The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-04-01
OLD RIVER GAMBLERS
How the Cotton Planters Made
the Sharpers Disgorge.
A DRAMATIC GAME OF POKER.
The Hand That Brought Matters to a
Climax and the Way 1t Was Played
to a Finish on Floating Gambling
Palace on the White River.

Climax and the Way II Was Played
to a Finish on Floating Gambling
Palace on the White River.
In the palmy days Of steamboating
there were some palatial gambling
houses which We're run on houseboats.
They piled the inland streams, stop
ping for days aud weeks at points
whore the territory was promising and
good play could be had, moving on
when the territory was cleaned out aud
all of the pigeons plucked.'
An interesting story was told by a
veteran river captain OF an incident
happening TO floating gambling house
that was accustomed to travels up aud
down White river in Arkansas ana
fleece the opulent planters aud river
men by methods that were not at ali
in keeping with The rules of the game.
The incident. in question occurred at
Indian Bay, Ark, then a prosperous
village. At that time Indian Bay was
a thriving metropolis. where all Of the
river packets landed TO receive and
discharge freight and passengers and
where the planters OF the fertile White
river bottom lands came to buy their
supplies and receive their mail, 1t be-
ing the only postottice in a large terri.
tory
The houSeboat, which was fitted up
in palatial style, with gambling rooms
after the most approved fashion and
a bar that would compare favorably
in the magniticence of it's mahogany
fixtures with those Of the best city ho-
tells of the same period, was owned and
run by two brothers. .
1t was the days OF freeze out. poker.
when stakes We're rs high as one cared
to play and where one player could
take the pot without show. down ii
he only had sufficient coin to lay more
upon the table than his opponents
could muster The brothers scorned
the customary house, men that gam.
bling places employ and participated
themselves in all OF the games that
were started. AS a rule, they played
a game ostensibly fair. but it was
whispered about that they were more
deft with the cards than was accrcdit.
ed to them by their victims, for they
always won.
With persons OF consequence they
were careful or.tlcir pluy aud to al
appearances lrrld strictly within the
letter Of the code which gamblers were
supposed 10 observe. But with those
Of lesser Importance they were not 50
particular. and they reSoited to any
means to part the unwary from his
cash. II was a well known fact that
the game never ran too high for them.
and rumor had it that there was for
tune in the big safe Of tile private Of
fee of the brothers which opened on
the bar.
There was Il lanky Arkansas planter
Of uncertain ancestry who lived ncal
Indian Bay. aud this particular fan he
harvested and sold a large cotton crop
realizing thcrcfrom some $4,000 whi,l
he. as was then The custom, brought
back from New Orleans. where he mar
kcted his cotton. in cash. He was ono
Of the regular victims Of the brothers
Of the magnificent gambling honscboal
and had contributed many dollars he
fore this 10 the nile Of coins stored
away ia the big safe.
Strat%htway upon his return 10 tho
bay he sought out the light fingered
gentry Of the househoat and. with
few ncighbortnE planters 10 fill out
started pig poker game, which waned
and walked aud grew apace through
several DAYS and nights. throughout all
Of which time thc lanky planter saw
his cotton money dwindlc away IN a
steady stream across the table to the
opulent pile of chips before the broth
ers. SO steadily did no lose that his
suspicious became aroused, and OH 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. he sat in the game
fully satisfied that he was dealing with
card sharks, and his mind made up to
secure square deal at any cost.
The grand coup Of the houseboat
brothers was to Bldc their time until
victim had secured an invinciblc baud.
doubtless of their own fixing. Snd then
after Turing him on by tautatiEhlg bets
and raises to place upon the hblc ey-
cry cent he possessed, 10 raise him
further, Dfingfng ont sae4iruE OF
gold from the inexhaustiblc supply -of
the safe for that purpose 1t had been
good season FOR the planters excel
lent crops ana high prices. for cotton
giving to i'll ample. funds, .:ind the
brothers had rcape,l II rich harvest Al.
Indian Bay alone they had clca@cd nj
something over $se.ee0, on this las;
night OF their stay they expected to
gather in the small lcavin=s which had
thus FAR escaped iham. Two biz sa:acr
were going. each seven lmndc!, al o.
the losing rlaSlcrS having Hooked Il
for a las. attempt 10 rccou2 tliei.
losses.
The lanky PLANTER was the heaviest