He Picked

1895

"It's funny how they do it, isn't it?" he said to a policeman whom he met on Jefferson avenue as he came up from the depot.

"How they do what?" asked the officer.

"Why, on the train a man had three playing cards, and he tossed them around so, and so, and so, and then asked me to pick out the ace of clubs."

"And of course you did it?"

"Of course. Just reached right over and picked it out the first time. Then he tossed them about again and said he'd bet I couldn't pick out the same card."

"And you bet him?"

"Oh, yes — bet him $20 even up."

"And you reached over and — and — and" —

"Yes, I reached over and picked up the queen of hearts. I thought it was the ace of clubs, you know, but it wasn't."

"And you want the swindler arrested? Where is he?"

"Oh, no, no, no! No; I don't want anybody arrested. Besides he got off at Dearborn."

"Well, what do you want?" demanded the officer.

"Oh, nothing — nothing 'tall, except to ask you if it isn't funny how they do it and warn you not to bet on the game. It biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder. So long, old boy — don't try it!" — Detroit Free Press.

Joe Palmer's Good Fight

1895

The Latter Part of It Was Without Thumbs, but He Won.

"In those days," said the man with the broad white hat, "Creede was a booming camp. You can make books on that. And it was a camp that it pleased an old timer to set foot in. Tenderfeet were not stacking up against the fellows then. It was a reminder of Deadwood and Leadville. It was a reminiscence of forty-nine.

"But, as I was saying, that fight that Joe Palmer made against the 'Orleans Kid' was as good and game a fight as a man ever saw. Palmer is in Denver now. What does he do? Well, everything, for Joe is an all round gambler. Down in Creede he ran a house for Jeff Smith. The Kid came in there one night and got noisy and abusive. The fact that he had killed four men didn't cut any figure with Joe, and he politely but firmly told him to get out. The Kid left sulkily, and we fellows at the tables, watching the play between turns of the cards, just took a flier, in our inner consciousness, that there'd be trouble before morning.

"Joe stepped out of the place a little afterward. He was gone but a moment or two when we heard a shot. We sprang up from our chips, leaving our bets on the layout, and rushed outside. And there we saw a fight!

"Palmer was standing in the middle of the street, right under the electric light. In the bright glare he Was the fairest of targets. The Kid was by the corner in the shadow of the stores. Both of them were blazing away at less than 30 paces. The Kid's second bullet struck Joe in the thumb of his pistol hand, and the gun fell to the ground. Joe picked it up with his left hand and went on shooting. Another bullet from the Kid struck Joe's left thumb, and the six shooter dropped again. We all thought Joe would run then sure, because we couldn't see how he could ever cock his gun to keep up the fight. He stooped over, as cool as you please, grabbed his gun in his right hand and cocked it by rubbing it downward against his leg.

"When the two men had used up all their cartridges and the fight was over, the Kid staggered away. He had lost. Four of Joe's six bullets had hit him. He won out, though, in his lingering six weeks' game with death and got well enough to kill a man up in Duluth and go to the Minnesota pen." — Louisville Courier-Journal.

Gambling In Italy

1895

It Is Widespread and Brings the Government $10,000,000 a Year.

In Italy there are many highly moral laws against gambling, but the government is responsible for a system of state lotteries which encourages widespread gambling among the people.

The published statistics show average receipts of over $10,000,000 a year.

Every Saturday afternoon the lottery is drawn in the eight principal towns of Italy, and there are government lottery offices in every town and village, where tickets may be taken for any of the eight lotteries in this kingdom. A village may be too small to have a postoffice, but it will be pretty sure to have a lottery office.

The method of staking in the lottery is to select from one to four numbers and to stake what you please upon them at the nearest lottery office.

You may bet on one number, and if it is one of the five drawn in the lottery you receive 12-1/2 times your stake. Or you may bet that it will be drawn either first, second, third, fourth or fifth in the order of drawing. In this case you get 66 times your stake if you win.

Another plan is to take two numbers and back what is called the ambo. If both your numbers come out among the five, you get 300 times your stake. If you choose three numbers, which is called a terno, and they all come out, you win 5,000 times your stake.

If you back four numbers, called a quaderno, you win 60,000 nines your stake.

The method most in vogue among the peasants is to take three numbers and invest a small sum on the terno and on each of the ambos contained in it. A peasant's weekly investment ranges between 2 cents and 10 cents. As little as four-fifths of a cent may be staked.

All kinds of omens are consulted to arrive at the lucky numbers. Dreams are great favorites, and inspirations are drawn from any great national event.

For instance, when Victor Emmanuel died, the tip was to play the number of his age, the number of the year of his birth and the number of the day of the month on which he died. Thousands of people backed this terno, and, oddly enough, it actually came out.

A few weeks late Pope Pius IX died. The same game was played on the numbers relating to his death, and again the terno came out.

Of course the government lost a great deal of money on these occasions, but it would soon get it back again by the additional impulse given to the gambling by the news of these winnings. — Pearson's Weekly.

He Was Well Posted

1895

The Stranger Had Quite an Acquaintance With the Smooth Box.

A young man walking along Dearborn street with his coat collar turned up was slapped on the back and heard a voice: "Say, that tip you gave me on Bessie Bisland was a good thing, I don't think. Where've you been?"

The young man turned around and said: "You must be mistaken. I don't believe I ever saw you before."

"Get out! Ain't you a race horse man that was out at Harlem?"

"No."

"Well, you're a dead ringer for him. Come and have a drink. Come on and be a good fellow."

The young man was led around into a place fronting on an alley, and as soon as they went in the bartender recognized the sport, and it leaked out in the conversation that a few evenings before they had been shaking dice and that the bartender had lost.

He demanded satisfaction, but the man who had lost on Bessie Bisland was cautious. He said he would go in for a quarter a corner. The victim who had been hauled in from the street was invited into the game.

He put in his quarter, and when the box came to him he said: "Gentlemen, I want to show you a little trick with this box. You see that on my first shake I have two sixes. The ace is always on the other end from the six, so I put in the three remaining dice, with the ace spot on each against the side of the box, and they slide down without changing position. This is a smooth bore box, lined with patent leather. The dice do not tumble around. They slide over the smooth surface, and so I know that when I let these dice slip out they" —

"Look here," demanded the bartender, "do you think there's any cheating going on?"

"Oh, I'm next to you," replied the visitor.

"That's right, Bill," said the roper in. "We're wasting time and talent on him. He's all right too. If a man's on, he ought to say so."

Thereupon the visitor departed with the best of feeling all around. — Chicago Record.

Cockroach Derby Excites "Rookies"

1916

HERB ROTH'S "ATTABOY" IS EASY WINNER.

Runs the Two-yard Course in Two fifths of a Second — A Classy Brute.

BOSTON, Massachusetts, (Aboard the U. S. S. Kentucky). — "Attaboy," the pride of Herb Roth's string of racing cockroaches, won the two-yard championship on a recent afternoon from a field composed of Dal Dawkins' "Hammock King," J. W. Bailey's "Ditty Box Bill," Herbert Reed's "Mess Jumper," Albert Schedy's "Scamperer" and a half dozen others. Practically all of the civilian volunteers and many of the regular crew witnessed the speed contests and the bookmakers did a thriving business.

It was thinness which finally resulted in victory for the Roth string. Hawkins had starved his roaches for two days in preparation for the big race, but some miscreant broke into the stables and fed them, so that they were a bit leggy at the start and not much interested in the mince pie which awaited them at the finish, while Roth's "Attaboy," ravenous, covered the two yards in two-fifths of a second.

The overfed condition of Hawkins' string resulted in all his entries running last, while Bailey's "Ditty Box Bill" and Reed's "Mess Jumper" were a bad second and third to the winner.

"Attaboy" is a magnificent brute, standing nearly three-quarters of an inch high at the withers and weighing not less than ten milligrams.

These cockroach races have proved so interesting a divertissement that it is proposed to arrange intership contests.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 7.

The True Poker Flat

1901

In 1852 Poker Flat produced $700,000 in gold bullion in a single month and celebrated the event with a triple hanging. Then came the public spasm of virtue which caused the John Oakhursts and the "outcasts of Poker Flat" to depart from thence and die of cold and starvation on the snow bound road to Sandy Bar. There are no "Oakhursts" nor "Uncle Billys" in Poker Flat today, and when the stranger makes the slow descent and suddenly by a sharp turn in the trail comes upon the famous camp he finds in that huddle of cabins little to remind him of the Poker Flat of 1852.

The famous slope presents almost a picture of utter ruin. There are but eight persons living in the old town, while a hundred dead ones sleep in the cemetery. Some of the graves are marked with wooden headboards, some with stakes, but many have nothing above them. Nearly all of them were laid to rest without religious rites save a Bible reading by old Charlie Pond, who, though a professional gambler, was selected for the religious office owing to his excellent voice and oratorical ability.

In 1853 and 1854 there were 2,000 souls in Poker Flat and 15 stores, 5 hotels. 3 dance halls and 7 gambling houses. There is but one man left today of that original company. He is an old and grizzled veteran, who delights to tell how in 1856 a circus came to town and sold 1,500 tickets of admission at $20 each. — W. M. Clemens in Bookman.

A Dead Face In the Window

1901

Crockford, the proprietor of a well known London gambling house, was made to play a queer role after he was dead. When one of Crockford's horses was poisoned just before the Derby, the misfortune brought on an attack of apoplexy, which proved fatal within 48 hours. Now, many of Crockford's friends had staked large sums on another of the gambler's horses, which was a favorite for the Oaks and which was disqualified by the death of the owner. Only the people in the gambling house knew of Crockford's death, and it was resolved to keep it a secret until after the race.

The servants were bribed and sworn to secrecy, and the conspirators on the day after the night upon which Crockford died had the body placed in a chair at a window, so that people returning from the track could see the gambler sitting there. He was fixed up to look as lifelike as possible and through the window and partially concealed from view by the curtains looked so natural that no one of the great crowd which came cheering by the house when on their return from seeing Crockford's horse win the Oaks suspected the trick.

The nest day it was announced that Crockford was dead, but it was years before the true story leaked out.

Film Star Called as Poker Witness

1920

Norma Talmadge to Testify in Peculiar Case

New Yorker Arrested, Accused of Cheating Celebrities Out of $350,000 at Cards

NEW YORK, N, Y., March 18. — The last card in Broadway's sensational stud poker season was turned down by Justice Kernochan in the Court of Special Sessions.

It was a warrant for the arrest of Louis Krohnberg, wealthy manufacturer of women's wear, at whose home Norma Talmadge and other New York celebrities are said to have lost approximately $350,000 by the use of marked cards.

Discovery of cheating, it is said, was made during the final game of the series played at the home of Joseph Schenck, husband of Norma Talmadge.

Exposed by Actress

Guests at the party, which was held on New Year's Eve, ascribe most of the credit for the detection to Miss Talmadge, whose husband brought about a dramatic denoument by betting wildly into Krohnberg's pair of aces with a pair of kings, and then kicking Krohnberg into the street on the show down.

At the hearing Jacob Silverman, who appeared as complainant, testified that he had lost $7,300 at Krohnberg's home, and, suspecting dishonesty, had taken away one of the decks used in the game. The cards, he said, were later found to be "readers," the fleur-de-lis on their backs being marked in such a way that the player in the secret could recognise them.

Huge Penalty Possible

All the participants in the games, including Miss Talmadge, will be required to testify when Krohnberg is brought to trial. In the event that Krohnberg is found guilty, five times the amount of the players' losses may be collected and distributed among charities designated by the State.

There is some dispute concerning the amount lost by the players. Mr. Silverman says $530,000 is an approximate estimate. Krohnberg's attorneys deny all the charges and display checks aggregating $68,000 indorsed by Mr. Schneck and others as payees, which, they say, represent losses suffered by their client.

Harry Potter, Other Citizens Deny Gambling Charges

New York, 1905

Will Go on Trial at May Term of Court

ITHACA, April 4. — Five prominent citizens, indicted by the Grand Jury, charged with conducting gambling houses, pleaded not guilty when arraigned before Justice Forbes in Supreme Court to-day and the cases were sent for trial.

They were Charles Groen, former city treasurer; J. J. Galney, merchant; James Dunlavey, Philip Ford, and Harry Potter.

—The Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY, April 5, 1905, p. 2.

Bets on Race; Nevah Again!

1915

Virginia Gentleman Is Bittah Because Mistah Millah Wins His $1,000

PHILADELPHIA. Pa., Dec. 16. — A peanut grower from Virginia placed a cool thousand dollars on a race horse in a well-appointed apartment and lost. He is now touring the central section of the city with a detective in an endeavor to find the apartment and two men who escaped with the money he lost.

"Nevah again will I visit youah city, suh," said the indignant plantation owner, T. M. Edwards of Rushmere, Va. Edwards says a chance acquaintance introduced him to a man named Miller.

"Mistah Millah was represented to me as being the gentleman who won back Judge Grinell's fortune by playing the hosses," said Edwards. "I was prevailed upon to go to New York to get $1,000, and returned here today. I put up the money and lost. So did my friend.

"Mr. Millah won all. My friend was very bittah against Mistah Millah and vowed he would shoot him and get my money back. Then he disappeared."


Pleas for Woman's Life Win

OTTAWA, Ont., Dec. 16. — The women of Alberta have won their fight to save the life of Mrs. Annie Hawkes of Macleod, sentenced to hang for the killing of her husband's affinity. Announcement was made that executive clemency has been extended and the sentence commuted to 10 years' imprisonment.

Hundreds of petitions protesting against the death sentence imposed upon Mrs. Hawkes were received here. The plea was made that Mrs. Hawkes while hysterical killed the woman who had been brought into her home.

Dice Turn Up "Seven" Five Times for Judge

1920

Negro Caught With "Loaded Bones" is Fined $200

KANSAS CITY, Mo., March 18. — The magic number seven failed to bring luck to Al Fields, negro dealer in supplies for crap shooters, in South Municipal Court, when Judge Edward J. Fleming took a turn at the dice. Fields, who was arrested on the street by "Tug" Carter, "ace" of the negro policemen, had in his possession a complete outfit for loading dice as well as a jar containing forty dice which Patrolman Carter declared were loaded.

"Them dice ain't loaded, judge," protested Fields.

"We'll see," said Judge Fleming.

The judge rattled the "bones" three times. Every time they turned up "seven."

"That's just luck, judge," insisted Fields.

Judge Fleming shook twice again. Each time "seven" faced him.

"Two hundred dollars," said the judge.

Fields was sent to the municipal farm to work out his fine.

"Auto Poker" New Form of Gambling

1906

"Automobile poker," a new form of gambling in public, has struck this city and is spreading from the sea to the Yonkers line. Along the avenues approaching the Sheepshead Bay race track men and boys in groups are playing "automobile poker." On Fifth avenue, Broadway, Madison avenue, and all auto favored thoroughfares, automobile poker is indulged in, evidencing that the new "bug" has taken hold, for the time being, at least,

The game is played thus: Stationing themselves on an auto haunted thoroughfare, the "bookmaker" and the players lay bets on the highest possible hand to be found in the next devil wagon which may come honking along. The auto comes and passes in a cloud of dust. The number, say, is 11,651. One equals an ace, so the hand showed is three aces. Those who guessed nearest to the value of that hand win. If the auto number is 27,244, the hand is two pair, four high. In the same way the number may reveal three or four deuces, trays, or fours.

The bookmaker takes all bets on any old number, but pays off only to the holder of the highest hand.

But the game is destined to put the bookmakers out of business, for the chauffeurs and their friends are "next," and the game is being already plugged by them. Knowing the number of their own automobile, they send their friends along the line to get down a bet, and then comes the automobile, the number prominently displayed, the wiley chauffeur sitting with apparent unconcern at the tiller.

Cigar Dealer Flogged by Angry Woman

1901

Cigar Dealer and Alleged Gambling House Keeper Publicly Horsewhipped At St. Joseph

St Joseph, Mich., Jan. 31. — The public horsewhipping of an alleged gambling-house keeper by an angry wife furnished no end of excitement at Buchanan yesterday, and placed that village well up in the rank with Kansas towns that have felt the rigorous moralizing efforts of Mrs. Nation.

The victim of the chastisement was "Skette" Rough, keeper of what purports to be a candy and cigar store, but which wives who have felt a shortening of their allowances on their husband's pay days say houses a voracious "kitty."

The Michigan disciple of strenuous reform methods is Mrs. J. Voorhees, and she had at her back half the feminine part of the population of the village. Not the least of Rough's torment were the gibes and jeers of these women, all of whom seemed to think they had a score to settle and a duty to perform, and put as much feeling in their tongue lashings as did Mrs. Voorhees in hers with the thong.

In addition several hundred spectators crowded about and howled with delight as the infuriated woman belabored the back of the cigar dealer. Twice he attempted to break away, but did not succeed until the woman had broken her whip in several places over his body.

—Davenport Daily Republican, Davenport, IA, Feb. 1, 1901, p. 3.

Asleep on Card Table, Man Has Coughing Fit, Dies

Iowa, 1901

DIES ON A CARD TABLE

WILLIAM HANNAH'S DEMISE IN DELMONICO CLUB ROOMS

So Sudden Was His Passing That Those In the Room With Him Knew Nothing of It Until the Man Was In His Death Struggles — Leaves the Text of a Sermon Written In His Note Book

Several men were gathered in the club room over the Delmonico early yesterday morning. One was lying asleep on the table. Several others had just been out for a lunch, and on returning to the room one of them had brought in with him a very large Newfoundland dog, the big shaggy animal making himself at home near the stove. Suddenly a loud coughing or choking was heard, and Osborn Reynolds cried "Put that dog out. This room is too warm for him."

"It's not the dog; it's 'Ditch,' answered one of the men.

"Wake him up, boys," and two or three of them hurried over to the table to do so.

"My God! He's dead," they cried and the limp form was allowed to fall back. The face was of chalky whiteness, and it was not necessary to call a physician to learn that life had fled, though, of course, a physician was speedily, but uselessly called.

Thus, lying on a card table in a saloon club room, William Hannah died. Not the slightest warning had he; probably not a moment of conscious suffering. His heart had filled up with blood and then refused to work. It was all so sudden that the men about the corpse could hardly realize what had happened.

There was considerable difficulty yesterday in identifying the dead man. He was known to several people but only as "Ditch," this peculiar nickname coming from the fact that he worked at laying tile when he worked at all. The remains were taken to the Boies' undertaking parlors and during the forenoon Coroner Fred Lambach conducted an autopsy. In the afternoon the coroner's inquest was held and a verdict was rendered that William Hannah came to his death by cardiac paralysis. The coroner's jury consisted of M. J. Scandrett, William Schwarnweber, and O. K. Wilson.

A Dead Man's Sermon

"There's no fool like an old fool," wrote Hannah in his note book not long ago, and the quotation is the text of a sermon that the dead man is preaching to his fellow creatures. The rest of his sermon is found in the story of his life. It developed at the inquest that not many months ago William Hannah had come into the possession of some money, inherited from an eastern relative. He came to Davenport and spent most of his time about a card table. At first he was successful. He did not play heavily, but he won, and he grew to love the game. Men who knew him say it was a study to watch the face of "Ditch" when he was handling the pasteboards. It often made them forget their own game. But there came a time when "Ditch" didn't win. Every bit of his money was gone. He had been known to the police for the past two weeks as "broke," and when Dr. Lambach examined his stomach at the autopsy yesterday morning it was learned that no food had been eaten in the last 24 hours. It was probably during this period that the text was written in the note book.

System Much Deranged

Though to outward appearance Hannah was a healthy man, the autopsy showed that his system was very much disordered. His stomach was what is known as a "whisky stomach," though there was no testimony to show that he was a hard drinker. His kidneys were in bad shape. His right lung had grown to his side as the result of an attack of pluerisy. His liver gave evidence of a disease from which few men recover, and all tended to weaken his heart.

At the inquest testimony was taken from Captain Fred Hitchcock, Michael Rourke, P. Phelan. Ed Neils, W. H. Costello, John Cahil, Dr. Porter, who was called at the time of Hannah's death, and Os Reynolds, the proprietor of the place where the man died. From the testimony it was learned that Hannah had been in Gallagher's place in the early evening, that he had gone to the Delmonico about 12 o'clock, and had fallen asleep upon the card table, a habit that he had been more or less regular in of late. No one took any particular notice of him until the fatal coughing fit attracted them.

Hannah had previously lived at Williamsburg, Ia., where it is understood he has a sister. He carried photographs of two men, one young and the other old. He had told some of his acquaintances that they were his brother and father, and lived in California. The dead man was about 35 years of age.

—Davenport Daily Republican, Davenport, Iowa, Feb. 17, 1901, p. 7.

Gamblers Trim Rich Indian

1920

"Little Feather" Is Arrested as Vagrant After His Plucking

LINCOLN, Neb. — "Little Feather," a member of the Osage Indian tribe of Oklahoma, whose royalties from oil lands he claims are $1,000 a month, was arrested here as a vagrant.

The Indian says he left his home with plenty of funds to see a little of the world, but fell in with white gamblers who got his money, and when he reached Lincoln he was penniless.

The police were convinced of the truth of his story and he was discharged when means were supplied to send him home.


Origin of "Horse Chestnut"

It is said that the name horse chestnut was derived from the fact that when the leaves of the tree fall there is a scar left on the twig in the shape of a horseshoe that bears marks resembling the nail of a shoe.


First Paper From Wood

It is just fifty years since the method of grinding wood as raw material for paper was introduced in the United States.

Armless Man Commits Robbery With Gun Between His Toes

1903

HOLDS GUN WITH HIS TOES

Armless Wonder Cowes Roomful of Men By a Threat to Shoot.

Butte, Mont., March 4 — The most sensational and novel holdup known in the West was perpetrated when Chas. Payne, an armless man, entered the California club at the corner of Main and Broadway and with a 44-calibre revolver held between the toes of his right foot compelled a faro dealer Richards to return him $5 which he had lost during the night.

There were only a few players in the room at the time and they made a rush for the doors when Payne swung his gun into action. Richards begged him not to shoot and Payne said that all he wanted was the return of $5 which he had lost. It was cheerfully restored to him and he hopped out of the club while keeping the dealer covered with his gun. The robbery was not reported to the police till in the afternoon and after Payne had been arrested for taking a shot at another man in a boarding house on West Mercury street later in the day.

He resisted arrest and tried to cut the officers with a razor which he held between his toes. He was overpowered, disarmed and taken to jail. Payne was formerly a vaudeville performer, but has been out of engagements for more than a year because of dissipation and he is said to have been crazed with drink at the time of the robbery and shooting.

—Davenport Daily Republican, Davenport, Iowa, March 5, 1903, page 2.

Appetite for Peyote Seeds Up Since Prohibition

1922

NORTHWESTERHERS ARE EATING PEYOTE SEEDS

Since the Prohibition Laws New Appetite Has Gone Even to the Orient.

A new form of intoxication, viewed as a social menace among Northwest Indians and Orientals in Washington, is the eating of peyote or button-like seeds of an Arizona cactus.

Thousands of these types of Northwest inhabitants are now alleged to be peyote drug fiends, a spree occurring several times a year and lasting many weeks. The effect of the cactus button on its victims is sleeplessness, morbidness and an increased mental desire for hilarity and games of chance.

The peyote is a pear-shaped species of cactus common in parts of the Southwest. The top bears seeds resembling red-coat buttons. These are sold by pickers to dealers for $2 per thousand.

The button-like seeds are generally eaten in the dry, brittle state, from 5 to 50 in a single night.

From time immemorial the peyote has been used in the Southwest among the aborigines and Mexicans for producing an intoxication of soul and body to aid them in gambling, dancing, or ill-timed deeds.

Since the abolition of liquor and the ban on narcotics, the peyote fans gradually moved northward along with other vile drugs. The consumption of this bean has invaded the Northwest to Alaska, and many bushels of the peyote buttons have been taken to the Orient.

—Oneonta Daily Star, Oneonta, New York, April 24, 1922, page 7.

Poker: Four Deaths Because of Five Aces

1911

FOUR DEATH DUE TO POKER

"Bad" Ace in Pack Starts Bullets Flying at Kayler, Pa.

Kittanning, Pa., May 23. — A poker deck which, it is said, held five aces is responsible for shooting which took the lives of three miners at Kayler near here. Charles Sendric, Andy Braltis and Rocco Braltis were killed instantly and Walter Spilesh was fatally injured.

The "bad" ace was seen in the hand of Dick Sendric and he was given a severe beating by the other players and thrown out of the house. Sendric later returned with an automatic gun and, it is alleged, fired its contents into the home.

Uniontown, Pa., May 23. — Frank Pecan, aged twenty-nine, was shot through the breast and killed instantly as a result of a shooting affray in connection with a poker game at the Sunshine Coke works, twelve miles south of this place. Frank Renite, aged twenty-five, was shot and seriously injured. The police are searching for three brothers named Logwabaca, one of whom, it is alleged, did the shooting.

—Indiana Evening Gazette, Indiana, Pennsylvania, May 23, 1911, page 3.

Alleged Arch Swindler Makes Friends With Victims

MAYBRAY MAKES FRIENDS -- MANY BELIEVE IN HIM

Alleged Arch Swindler, Though in Jail, Makes Good Headway Toward Freedom

A lot of people have decided that J. C. Mabray, alleged king of the wrestlers swindling gang, is not the archangel of the devil he was painted when first arrested.

Mabray is still confined in the hospital ward of the county jail, and two of his best friends of late days have been Ham DeFord, chairman of the county board of supervisors, and a nameless man who was swindled by the Mabray gang, it is alleged, at Keokuk.

DeFord is not exactly an easy man to win over by the gift of speech, being of the Abraham Lincoln hardy, rough and ready order, but since a memorable day a couple of months ago, when he spent a forenoon in talk with the alleged swindler, he makes the most of every opportunity to talk with Mabray in jail, or rather, to allow Mabray to talk to him.

A Keokuk man who was the victim of race horse swindlers, believed to belong to the Mabray gang, spent a day in the federal prisoner's cell, and when he came out told the jailers he was convinced Mabray had nothing to do with the swindling game.

"He's too nice a man," he asserverated. "I believe he's on the square."

And he went away with that belief firmly imbedded in his mind.

Another one of Mabray's victims, whose name is not public, is a wealthy banker in a small town near Omaha. He refuses to join in the prosecution of the alleged swindler. He lost $13,000 but he's ashamed of the transaction, and refuses to allow his name to be mixed with it. Federal authorities figure that there are dozens of such victims of the game who are taking the same attitude, too much ashamed of the game by which they were caught to attempt to recover their money.

Ready to Talk

Maybray's most noticeable characteristic is his readiness to talk on any subject, his ready gift of speech, and his seeming innocence of wrong motives. He is so eloquent on many subjects that federal sleuths may he could have made a fortune at any business as readily as he got away with the money of his "Mikes."

--The Des Moines News, Des Moines, Iowa, July 22, 1909, page 3.


From lengthier family news column, looking a hundred years ahead to Good Friday in 2016:

The birthday of Douglas, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Nelson, was celebrated today, Good Friday. Douglas was born April 21 on Good Friday. This year is the first time April 21 has fallen on Good Friday since his birth. Looking up the dates of the years to come, Mrs. Nelson finds that her son's birthday will not occur again on Good Friday until 2016.

"Bryan to Be in Storm Lake" read a headline in last week's Buena Vista Vidette. Well, guess it's all right. The darn lake ain't much good, anyway, and if the people want to turn it into a pickle factory it's none of our business. -- Estherville Democrat.

--The Evening Tribune, Albert Lea, Minnesota, April 19, 1916, page 15.

Comment: There seems to be a lot of confusion as to when Easter is. I googled it and you basically need a degree in advanced math to figure it out. But finally I found one site that appeared to know when the actual date is. They were right for this year, let's put it that way, and didn't have future Easters in May. Anyway, if they are correct, then Mrs. Nelson had it wrong about 2016. Although, if the sources were as confusing in 1916 as they are now, she no doubt thought she was right. And maybe she was, because it looks like some of the rules about this calculation have changed over time. I'm just glad I don't work for a calendar company as the guy in charge for getting this right on millions of dollars worth of calendars. They look at March, April, and even May and I've got five or six different Easters every year. I'm out of there and the entire Christian world is mad at me.

Gambling Raid, Arrests at Majestic Cigar Store

Des Moines, Iowa, 1909--

3 ARRESTED IN GAMBLING RAID

Police Descend On Pretty Game In Basement

In a raid last night in the basement of the Majestic cigar store and the arrest of three men, two of whom are well known gamblers, the police have broken what has been an eye sore to their department for many months.

The men arrested gave their names as Ira Stitzel, Joe DeRose and Max Frankle.

The police have known for some time that gambling was going on in the basement of the store but were unable to catch the men "with the goods."

The police claim that the place is being conducted for the purpose of getting actors' "rolls."

Joe DeRose was found in charge last night. He was required to put up $50 for his appearance in police court Monday morning. Stitzel and Frankle put up $15.

--The Des Moines News, Des Moines, Iowa, February 21, 1909, page 1.