Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1908-11-07
AN OLD TIME GAMBLING
EPISODE.
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4
Cincinnati l was delicate. We had
relatives in New Orleans, and at one
time l was sent down there for ny
health. The only route was by the
Ohio and Mississippi rivers, and |
made the trip in one of the big steam
ers of that day. The main feature
that 1 remember was seeing men sit
ting In the cabin playing cards, with
beautifully colored chips. Why they
used the chips l was too young to I'M
derstand. In this connection / also re-
call their leaving the tables occasional
Iy to go to a little box about the size
of punch and Judy" show, placed
forward in the cabin, where they
drank drinks of Ito mel beautiful col
orS.
The Mississippi was one vast gam
bling resort from Cairo to New Or
leans. There were fiatboats fitted up
for the purpose that foated slowly
down the river, tying up at any point
where there were people to be feeced.
and wherever there were planters there
were victims One afternoon one OF
these fatboats descending with the eur.
rent was seen from the shore not far
below Memphis to be turning in tc
shore. The only power aboard was in
the arms of men and a couple of long
sweeps or oars on either side. Those
on the starboard side flashed in the
sunlight, while the tiller oar left a rip
pie astern. The boat In this way was
brought ashore, and hawser was got
out and tied to stump upon the river
bank
That night Julian Maran, young
planter, stepped aboard the boat and,
with one or two of his friends who
were already there, opened the game.
Maran had sold his plantation and ne
groes and was going to Baton Rouge to
marry his sweetheart and take up his
residence there The money he had re
ceived was in bank except Il hundred
dollars, with which he proposed to
amuse himself on the fatboat. He
added considerably to his hundred dOi-
lars during the evening and. being a
chivalrous fellow, considered himself
bound to go back the next day and give
few days the fortune he had in bank
was every cent transferred to the
safe In the natboat.
That was curious age. II there are
chiEalrous professional gamblers now,
we hear nothing Of them. There were
chivalrous gamblers then, and they
made their influence felt. Perhaps it
was because gambling had not then
been left so far behind other means OF
making a living as it is now The
gambling propensity has developed
into more legitimate forms. Be this as
it may, as Maran was parting with the
remnant of his fortune, Gustavus Ster-
ling, q professional gambler, who had
once been a respectable planter, board
ed the fiatboat. He had left ''the pro
fession" and with his winnings had
bought Maran's plantation When Ma
ran had parted with his last dollar,
Sterling walked up on to the river bank
with him.
Permit me to say, suh," he said to
Maran, that l have seen many fools
in my life, and yo' ar one of the big
gest. Even when gambler plays far
the advantage is with him. The men
on this boat are of the lowest kind of
swindlers.'
Maran, maddened, was about to re-
tort angrily, when Sterling pulled a
roll Of bills from his pocket and con-
tinued: ''Yo' go down thai tonight with
this and start in again. Don't play to
win. Play only to be in the game. I'll
be thai, and take hand myself. Have
8 gun in yo' pocket, sub"
Maran tried to express his gratitude,
but Sterling turned away and went to
seek a few Of the formers friends.
That evening Maran, Sterling and two
others whom Sterling had asked to be
present opened the game on the fat
boat The owner Of the outfit and two
assistants were of the party, making
seven IN all. They had played an hour
or more when jackpot was opened,
and the pile on the table grew enor-
mously. Suddenly Sterling clapped one
hand down on the money and whipped
out a gun with the other At the
same moment Maran and his two
friends drew their weapons and Gov
cred the three professionals. The coup
was effected so quickly that not one of
the latter was able to draw.
Put yo' arms on the table," ordered
Sterling, raking off the money into his
hat. Then, setting the hat on chair,
he went to the owner of the boat and
began to search him.
"H-m!" he remarked, drawing sew.
eral aces held by clasp attached to
rubber cord in his sleeve. "A cheap
device, but good enough to fool asses
with" Then, going to the next man,
he took pack of cards from his peck
ct. held them up TO the light and
continued:
Marks big enough to see in the
dark. All the court cards are plain
on the back as on the face"
After going through the, three men
and finding evidence of fraud on all. |
he politely asked the owner for the
key Of the safe. The man, having a
pistol muzzle within few inches of |
his ear, complied. Sterling opened the
safe and counted out an amount equal
to Maran's losses and handed it to |
him. Then he paid what losses the |
others had made from the money in |
the hat. He was himself winner,
and this amount he took from his peck |
ct and tossed it on the table.
When the party left the boat they
cut the cable, and 1t floated down with /
the current. It's profits and losses at
its last landing place had been NIL.
Maran left the next day for Baton
Rouge and was married soon after his
arrival. Had 1t not been for Sterling's
interference ne might have become
professional gambler himself.
GEORGE DISNEY MILLS.