Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-04-03
OLD RIVER GAMBLERS
How the Cotton Planters Made
the Sharpers Disyorge.
A DRAMATIC GAME or POKER
The Hand That Brought Matters to q
Climax and the Way II Was pIayee
to Finish on a Floating Gambling
Palace on the White River.


Climax and the Way II Was PLAYED
to Finish on a Floating Gambling
Palace on the White River.
In the palmy days OF steamboatins
tnere were some palatial gambling
houses which were run on houseboats
They piled the inland streams. stop
ping for days and weeks at points
where the territory was promising ano
good play could be had, moving OIL
when the territory was cleaned out nnd
oil OF the pigeons plucked"
An interesting story was told by o
veteran river captain OF an incident
happening to floating gambling house
that was accustomed to travel up anc
down White river in Arkansas and
fleece the opulent planters ana river
men by methods that were not at al
In keeping with the rules OF the game
The incident In question occurred al
Indian Bay, Ark, thea Il prosperous
village. At that time Indian Bay was
thriving metropolis. where all of Ia,
river packets landed To receive anc
discharge freiS... and passengers anC
where the planters OF the fertile White
river bottom lands came To buy theii
supplies and receive their mail. II be
Ing the only postoflice In Il large terri
tory.
The houseboat, which was fitted vi
i'll palatial style. with gambling rooms
after the most approved fashion an6
u bar that would compare favorably
III the magnihcence o. its mahogany
fixtures with those OF the best city no
tells OF the same period. was owned anc
run by two brothers
1t was the days OF freeze out poker
when stakes were as high as one cared
TO play and where one player could
take the pot without IA show down If
he only had sufficient coin to lay more
upon the table than his opponents
could muster. The brothers scornec
the customary house men that gam
bling places employ and participated
themselves In all OF the games thai
were started. AS rule, they played
game ostensibly fair. but IL wa,
whispered about that they were NOR,
deft with the cards than was accredit
cd TO them by their victims. for they
always won.
With persons OF consequence they
were careful OF their play and TO nj
appearances held strictly within the
letter OF the code which gamblers wer,
supposed to observe But with thos,
OF lesser Importance they were not Sc
particular. and they rcsorted to any
means TO part the unwary from hii
cash. IL was n well known fact tina
the game never ran too high for their
and rumor had IL that there was Il for
tune In the big safe of the private OF
flee OF the brothers which opened OF,
the bar
There was n lanky Arkansas planter
or uncertain ancestry who lived neal
Indian Bay. and this particular fall Inc
harvested and sold n large cotton crop
realizing therefrom some $4,000. which
he, rs was then the custom. brough'
back from New Orleans. where he mar
keted his cotton. in cash. He was one
OF the regular victims OF the brothers
OF the magnificent gambling houseboa'
and had contributed many dollars be
fore this 10 the pile OF coins stored
away I'm the big safe.
Straightway upon his return 10 the
bay he sought out the light fingered
gentry Of the housebOat and. with q
few neighboring planters To fill out
started big poker game. which wancd
and waxed and grew apace through
several days and nights. throughout all
OF which time the lanky planter saw
his cotton money dwindle away I'm n
steady stream across the table 10 the
opulent pile OF chips before the broth
ers. SO steadily did he lose that his
suspicious became aroused. and on the
evening of the last day which the boat
was TO remain at the bay, for the
brothers had announced the time OF
their departure. lie sat in the game
fully satisfied that he was dealing with
card sharks, and his mind made up tc
secure square deal at any cost
The grand coup OF the houseboat
brothers was 10 bide their time until n
victim had secured an invincible hand
doubtless Of their own fixing, and Their
after lul,nG him on Icy tantalizing bets
and raises To place upon the table ev
cry cent lie possessed. 10 raise him
further, bringing out sackful of
gold from the ineXhauStible supply of
the safe for that purpose 1t had been
good season for the planters, excel
lent crops and high prices for cotton
giving To all ample funds, and the
brothers had reaped n rich harvest. Al
Indian Bay alone they had cleaned up
something over $4,000. On this last
night of their stay they expected to
gather in the small leavings which had
thus far escaped them. Two big games
were going, each seven handed, all OF
the losing planters having fiocked in
for last attempt to recoup their
losses.
The lanky planter WAS the heaviest
loser in the neighborhood, and he had
posted his companions Of his suspt
cions and cautioned them to watch
carefully the play of the brothers. one
b OF whom presided ut either table He
had planned his espionage with ex.
ceeding care and had given explicit in.
structions to his friends to watch mere
ly and say nothing, whatever they
might discover. until he gave an agreed
signal
Steadily the luck ran against hir.
until along toward I O'Clock in thl
morning he picked up hand contain.
Ing four nces-as the game was ther
played hand that could not be beaten.
He opened the pot with a good stiff
bet, which was promDtly seen nv tho