Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-05-02

We. the Preacher. the Old Doctor. the
Editor. the Circus Man. the Race Track
Official and nyself-were lounging IN the
grounds Of the Del Monte hotel comparing
our. Impressions OF the gambling hels Of
Monterey. IA htch We had visited that even
Spg and The Preacher had Just concluded
his Say which vas OF course highly and
Justly ,oondemnatory Of all gamblers and
gambling methods, when the Old Doctor
asked
Has aay one Of you gentlemen ever
known or heard Of Dave Mortimer, the
tfiHee-card monte and thimble-rig gambler
who Travelled with the smaller circuses Of
this country for years.:
Here sits one who knew him like a
book. replied the Circus Man He fol-
lowed cur show for several seasons All
what he didn't know about piscatorisl
science as applied to catching human suck
ere wasn't worth knowing
''Daze Mortimer queried the Race
Track Official IN a musing tone Why.
that fellow used 10 butt in at our fairs
and light harness race meets, which OF
course NE had fixed for our own benefit
and we wondered why II was that ne
always won his bets on a whipped-in win.
sner until an investigation proved that the
driver Of our sure thing that burned Up
O. rlnneS was on Dawes payroll. Then
We tied the tin can TO him good and hard,
and one Gay when he was trying TO filter
on 10 the track through the fence a swipe
gave hi-a the cold steel in his feed box
that kil.sf him.
s''wer., {. said The Old Doctor. L was pres
ent al that mans birth and death HIS
family history is as clear a proof OF the
trans mission OF mental qualities from par
Ent 70 offspring as / have ever met In a
medical practice Of almost half a century
and il is only one az many cases coming
.uRder my observation that compel me to
. wei as condemn such men We
x 10 the rahbe this evening Yes !
knsS ussaAs-s Mortimer all through his life.
and X you rare 70 know why I believe
ninety-nine cut OF every hundred gamblers
must by force Of birth be just what they
are / win give you brief history OF his
family up 20 four weeks ago
We ut oar cigars and listened 70 The
Ola DoctoTs story:
Dave MortneF's father. the son Of an
English crook of wide reputation, was a
noted gambler who Travelled our own west
srn country during the times when it was
nectssary 90 know all about the game In
order 10 break even lie had been taught
20 believe and was firm in the belief that
the weird owed him a GOOD living. lie
was ABSOLUTELY fearless loved the game
reyelisd in the excitement attsndi2g #
and Up 40 the time when he IVES shot 20
death III Texas. in 1884 by greaser who
caught him IN the act Of cheating ~ cards
Be gould rather win 10 cents on sure
az, : any time than SIT down to meal
LIS wife. Dawes mother, was the dAugh-
tsr 81 Jimmie Clark. inshis day recognized
"a one, - the most successful crooks who
ever piled his vocation or the passenger
boats ~ the Ohio and Mississippi In ;hs
ssriy dsyE Anyone VINO had any doubt
about Der ability AZ cards would soon have
ust douht disbsllsd II he rat in game
with her. she was a very sble assistant
e. her husband and her gsmeness can per
, hRps be best illustrated by the fact that
when ] attended her A. the time 81 Dawes
t.rth Ehe wanted 20 bet me Sos that this
babN Mould be q BOY
Both Dawes parents were proud % The
prDfsssion they has hem born into A.
thelr time ana talent va devoted 20 the
game and JhsiF only prayer was that their
child might be able 70 make MS money IN
the same manner and ~ easily az they
made thsirst
nheir prayer zAE answered. for. lust q,
descendant Of @smbrrc CHEF takes 70
irottinE 40 Dave GqruIner took 20 gam.
bling and mis- parents ws-s proud u him
Il ~ the time be was y years ola ne rsa
in&sr thsir tuition. maEisFss a. ths trick.
~ the dios. the tftrble. ths loop the strar
20 ths cArs = ~ the age q u he Uas our
isE himseit tAiriy launched In the g4a'