Year: 1878

1t was during the late months oi
16f9, when professional gamblers were
trumps in every section of the world
/ remember number of them hung
out at the Graham House, and Banked
with Burgoyne.


Among US old froty-niners, playing
on the square was reckoned a cardinal
virtue, and upon my soul | don't see
why it shouldn't be to-day. When
the fifty cent roulette-twirler or thin.
ble-rigger of Pacific street. or little
Sydney. stiffened his neck and shot out
his head as he boasted of playing 'on
the square, you may conceive the al
titude of the sentiments of the
thousand-dollar faro-dealers of the
Parker House or FL Dorado. The
gamblers of forty-nine were power.
They made them selves felt. They pos
essed thesphvsical and financial rower
to say nothing of the six-shooters to
back them up. Remarkable men they
were. the gamblers of forty-nine, as al
most any old Californian will tell you


The incident / am about to relate oc-
cured al the Graham House. An ugly
brute Of the Pike county growth. load
ed down with ounces aud revOlvers
fierce 10 hideousuess, dropped down
for high old time, and thought the
Grshlm House the proper place to be-
gin, when a professional gambler-let
me call him Harper, his temily are still
living. and it isn't necessary to mention
real names suddenly dissented There
were quite number of the brethren
of the green cloth at the Graham
House. aud must say for them they
kept admirable order.


In three months there was not man
killed in the house. The killing was
always done outside, and generally
quitely. Still there were exceptions.
And this was one of them.


I've see a man dragged from his seat
at the Graham House by the hair and
kicked clean out of doors before he had
time to wink, simply because he had
made little motion with a bowie.
knife. Before the brute could make
the lunge, his opponent had him-had
bim like flash of ligbtning-and
when he got through with him he was
go blind with blood and so sick at the
stomach. that he had no heart to cut a
mans throat, much less threaten it,
And the brethren of the green cloth
backed up the enterprising advocate
of law and order, you bet.


The chap that stood up for his own
aud his neighbor's rights on that oc.
casion was one of the quirtest men /
ever met; had little to say. But when
be was i'll action he was like a little
volcano. He was little hell. Jack
Harper had his ideas of honor HIS
word was good for ten thousand dollars
day. He banked at Burgoyne's and.
rs sometimes happens with the smart
est of his class, he would run short.
Upon one occasion-I witnessed the &C
currence-he walked into Burgoyne' 5
and said in commonplace way:


Phil, I'm dead broke; give me a
couple of thousand. I'll hand 1t to
you in day or two.


And he got 1t.


Fancy man trying that on in New
York And what is more. Harper
kept his word. That is what you
might call free banking.


The Pike county brute had vicious
temper and skin full of the worst
whisky the town delt in. His manner
was intolerable. His eyes full of dew
ilment. He sat down beside table,
called for some liquor aud began to
bluster. Harper and two of his friands
were seated near him silently smoking.
To look at them three one would have
thought them strangers to each other.
Perhaps that was what deceived the
Pike county blusterer. He addressed
his remarks to Harper. who paid no at
tention to HIM. He then spoke to a
man named Green. Green sat
like statue. Then the ugly brute
turned to Dan Somers with q taunting
laugh. Dan didn't wink even. Then
the wretch turned to Harper again and
made use of word I'll not repeat here.
And then he did get his answer.


Harper was a psle-looking, slight
built young man. below medium height,
with small hands. silky hair and soft
features. He was very neat in his
dress, and abut the last man in the
world you would pick out for fighting
man. But before the Fike county man
suspected what was coming. Harper
sprang on him like q tiger. aud with a
single blow with his compact fist laid
the beast out on the floor. The beast
was up and ready again. but before he
could make another movement another
shot from the same fist. square between
the eyes. sent him over again. And
that vancouver was repeated until the
spunk of the Pike county man evsp-
GRATED. He suddenly sa. down. wiped
the blood from his face, and concluded
to postpone the ballsncs of the engage
ment until more favorable season.


Harper at that time was interested
in a saloon on Kearny street. There
were several monte-table in the estab-
l,shmeut. aud occasionally Harper dealt
himself Upon the evening of the
same day that he received his punish
ment at Hsrper's hands, his evil
genious led the Pike county blusterer
around 10 Kearny street. Harper was
dealing at one of the tables. The Pike
county man recognized him at glance,
advanced to the table, made u show
ing of his ounces, seated himself aud
called for lay out of the cards.


From the moment he sat down his
manner was offensive. DE insulted
every body who came near him. Then
he became abusive. He directed
several insulting remarks TO the dealer.