Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

losses and got involved deeper and deep
er. although his influence saved him from
legal prosecution.
He gave up his business. but he couldn't
give up his gambling. Wherever, how
ever, he could raise money he obtained
it and played it over the table. This kind
of life undermined his health. He de-
Veloped tuberculosis.
AS winter came on his doctor told him
that unless he left New York he couldn't
possibly ike to see the spring. At that
time he had no funds. Through some Of
his gambling friends. always liberal, he
managed to scrape up the 500 which he
figured was necessary to take him to
Colorado and keep him until he could get
into some business where he could earn
a living wage al any rate.
Once more in funds. however the sick
man decided to have one more stab at
the game which had ruined him. and he
chose the Bowery poO!rOom. where his
passion fo- gambling had originally been
developed, as the scene of operations.
AS each race came in. his 500 dwindled
The sixth race. upon which he had $50.
was still to come in. NervOusly the sick
man paced the floor. 1t is easy to tel
what he was thinking of. He was bet
ting on the favoiite at ; to ). If his
horse won. he would have $50 left of the
5000. not enough to answer his needs.
but enough as he figured, to give him q
chance at roulette to get his whole 5000
back, and more besides, perhaps.
And if the favorite lost, then he was
absolutely penniiess.
He was not kept long in suspense. The
result came in. and showed that the IA
vOrite had lost! The shock was so great
that the broker had hemorrhage and
died in the poolroom before an ambulance
arrived.
While I was in the West Side JAIL dur
ing the Eosenthal case / encountered
one day the wreck of a man who in
former years had frequently lost S., 600
in single night at roulette. and the next
night had come around with $4,000 more.
This man. now penniess and homeless,
had had himself committed to the island
for six months because he had nowhere
else to put his head at night
This man was Pittsburgh Phil's'' most
famous jockey. who had made dozen
fortunes for his employer and himself by
his clever riding. Gambling got him and
he went out
Terry McGovern. the greatest little
fighter the word ever saw, squandered
over the gaming table most of the enor-
nous fortune he made in the prize ring
For long time Terry was held up by
the managers of other pugilists as an eX-
ample Of what can be done by the fighter
who avoids gambling and the evil asso-
Citations 1t brings with it. Terry never
gambled.
Betting men throughout the country
Wagered more money on Terry's chances
OF winning a contest than on any other
fighter of his day. This confidence i'm him
was created first by the known fact that
he would not <engage in or become Il
party to anything crooked. and. second
because 1t was known that Terry did not
drink or gamble. A fighter free from
those habits was always good betting
proposition, he was always sure to be in
good physical condition.
1 remember when Terry used to visit
the Hesper Club in the days when that
club was not public gambling house.
The gambling then was confined to card
games among the members only. Terry
was member. He would sit around in
terestedly watching the members at play
but always declining invitations to join
in. When o'clock came, Terry was al
ways ready TO start for home.
Among the sporting fraternity. in speak
ing of man who was not a betting man.
an expression commonly heard was: HE
will bet as much as Terry McGovern.''
Finally. Terry began to make small
wagers. as Terry put it. Just to stop
them from kidding me about not having
any sporting blood These wagers soon
increased to ones of larger size.
Great was my surprise when one night
at the HeSper Club l saw Terry playing
stuss. His losses amounted that night to