The sun., 1909-05-30

committee II he saw anything wrong
anywhere. II he wished to say anything
to his host in private he was to give a
certain signal and an excuse would be
made for him 10 leave the card table for
a time.
After playing at different tables for an
hour or so Mr.. Buskirk gave the sign.
Alone with three members of the commit
tee in another room he rapidly explained
with the assistance of pack Of cards
how DR.. Fox managed to get the small
hearts at the bottom Of the pack and deal
them to himself and suggested that the
same process was probably used in get
ting the jacks into the skat.
Armed with this explanation the mem-
bers Of the committee returned to the
card room and unobtrusively watched
the Doctors dealing. but although they
had just been shown exactly what he did
and the motions had been slowly and
carefully gone through by Mr.. Buskirk
they could not seeeit when the doctor did
the trick. When they mot again in the
committee room later they all agreed
that none Of them had seen anything out
of the way and that Mr.. Buskirk must
be mistaken.
The next day two OF these committee
men made it point to sit at the same
table with the doctor and to play against
him, but although they were morally sure
that they were being cheated and had
been shown just how it was done they
could not see II even when they were
looking right at it.
As one mans word is as good as an
others in such affairs it is always neces-
sary to have more than one accuser. SO
other members Of the club were taken into
the confidence Of thecommittee and finally
one or two were found who had eye sharp
enough to follow the doctors movements.
Accusation. exposure and expulsion from
the club followed.
YOUR RESIGNATION HAS BEEN ACCEPTED"
At one Of the best known card clubs in
this country they do things with neatness
and despatch and no noise. The same
Mr. Buskirk that exposed DR.. Fox observed
that one Of the players in this club always
shuff1ed the pack himself before spreading
! it to cut for partners and deal at bridge,
and that he invariably cut an ace or a
deuce which gave him the continual ad-
vantage of the first deal.
Closer attention disclosed that he shuf-
! fed these small cards within four or Ave
of one end, top or bottom. OF the pack.
80 that he knew that if he drew the fourth
or fifth card when the pack was spread he
would get an ace or a deuce Even il an
other player got a lower card or tied him
he was one OF the partners that had the
first deal.
Other little tricks. such as peepng at
his left hand adversary's cards and mark
ing the ace Of hearts with his thumb nail.
so that he knew to whom he dealt it every
time it was his dealN,were also noted as
his advantages.
The secretary of this club, who is
man of decision and energy. asked only
one question OF Mr., Buskirk: Are you
willing to go before the board Of directors
and say to this mans face that you saw
him do these things?" The answer being
affirmative other members were taken
into confidence. They watched. They
were asked the same question by the
secretary and they answered that they
were willing.
The board OF governors held meeting
and directed the club steward to tell the
suspected gentleman the next time he
rang the bell that his resi- sgnation had
been accepted and to report what he had
to say in reply.
The only reply he made was to look the
steward in the eve for the fraction OF
second and then to turn and walk down
the steps, This man held a Colonel's
rank in the army. had been on the Gov
val uan n
facturer but cheating al cards was In his
blood.
There used to be a little poker party
that met in one OF the uptown hotels every
Monday night in which the stakes were
high enough for a winning or losing Of
S., 900 or So, 900 not to be unusual. One
of the members of this set. which was
made up of rich men and their frieIics.
was too consistent u winner to agree with
the conception of probabilities entertained
by another OF the party, who may be called
Mr. Crosby for short.
Crosby was one Of the best fellows that
ever lived and would not hurt any ones
feelings for the world. neither would he
breathe hint of his misgivings to his
friends. He got hold OF one Of the de-
tectves already referred to and after
dining him gave him 81 900 in cash and
asked him to sit in this poker game and
play along, keeping his eyes open at the
same time.
What happened is not known, although
there are several accounts of the out
come going the rounds, but Crosby never
played in that game again, and although
he absolutely refused to give any reason