Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-29
By Clarence L. Cullen.

srcciul correspondence OF The star
NEW YORK, September IS, 1907.
fhout three out of five of the two-doilar
his circulating about New York during the
rast wear or so are Corner-clpped. mat IS
Ia say. one two. three or all four corners
Of these two-dollar bills have either been
torn of OF neatly cut off with scissors or
knife Many of these clipped tWos reach
tho s,,brreasury here and 1t is said that
large numbers of them are sent to the
Treasury Department in Washington for
redemption.
II Was discovered some time ago by
some folks who interest themselves In
tracing matters like these that back of the
corncrless two-dollar bills lay curious
superstition Of racing people. 1t was found
that some years ago the New York pikers IN
the racing game developed an antipathy
To- the s. note considering it "unlucky
And so it came to pass that the method
Of these supersttious ones in exercising
the devil Of i'll luck supposed to cling 20
the two-dolIar bill was TO tear or cut off one
or more Of the corners of the bill before put
ting it into play The idea. like all ideas
VIII a superstitious nub, quickly spread.
IT infected the bookmakers, and some Of
the lesser hookmakers who received large
numbers of twu-dol'ar bills in the course OF a
DAYS operations fell into the habit of clip
ping with scissors the corners Of such two
dollar notes as they couldn't unload upon
their players or fellow layers.
Recently it is reported that the distrust
o. the two-dollar note is becoming general
and that the cornerless two-dollar notes are
appearing in many different eastern cities.
(Which shows" observed Abe Du Brave.
the nooklrakcr in talking about the queer
mani sesJation of superstition the other
afternoon how a very little secdlet Will
grow into something that casts a very big
shade ! was present at the birth of that
two-jI!Iar note superstition.
IT was three years ago. AT Gravesend.
Al TIE Gravescud spring meeting there was
a c1tnuy roughncck OF Mulligan waiter
from some Becfsteak Jacks on the Bowery
who urad, all of his little pixies in my end
line burN He never had more than a
Cuui ], O.: bones when lie hit the grounds,
and ar lad these a,,rinos. usually in the
form Of q two-do!lar note.
For nearly the entire meeting l noticed
keeping an eye. as do. upon the way the
tl5u- breaks for my players, whether they
l., r.h,Ts or uot-that this one had TO stand
fr tLr daily uudgc-out with his little two
spot. NoJhine of any moment whatever
vs. rrarsTiriug for him.
He'd make AN ein-bonc bet on the first
time on II, card that he cared for, slip
I.I- ue Ats twu-spot and getting the buck
in change. and then the one he played
wo.'i ruu FOR Brian Boru and the rest Of
the Irish kings. hut not for him. Then he d
T"E- NJ" the other one and stand for the
sar'd-ngt on that. too. This went on. as
] say. Till nigh the end Of the Gravesend
meeting that Year.
Il think ii was on the day before the
w.nd-Ip at Gravesend that this hasher
slowed up with a souse. 1t was long be-
fore II" first race when he lunged around
10 the neighborhood Of my stool His bun
was a good-naturcd one and his talk
amused the crowd. lie had his usual
EumTy two-dollar note In his mitt
i amt never had no luck with these
buns. lie telling the bunch around
him, holding out his two-dolar note. L
haven't got nothin' with one of EN- since the
Big Wind They're kosher kale. and they
run only for them layer people. Two
spots is bookies' cush by rights-that's the
way they run, anyhow for me So I'm
Goin I fix of EN- and see II can't
make him run for me-
Then, to the further amusement of the
bunch listening TO him and watching him.
lie deliberately tore the four corners of
Of the bill, Then he swayed up to my
stOO! and handed me the cornerless two
bucker, naming the 30 to l shot on my
slate that he wanted to play.
What the hull two on that one?' ]
said to him.
The hull two he replied recklessly
It's going to hop for me this time DO
We put the squeedoozle on ii and It's
going to fetch a hull hatful OF its pardners
home
And that's what il did The 90 to
thing trudged home like something walking
In It's sleep.
oh. l guess didn't know il or nothin'
howled the roughneck, tossing his battered
lid into the air. Well ] gotta system nov
all right. It's to take the pizen out O
them two spots. That's what's beer
hangin' the can on me-them Jonahdo<