Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1917-08-08
What a arson
Did
BY FRANK ELLIS

What change half century has
made in methods Of travel! In 1850
to reach New York from Cincinnati,
then the Queen City of the West, one
might go a part Of the way by steam
boat, another by stagecoach and the
balance by canal. In such conveyances
people were thrown together intimate
~, and lifelong friendships were often
made. The passenger canalboat was
the first to pass out of use, and there
are few living who remember it as a
method Of travel.
1t was in 1S45 that one of these pas
senger canalbOats was being dragged
along by horse on the towpath.
There were no staterooms, only berths
something like those in a modern
sleeping car. Between these was the
cabin, where the passengers lounged
during the day and evening" At that
time the professional gambler worked
in the narrow channels OF the period.
He was on the steamboat, but did not
disdain the canalboat. On this canal
boat q portion of the bow had been
curtained OF, and in it were card ia
bles. At one of these tables sat pro-
fessi0nal gambler fleeing q youngster
Of twenty.
That youngster was my uncle, and
got the story l am about to tell from
him.
He had been deputed to carry some
5000 from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg
How the gambler knew that be had
the money with him he did not learn.
Ny uncle played with the sharper till
he had lost all the money that had
been given him for his expenses, then
began to play with his trust fund. He
quit at II o'clock at night. having lost
half Of the $1,000.
The next morning was Sunday. A
service was held in the cabin, conduct
ed by clergyman slightly past middle
age. My uncle was much impressed
with his appearance. and the fervor
with which he spoke. His accent was
that Of southerner. My uncle said
that the clergyman attacked gambling,
telling a number Of interesting, many
OF them pathetic, Incidents, In which
some foolish person had been robbed
Of all he possessed. In these stories the
speaker showed an intimate knowledge
of all forms of swindling at cards. He
was looking straight at my uncle while
he talked and seemed to be speaking
to him personally. Then my uncle re-
membered that while playing with the
gambler he had seen the clergyman
standing among those overlooking the
game.
The next morning, my uncle was
eager to renew the play, hoping to
win back what he had lost. He argued
that to lose any part of the fund with
which he had been Entrusted would
ruin him the same as II he lost the
whole. Therefore that afternoon he
proposed to the gambler that they 60
/. to their curtained space for more play
The gambler, who knew well enough
that the youngster would be after him.
assented, and they were soon at play.
Or course my uncle lost steadily. His
last thousand dollars was slowly melt
Ing away when whOt'sh0uld walk in
but the clergyman. He stood locking
at the game for awhile, then said to
my uncle: boy. you can't play with
this man. He's a professional gambler
and is playing with marked cards."
Picking up one of the cards lying on
the table face down, the speaker, rub
bling his thumb on it, said, 1.-THE king
Of clubs" Then. turning it over, his
prophecy proved correct. In the same
way he told the value of other cards.
They were all provided with minute
points that could be felt. but not easily