his later
life gave more material for the gossips.
Writing to Richard Bentley from Ar
lington street on Feb. Is, 1855, Horace
Walpole says: .-
"The great event is the catastrophe
Of Sir John Bland, who has firted
away his whole fortune at hazard. He
t'other night lost in reckless play an
immense sum to a Captain Scott, who
at present has nothing but few debts
and his commission
Sir John Bland, to conclude here the
history of that luckless dicer, shot
himself dead, after losing the last Of
his fortune, in Kippax park.
Captain John Scott was of that
branch Of the numerous Scott family
Of which Sir Walter was member,
and his ancestor in the thirteenth cen
tury was that famous chemist, Michael
Scott, who won the name Of wizard. A
later Scott distinguished himself in the
time of Charles II. by marrying, when
he was himself only fourteen years
old, a lady who was three years his
junior. The bride was Mary, countess
Of Buccleuch, in her own right the
richest heiress in Scotland. The mar
riage was secret one, and none of the
friends and few Of her family were in
formed Of it until the day after. The
youthful bridegroom did not profit
greatly by this match, for his bride died
at thirteen. Her sister Anne, who sue
ceeded to her titles and estates, made
a marriage with the pet son of Charles
H., Monmouth, and had a numerous
family.
1t was sixty years later, or about 1850,
that young Scott, son Of the laird of
SCOTS Tarvet, entered King Georges
army. Two years later he was in Lon
don and in the midst of the most reck-
less set of spendthrifts, rakes and
gamesters that English society has ever
known. Sir John Bland was only one
Of a thousand rich young Englishmen
who threw away fortunes over the
gaming table at Whites. The one his
toric loser of that era was Charles
James Fox, Pitts rival. Fox gambled
away, all told, no less than $4,000, OOp
Scott was the very antipodes of Fox.
When he died, at ripe old age, he left
fortune as great as that with which
Fox had begun, and every penny of it
had been won at the gaming table.
Fox was a ripe scholar. Scott was al
most illiterate. Fox said that losing
was the next greatest pleasure to win
ming. Scott never lost or SO rarely that
it did not affect the serenity of his ca
reer as a winner. Fox would go home
in the morning after a night in which
ne had gambled away 10000 or &C.,
700 and Immediately lose himself in a
study OF Sophocles or Eschylus. Scott,
like the sensible fellow he was, would
button his coat over the portemonnaie
in which he carried away winnings of
an equal or even greater amount and
Immediately go to bed so as to be fresh
for play in the evening.
When Scott found himself in London
and amid the wild young men of his
era, he determined that gaming was
his only chance Of getting money.
When he engaged himself to throw a
series OF mains with Sir John Bland.
ne had' as Horace Walpole puts it,
nothing but few debts and his COM
mission" His shrewdness taught him
tnat there was nothing in dicing, at
Which stupid man has as good a
>cnance as bright one, and SO he
speedily gave up hazard and applied
himself to whist, at which game for
tune fights on the side of the skillful
player. Never in the history of play
did men gamble for such high stakes
as Scott and his victims did at Whites
between 1853 and 1880. SCOTS system
was an exceedingly simple one. He
gave himself the best Of it in every
possible way. He never went to the
gaming table unless his head and his
stomach were in the very best order.
He never lost his composure or his
good nature for an instant. He PLAYED
perfectly fair and honorable game,
and at first he made it rule never to
play for more than a fixed sum, which
he could afford to lose. He won 80
steadily that it wasn't long before he
was prepared to risk any sum which
even the wealthiest or the most reck-
less Of his adversaries would venture
to propose.
A story which illustrates capitally
SCOTS patience in the face of hard
luck has been preserved. One night
While he was at the card table news
was brought to him that his wife, the
hrst Mrs. Scott, had given birth to a
girl. -.