The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-04-01

played hand thai could not be beate.h.
He opened the pot with a sood stfE
bei, which was promptly seen By the
other players until It came the turn OF
the gambler. who saint the planters
right. The gambler So In stack OF
yellow chips. each worth $50. many
inches in height. The planter. OF course.
saw the bet aud raised for all the mon
ey he had before him. All the other
players threw down their cards except
the gambler. who. calling To a negro
porter and Whispering a word IN his
ear sat IN stoiid Indifference until the
porter returned with y heavy stack OF
gold stemcilr,i $1,000. This he prompt
~ showed to the eGAtCr Of the table.
turning with sncering smile To the
planter and requesting linn 10 see the
bet or lose the pot.
This was just the play the planter
had anticipated, tile grand coup which
the brothers had employed with sue
cess nj more than one place along the
river, for such were the rules OF
freezeout poker The lanky planter
reached down into the pocket Of his
coat as IL going after roll OF money.
Instead he gave the prcconcerted sig.
nal and came up With six shooter.
cooked and sighted fairly at the head
of the gambler. AS IL but one mind
controlled their movements. all the
other players except tllc two brothers.
produced in y fash long, hungry look
ing six shooters.
1t was 4 tense moment; mt il son.
seemed TO breathe. The lanky Planter
was the master Of the situation. and
he appreciated the fact. Without nfoS.
Ing from his seat or shiftin. tho aim
of his murdcrouS looking revolver lie
called TO The men at tlie other tlblc.
asking II they had seen anything ques.
! tionablc in the play Two Of thc plant.
ers had seen the brothers slip cards
from the bottom OF the deck. and one,
who had been hlrsily caum!:n. tho deck
OF cards upon The table S;irc tho de.
nolenent ~ ga.aaccruneliy rs II a
tragedy was not in rrog"ssS IN the
room. now announced mt the deck
was short. fonr cards AMI that the four
aces were the missing daca. The
brother at tlrlt tfb'c was searched.
r and the four missing acrs ware found
In a little perlet inside Ills sleeve.
At the other table several crooked
plays had boon detected. \ close cx-
animation II beth dc"ss showed that
they We're S&.hfnlly marked, aud the
fonr aces We're found to lie whit gam.
Dlers technically call "Strippers"
Each OF the planters produced memo.
.randmn books In which had been. kept
careful account Of their losses
throughout their play on the house
boat. Altogether these losses totaled.
$4,000. Leaving the table for mo
mcnt and forcing one Of tho trembling
negro attendants TO open the big safe
at the mnZ2le of his revolver. the
lanky planter returned loaded down
with sacks OF gold aud bundles Of
greenhacks. This array Of wealth he
piled upon the table and. appointing
grim guard for each Of ths gamblers,
carefully sorted ont the money Into
piles of $1,000 each. Then lie made d
reckoning Of each mans losses, and
paid TO each Que The sum his memo
randum book showed.
After distributing to each man what
was due 10 him and carefully counting
ont his own money, something more
than $4,000. he turned IT, the brothers.
now: thoroughly cowcd and trembling,
fearful of summary punishment. and
delivered TO them final message imam
even; cmotionless voice He told them
that lie ueyer repudiaied gambling
dcbt or claimed back his losses when
he Tad been beaten by 4 fair run Of
the cords or the skin Of the PLAYER. hut
that he. aud his friends were not go.
ing to submit quietly to robbery, and
crude robbery at that: TINT they had
taken only what was due to them and
not a dollar more. His peYoration di-
rected the gamhlcrs TO mike them.
selves scarce in that community and
never again 10 show their faces on
White river under penalty of intimacy
/ with.a hempeu rope. Until morning lie
gave them to take away themselves
and their boat
Leaving piles Of gold and bills. the
surplus from tho safe after deducting
| the losses OF himself and friends. scat
tered-ip confusion over the table. the
planter and his companions stalked In
stately dignity from the boat.
Itewas less Than an hour before the
hollseboat cast Off rs. moorfngs and
foated away with tlasaiFrent. negroes
aiding with tic sweeps: That was Tie
last cvet, seen or heard ~ the bgaslt9s
or theiF Eambling houseboat on as ~
the riyersof Arkansas = Kansas Clts
Star. -
Before HE paya Of Envelone.. s.