Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-19
LITTLE PETE, GAMBLER


years q Chinaman is going into
the horse-racing business on a
| large scale out on the coast this coming
| winter racing season." said a Californian
who runs number Of thoroughbreds at
the San Francisco tracks. 1.-THE new
Chinaman in the game is Sam wung, a
wealthy Chinese merchant of San Francis
co. During the past summer he has been
engaged in picking up a fine string Of the
best aged horses and coming two-year-
olds In California. He has got hold OF an
Al trainer. has engaged stable room at
all Of the main tracks around San Fran
CISCO and Is going into the game for
keeps. It's cinch. OF course. that he'll
be bettor on a high-notch plan. for all
Chinese that I've ever met up with are
natural-born gamblers. It isn't likely that
| he'll lose out, either, even though the
horse-ractng game Is one that takes
most of the shrewdest Caucasians that 70
into 1t. In the old days there were plenty
| OF Cinnamon frivoling around with the
ponies on the California tracks and I
never saw one Of them that didn't do we'll
at 1t. They seem to have an instinct for
the game, and they pay we'll for informa-
ton. They appeared to know just when
| away out In front in their horse gambling
operations. OF course you've heard of
Little Pete. the famous Chinese horse
gambler OF California who met a violent
death In Hfghbinders' war a few years
ago. In the days of the old Bay district
| track Little Pete was perhaps the heaviest
plunger on the whole coast. He used to
pay vast sums to owners and trainers for
exclusive information, and when he prom
ised these people to get bets down for
fhav luyoV IN hat hnba
them In at the top price and that he'd al
ways come through for their bit.
Little Pete's methods were distinctly
Chinese in many respects. however, and
his vengeance upon those who double
crossed him was quick and stern. On one
occasion that l remember Little Pete was
the Patsie for a leak. An owner visited
him at his home in Chinatown one even
ing to put him next to something Little
Pete lived in magnificent style in China
town, with more than forty Chinese serv-
ants to walt upon him and his wives He
was at dinner when this owner called
upon him, with couple of his wives at
table and about a dozen of his Chink
house servants Sinking around. When
the HORSEPOWER was announced Little Pete
dismissed his wives from the dining room
and all of the servants except the man
who waited at his own plate. Then when
the horseman was ushered in Little Pete
invited him to eat. and they went ahead
with the meal in silence for bit When
the owner was ready to tell Little Pete
about the thing he was expecting to put
over at the Bay district track on the next
day. he gave the noted Chinese gambler
significant glance and then motioned his
hand in the direction of the Chinese serv-
ant standing back Of Little Pete's chair
All right said Little Pete compre-
bending. He no English. Go ahead
80 the owner unfolded his little MARIA
tive about the horse in his barn that had
been coming to hand and showing aston
ishing speed. There would be big price.
Little Pete was the first to be told about
it, and he would be the only one. 1t was
up to him.
"'An right said Little Pete I'll take,
and that settled It,
When the books made the prices the
following day that horse opened at so to
l. and Little Pete's ring commissioners
better when all of a sudden the Bay dis
trict chalkers began to cut the price to
ribbons. A raft Of coolie Cinnamon were
swarming about the ring slapping their IS
and $40 gold discs on the good thing, and
the layers didn't know but that 1t was
one of Little Pete's notorious good things.
1t was, too, Of course, but Little Pete
wasn't getting any Of it. 1t was his first
back-cap. and he couldn't understand 1t.
Inside of five minutes the price was down
to to l. and the bookies weren't stretch
ing out their hands for much Of that. At
post time Little Pete went out into the
paddock and found the owner who was
wholly unconscious Of what was passing in
the ring. Little Pete didn't say a word to
the owner, but peered keenly into his eyes
for fully two minutes while the owner
wondered what was coming off.
Not your fault said Little Pete then.
You all right. You get yours and he
turned and walked away.
Little Petes betting men didn't gamble
dollar on the good thing that had been
given exclusively to him. The slaughter
Of the price kept them off. The horse
won in a common gallop. The coolies who
had taken the top price put big dent in
the ohalkers. The owner called upon Lit
tie Pete that night at his home.
a. l no bet a dollar. explained Little
Pete, quietly But here is yours and he
handed the owner check for $4,000. The
owner Of course. bucked about that. Lit
tie Pete explained what had happened in
the ring.
but how did it get OUT? Inquired the
owner. You know blamed we'll that I
didn't smear it, and
my waiter-the one here last night
no come back today Little Pete explain
ed quietly. He must have learned Eng
lish words. Never mind. I fix
1.-The owner understood then. He was
willing to take his share of the loss. and
protested that he didn't want Little Petes
the Chinaman's cool statement that II he
didn't take it he need never approach him
again on any kind Of transaction. That's
the kind of sense of fairness and justice
that Chinaman had.
well, about four days later 1t was
stated in the San Francisco newspapers
that a young Chinaman had been found,
exceedingly dead, with about forty coils of
very fine piano wire tightly encircling his
neck It was stated, in addition, that this
young Chinaman had been in the employ.
as house servant Of Little Pete for
time, but that he had become dissipated,
etc, etc.
"A year or SO after Little Pete's time
there was another high-hitching China
man on the San Francisco tracks called
Gay Moy, and Gay Moy had several little
ways of his own of reaching point. One
night Gay Moy called upon an eastern
owner who was new to the California
tracks and the ways of Cinnamon. The
eastern owner had horse entered at the
Tanforan track on the following day.
When the Chinaman was ushered into the
owners rooms at the Palace Hotel the
owner recognized him as Gay Moy. but he
didn't display any cordially. He didn't
like Cinnamon. Gay Moy produced from
a pocket a beautiful carved ivory casket
and endeavored to hand 1t to the east
erner, who brushed it back with:
"'Heap fine Looks good. But what's
the answer?
Cay Moy wasn't embarrassed. He pro-
ceeded to open the lid of the ivory casket
and to take another ivory casket of ex
actIy the same sort Of carving, but small
err, from it, Then he took out three more