The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-03-16
SOME BIG PLAYS AT FARO
PLUNGER 100000 AT SITTING

When he drifted into Tonopah the town
was on the boom, and a sit as dealer
in a faro game offered as an opening
to an energetic young man of about
Wingfield's proportions. He was so
successful i'm his operations and so en-
terprising in his manner of extending
trade that il was not long before he
was admitted to a partnership. The
game gathered in the camp gold at an
agreeably rapid gait, and Wingfield,
from a penniless applicant for a job,
was soon able to write his check for
100000. Since then he has been max
ing every post a winning one, forming
d mining partnership with United
States Senator George S. Nixon and
acquiring control of the Mohawk prop
critics and a number of other profit
able Goldfield mines.
While Abe Browns play must stand
as the highest known, there have been
numerous other instances of tOpside
tussles with the bank that are worth
mentioning. John w. Gates, for exam
pie. spent six hours and $4,000 one
night at the United States club in Sara
tOga. when the lid was not nailed down
so tight as has been the rule in the
! last two or three seasons at the Springs.
/ When Mr.. Gates appeared in the gam
( bling rooms he headed at once for his
/ favorite faro table, and allowed he
/ like to take a flier at the tiger on lib
/ eral terms. say. two stacks of chips to
| represent $4,000. This was going a bit
/ too strong for the dealer and the look
I out, and they gave the plunger a smil-
/ ing but firm negative. Mr.. Gates
| couldn't understand how there could
/ be any possible objection to this mild
diversion, and he demanded that the
manager be brought forth. This Off
/ ciaI was no more inclined to the higf
play than had been his subOrdinates
but after a deal of arguing it was final
/ " agreed MI Gates might bet $3.50 anC
$500 on cases and doubles. Gates saic
/ he thought he ought to be allowed a.
least $500 and 81 1000 leeway, but this
was denied, and the financier, grum
bling a bit at what he called niggardll
policy, sat down and began to pick GU
the cards he thought best of.
The first deal brought $500 profit.
to then layer. and this encouraged hin
to try for big sweep. He spread hi
bets all over the layout, playing tops
doubles and cases, but having the wors
of luck in all his selections. By tn
time the deal was nearing the clos
Gates didn't have enough chips II
front of him to carry out his design u
call the turn, and ne had TO buy more
Give me five more stacks. card an'
a long lead pencil" he said. III nav
i to do a little calculating myseH dIte
this"
The next two or three deals brough
little advantage either way, but sooI
! there came a deal that ran for III
bank all the way, and at its clos
Gates found himself $4,000 loser. Thei
: he made another appeal to the mana
! ger. He called for $4,000 worth o
chips and suggested that if the banl
; would double the limit he would Stan'
to lose $50. 900. This time the nous
was willing, and for three hours Their
was mighty brisk playing a the $50
: and 81 900 figures. Gates couldn seer
TO get in any sort of a permanent win
: ming stride, and, besides losing bet
: outright. he was repeatedly outlucke
by splits. 1t Is estimated splits cos
him not less than $500 in the cours
of the play. Gates at one Time wa
!. out $50 900, but he kept al IL, Dettin
the limit all the while. and never los
ing his nerve. Early in the mornin
: he had sawed his losses down to sl0.C0'
= and at this point he quit the house an
rolled home for a sorely needed p.
Part of the Gates bets had 0es Ia
ken by Joe UlIman and Maxey BlumeH
: thai. and they drew down big shar
? of the profits. They felt so good ab.'u
/, the winning that they told Mr.. Gate
next day he could have any sort of re
venge he wanted, with the limit er
!, tireiy cast aside. But Mr.. Gates didn
I accept the challenge
e Senator Timothy D. Sullivan has q
e strong a prediction for the faro ia
h BILE as he has an aversion for the bot
/. tie. He never takes drink and b