The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-07-25
THE BIGGEST POKER
GAME EVER KNOWN
Memorable Session Between Gates and johnson.
Over 100000 Said to Have Been
in the Pot of Pots.

| ed on the lights over & poker table.
For possibly fifteen or twenty min
utes the game ran on. The hands
| were small and the players wary, as
the words mo limit" had been pro-
nounced. 1t was an even break up
to this juncture.
It was Davy's deal and Gates had
made it $500 to play. One by one the
fnancier picked up his cards without
looking at their faces. He punched
them, with his eyes on Johnson to see
whether or not he intended to play.
The latter, having finished dealing
for the time being, picked up his
hand. After a brief glance at the in
dicators he tossed four blue chips into
the pot. Each chip represented $500,
therefore his action meant that Gates
would have to pay $1,000 to play.
The crowd surrounding the table
edged in closer. 1t began to look as if
there might be little high play after
all.
"Holding pretty good cards, Davy,
amt you?" said Gates. He skinned
his own hand and then counted out
Il3 of the blue chips into the pot.
It'll cost you $4,000 more to draw
to that good hand of yours" he COM
mented.
Already the pot held $4,000 and
the end was not in sight.
The onleokers drew closer. They
all knew the temper of the two play
ers and realized that a battle royal
was imminent.
Davy peered over his glasses at
Gates for an instant and then he turn
ed to his chips. Coolly, without say
ing word, he counted out 25 of the
blue chips and pushed the stack into
the middle of the table. He had seen
the $4,000 raise and had hoisted it
$500 himself
Gates never moved an eyebrow.
With a murmured II know you had
'em, Davy," the financier pushed Is
of the blue chips toward the center
of the table.
Twenty-Five thousand dollars was
in the pot and neither of the men had
drawn cards as yet. The observers
held their breaths. Truly, this was
poker with vengeance.
1.-TWO cards'n do me-" called Gates
as Davy picked up the deckhand.
With nimble fingers the owner of
Roseben slid off the two top cards and
passed them to his friend and oppo-
nent. He then helped himself to two
cards. So far as the onlookers could
see each man must have three of a
kind, for they both knew poker too
well to hold "kickers" or to draw to
three-card flush. Furthermore, bluff
ing would not work, for neither of the
players would lay down his hand
without at least calling the other.
In attempting to get look at the
game one of the attendants inadver-
tently tipped over stool. Alarmed
by the noise, their nerves on edge, the
crowd of observers fairly jumped up;
but the two players never moved a
muscle. They were intent upon the
game.
Gates had no chips left. He rarely
carried money in large amounts. He
felt for his card case and pencil.
Scribbling some figures on card, he
then tossed it into the pot, smiling
meanwhile at Davy. The latter lean
ed over and read the penciled inscrip-
ton. 1t ran according to bystanders
close enough to observe, II. o. u.
$4,000, ]. w. c.
The fnancier had seen Davy's $5,-
600 bet and had gone back at him
with $4,000 raise.
Davy sized up the pot. 1t was a
rare one, representing the tidy little
fortune of $4,000. Slowly and care
fully Davy skinned his cards and then
laid them down. He alone knew what
he held, so carefully did he spread
the pasteboards until the indicators
were barely exposed. In low tone
almost a. whisper, in fact-he
spoke to one of his faro dealers who
stood near by, requesting a slip of
paper and a pencil. His own supply
of chips was exhausted.
Accounts differ as to what Davy
wrote on the slip of paper, but the
consensus of opinion Is that it was
an I. o. U. for the staggering sum Of
s91, 900.
Roseben's owner had not only seen
the Steel and Wire mans $4,000
raise, but had "come back with a
$1,000 raise, probably the greatest
sum of money ever wagered at one