Year: 1866

A Good . Draw


On Saturday night last, our usually quiet
town was the scene of one of those startling
episodes which were formerly of such fire.
quent occurrence in the mining camps of Cal
lfdrnia; but of latter years, owing to the fact
that the morals of the inhabitants have i'm
improved, and society has become more set
tied, circumstances similar to the one we now
relate have been very rare indeed. About
nine O'Clock on Saturday evening. mild,
lnoifens.ve looking gentleman, a stranger, en-.
tered one of the many saloons witt. which our
town abounds. A number of games of vari.
Gus Kinds were progressing at the time. and
IN common with several other gentlemen. the
stranger was apparently an attentive obser-
yer OF them AT length he modestlv hinted
lhat poker game would not be disagreeable
10 MIN. NOW there are great many things
person might search for long time in Mo
heiuhhe Hill, and then be unsuccessful; but
poker games do not belong to that category.
we have been a resident of this town for
some Tune, and have yet the first man to see
who could not be accommodated in that re.
sspect any day of the week, or hour of the day
his wishes became apparent. In accordance
with this time honored custom. no sooner had
the stranger expressed himself as being desi-
rous OF lndulging in that fascinating pastime.
than three handed game of quarter ante
and push the buck, was made up. Fortune.
the tickle jade, smiled in her usual coouet
tlsh manner. first on one then on the other.
AT one time the stranger had nearly all the
money but finally his luck changed, and in
short time he lost his winning Is and fortv
dollars besides. He bore it, however. with
apparent equanimity, conducting himself and
losing his money Ikea gentleman. He anted
his last quarter, and as the cards were being
dealt, with the utmost sang .fioid reached
over, took couple of twenties which were
lying on the table. before the person who was
the principal winner in the game, and hold
ing them admirngly between his fingers,
smilingly remarked. You are winner to
considerable amount, sir 9 Yes" return.
ed the individual ad lressed, 81 have been
very fortunate this evening"" Instead of re
turning the money to the owner, as quick as
flash OF lightning. he put it into his pocket,
and at the same time drew a six-shooter ;
cooked it, and leveled it at the head of the
horror stricken hombre from whom he had
taken the money, and walked rapidly out of
the saloon. AT the time this happened quite
number of persons were in the room. who,
previous to this grand coup de main, had been
very attentive observers of the proceedings :;
but when the pistol was drawn, they sudden.
ly lost all interest in the game, and spirited
foot race, the = objective point" of which was
the street, ensued. In the rush, chairs were
knocked over, tables upset; some fell down
and others tumbled over them There were
lively times in Wells saloon for few min.
utes. but no money was taken in at the bar.
Every one tried to get out of the first door
they came to, and one excited individual, who
had six shooter and bowie knife strapped
round his waist, and pair Of derringers in
his pockets, in his frantic endeavors to es
cape, opened the stove door instead of the one
leading to the street. and did not discover
his mistake until be had reached the elbow
in the pipe. Others tried to open doors which
have been closed for the last fifteen years !;
but all managed to get out in an almost in
credible space of time, with the exception of
one terrified individual. who finding he could
not reach the door very easily, hid himself
behind a billiard cue. Meanwhile the stran
ger walked quietly off with the money he had
won on the last hand" leaving the discon-
solate loser to ruminate on the uncertainty
of things in general and poker games in par
ticular. In the morning, Deputy Sheriffs
Bates and Matthews, who had an eve on the
gentleman, ana VINO suspected that he be-
ionged to the band of ''road agents." who
have been committing so many robberies in
the southern portion of the county, lately,
followed and arrested him near Garland s
Ranch, on the road to San Andreas. In a
carpet bag which lie carried, they found
handkerchief with two holes cut in it, sup
posed to have been used as mask. lie was
brought to the Hill and committed to jail
On Monday an examination was held before
Judge Leavitt, and he was bound over to ap-
pear before the Grand Jury, on charge of
highway robbery. Mr.. Pike, of Copperopo
lis, identified him as the man who robbed
him some time since. near the Stanislaus
river That /" draw" he made, when he play
ed his last hand will probably lead to bis in
carceration in the State prison for several
years. The one with whom we condole with
most, however, is the person who lost the
money. After sitting up all night and win.
ming few dollars, it was heart rending to
lose it all on one hand in that way; but
never mind, Julius, such things will happen
sometimes you can stand it, for when that
fellow ''pulled" his six shooter, it was the
first time anybody ever out drewv you in
the country.