Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-07-17

MOntana's earIy-day gamblers
were usually just that--gambIers
They did nothing else. They were
not prOspectors, miners or business
men, They made their living by
gambling. Their profits came from
the miners, the prospectors, the
business men and ranchers who
gambIed for pleasure. The profess
siOnal gamblers were a cautious lot
for the most part. II Was the men
who gambIed for fun who used to
make the biggest bets, and many
a neat Awad" was won or lost on
the turn Of q card in those days
when come hard, go easy" was
a truer statement than the "c0me
easy, go easy" Of tradition.
For the miner and the freighter OF
the prospector certainly earned his
money, and when he lost it bucking
the tiger he went back to get more In
the same hard way. But to the men
who are credited with having made
the biggest bets the most regularly in
Montana's old gambling days, it really
was come easy" for they we're VIII
and Charley Clark, sons of the late
Senator W. A. Clark, multimillio naire
Heinze, who cut a Swath across the
skies of the financial world in this
state more than 40 years ago.
The Clark boys each had an income
Of thousands, and they would bet 1t
in breathleSS gobS as casually as the
ordinary man today would place bet
of 50 on horse race. At the Oakland
and Tanforan race tracks on the coast,
Charley Clark thought nothing of plac-
ing 81 900 on a single race. viii Clark
and Heinze were equally free with
hot. lrr
spent the money entertaining their
friends, and if they lost, they simply
forgot it.
Biggest Splurge
One of viii Clark's biggest gambling
SplurgeS in Butte occurred in the fall
of 1900. A beautiful and charming
woman acted as his mascot when he
started in to recoup a $4,000 loss he
had made at the roulette wheel in
Swede Sam Wallin's gambling parlors
in the Butte hotel She was Mrs.
Thompson, wife of Colonel Thompson,
manager of the Boston Lyric Opera Co.,
and she brought him luck. Colonel
and Mrs. Thompson we're staying in
Butte at the time, the colonel having
taken leave of absence from his oper-
attic connection to manage the senior
Clark's campaign for United States
senator.
There had been some big games go
ing on for several days. Upon the night
in question VIII Clark had reserved
Swede Sans place for his own friends.
After he had lost $4,000 at roulette,
he insisted that Colonel Thompson,
who was with him, send for his wife.
Mrs. Thompson consented to join
the party and act as VIII Clark's mas
cot. Within an hour he won back all
he had lost. Clark was so elated at
the turn In his gaming fortunes that
he ordered champagne supper for Is
at one of the Butte cafes The wine
served cost $11 a bottle, and the meal
itself, which was served at midnight,
cost Clark $500. It lasted until $50
o'clock in the morning, when the party
again adjourned to the roulette wheel,
where Clark won $500 before he
turned in He also insisted that Mrs.
place few bets, and she
won $500.
In the earlier part Of the same eve
ming, both Charley Clark and Heinze
had played at Swede Sans place. Play
ing faro, Clark and HeinZe each bet
81 400 on the five card in the same
deal, and each won $4,000. Later
Charley wagered $500 that he could
.all the turn. He selected the jack and
he eight spot and they came as called,
him $4,000.
Winnings Large
Heinze that night cashed in 1000
md Charley Clark S. 100, the house
winning $4,000 from other players as
/ partial offset to the loss. Charley
Clark one night in Swede Sans place
placed 81 600 on a single number at the