Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1913-01-31

OF Ell Paso Cripple Creek Leadville. Gold
field. Butte. the Occur dAlene. and many
other sections. The practice prevailed to
greater less extent in the larger towns
Everybody has money in the early days of an
mining camp "
1t OF speculation The ~
try had not "been proven" and hence
find" In a new section resulted in great
rush to that locality. Property changed
hands at fabulous prices overnight. The
ragged prospector of today might be roll
ing in wealth tomorrow II has happened
many times.
When there is money to throw at the
BIRDS the gamblers like so many vuItures
assemble at the point to which it is being cast
by the thoughtless and improvident possessors.
Games were played where the stakes ran into
the millions. A wealthy In the morning
sometimes had to borrow money TO avoid going
to bed hungry at night
stockman In Colorado sat into" a poker
game in Denver. and by midnight had not only
lost all the cash he had with him. but had
hausted large bank balance.
He owned, ON the range in Colorado, the neu-
trail strip ('No Mans Land" now extreme west
ern Okahoma). and in Texas ten thousand head
OF cattle. worth twenty dollars head, total
OF 100000.
He possessed land in three states and hand
some residence In Denver He made bet OF
a thousand steers-worth twenty thousand dollars
ten thousand head of stock belonged to another
Day dawned and he was still playing
Breakfast WIS sent in from restaurant main
tanned at the end of the gambling hall for just
such people
Now" he said to the men who had won his
cattle. you have the critters, but no place TO
keep them. / will play you my Texas ranch
He lost that Then followed the Colorado
ranch. finally the residence in Denver. together
with the furniture his horses, his watch and
chain. At eight o'clock at night-twenty-four
hours later-ne was penniless, and started for
the Rio Grande country of Texas where he found
employment hauling logs to sawmilI He had
lost more than quarter of million dollars ia
twenty-four hours
"WEIi you oblge me by taking of your shoes?"
asked q road agent politely, while he held a
volver nenacingiy in the face of passenger
who stood up In line with others.
The hold-up man had stopped the stage going
into LeadviIle to collect toll" He had just paT-
chased the road he said. and needed the money
He passed down the line and, by means of
passenger whom he forced into service gathered
Np all the money and jewelry. until he to
khe last man In the line. Then he asked the man
70 take of his shoes He found four thousand
dollars under the inner soles!
Several nights later the man who had been out
witted by the hoid-up sitting in the
dealers chair of faro game in the CLOUD City
as Leadville is called Before him sat a man
In" the money careIessly and with the utmost
concern The player lost something like five
thousand dollars and then pushed back his chair
"Ali in!" asked the gambler. arching his
brows
s'Yep-you've cleaned me out"
saThen we are even for that little incident the
other night, when you collected your road tax
from me-"
g."
~Yes. you'll"
The hold-up man knocked down half dozen
ioiterers in hts rush to reach the door and escape
A weilknown mining man. who was noted for
his Judgment In knowing hole In the ground
when he looked into 1t, had just made purchase
In Cripple Creek. He had money and he was will
ing to spend 1t for anything that looked good.
After having tramped over the hills all of one
day, he "sat into" poker game In the lobby
of the principal hotel that night and engaged in
q friendly game with number of acquantances.
They we're playing for twenty-five cents a cor
ner While the game was in progress ragged
prcspector appeared and attempted to inject him
self into the company. The mining man explain
ed that It was simply private game between
sriends-outsiders. and particularly strangers.
not wanted
4 have money that has been spent"
I'VE don't know you"
"Oh that's It! Then let ms introduce my
SELF
There was no way to get rid OF him appar-
ently. Then. like an inspiration. and In an an
0oyed manner. the operator said
"How much money have your
Eight hundred dollars"
"Slt down. and II show you how 70 play
poker"
In less than fifteen minutes the prospector
withdrew
Shortly after he returned with thousand dol
lars more. This was interesting He lost A.
Then he lost diamond pin. following it with a
watch and his "cayuse"
When he pushed back his chair the operator
asked:
Are you broke now"
4 have claim over on the hill.'s
What do you value II at?'
"One hundred thousand dollars
This staggeree the mining for a moment