Image provided by: Yamhill County Historical Society; McMinnville, OR
About The Telephone=register. (McMinnville, Or.) 1889-1953 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 26, 1889)
THE TELEPHONE-REGISTER were hoisted into the river, the as a pet lamb. He was the best left, i To give an idea of the peculiarly preachers all being drowned and rough-and-tumble fighter I ever saw M c M innville , - O regox . I interesting incidents, accidents and December - - 26, 1889. ^e gamblers all escaping. The or heard of.” Of course. Devol, in the nature of, anecdotes with which this old gam- ------------------ ,----------- .------- -j— way George tells this story indicates nf things, thiriwa did rlirl not uni everlastingly Avprliisat in tri v get trpf ' Rier nil fihinara nti v E.ricHnc bier ’ s autibiography bristles would that he thinks there’s a moral in it. of AN OLD GAMBLER. the best of it, and this is how he re- be impossible in any limited space, One of old Goorge’s best stories George Devol’s 4O-Year Career lates the way his partners did him Nearly all the gamblers of the good ' I relates how a Hebrew, who had beat of Crooked Cards. the bank for $4,000, wanted to be up in Chicago. It is a relief to old river days are made to act and For 40 years George H. Devol in with his game on a boat up from come across such an incident in the talk and live again in those pages. was a gambler on the Mississippi New’ Orleans. The Hebrew was so midst of his unbroken course of suc All the tricks that were used are river, the most desperate, skillful, explained at length and very clear anxious he took him in. at the same cess ; daring and unscrupulous man who time manufacturing a “sucker” by “Sam Houstin and Harry Monell, ly, and there is on it all a stamp of ever stacked a deck, threw the three teaching him how the game would a St. Louis boy, were in business truthfulness that makes it entertain cards or otherwise fleeced the per run. The Hebrew was elated with with me working the Missouri Pa ing. It is written in the same petually present sucker. Here he is the prospect of skinning the new cific, and we were very successful, strain as the author may be heard in St. Louis to-day, almost 60 years man that he planked up all he had making a great deal of cash. During talking anj’ day as he meets his old old, with not a dollar of his fabu —$4,000, his watch and jewels—on the summer we played the bank, friends over a social glass. His lous winnings, hobknobbing with Devol’s hand. Devol lost, as was and in the winter operated on the book is well worth its price, if for; his old-time friends and trying to prearranged, and the would-be part river and southern roads. Immedi nothing else than its unique style, | sell a book in which he has written, ner dashed to the guard to drown ately after the big fire we resolved and the author hopes to dispose of with many curious tricks of gam himself. He was prevented, and to go to Chicago, but at the last many copies here where he bio wed blers’ speech, the record of his rob came to St. Louis and opened a minute Houstin was unable to go; in his earnings in the dav6 when he! beries. The book is interesting, clothing house, at which he was but I told him he should be in with was in clover and bore the title of perhaps the most interesting of the more successful than in gaming. the play and share the profits as if King of the Gamblers. kind ever penned, and filled in parts One night, however, Dcvc' was he were along. Who Buys Costly Garters? with detailed accounts of stories treated in the same way by his “Monell and I started, and made concerning him, which has beer, in partner, Charley Bush. Bush sat a few hundred dollars, and when Whoever walks up Broadway circulation in the great cities of the by his side and signaled his hand Houstin joined us he received his from Twenty-fourth street to Twcn-. country for 20 years. to Dennis McCarthy, who beat De share of the spoils. We were all ty-third street will notice that the He can still toss the cards, but vol six straight games of seven-up, stopping at the Tremont House on fashionable jewelers are all dis-1 monte is played out, and George is at $100 a game. Bush signaled by Lake street. We made a little playing ladies’ garters among the getting ready to retire on the pro means of working a toothpick in money, and one Sunday morning I pins and bracelets, chains and ceeds of his volume. “Forty Years his mouth, and when at last, Devol arose early and resolved to go out brooches in their windows. These a Gambler.” having no trumps in his hand, Bush on the road about twenty miles. garters are all of the old-fashioned George was born in August, 1829, pulled his toothpick out, and Devol While waiting for breakfast I made kind, simple bands of elastic, with at Marietta. He went to school, “smashed” him and laid him out. the acquaintance of a gentleman ornate buckles and clasps of gold, where he distinguished himself as a On this occasion Devol butted a from Texas who had just sold some sometimes set with jewels and very bad boy, and finally, in 1839, man named Aderson through a big cattle that he had brought with sometimes merely chased. They ran away on the Waconsta steamer door. This was Devol’s peculiar him. We had a cocktail together, cost all the way from $25 upward.; as a steward’s assistant. When the method of fighting. He would and I sent the porter to awaken my The revival of the old idea of a j Mexican war broke out, George catch an antagonist by the coat la partners, whom I duly introduced plain leg band suggests two queries j started to find glory, but instead, pels or shoulders and but his head to the stranger, letting them know to the average male mind. The I made the acquaintance of a man right into his face. Devol’s head that he had money and to keep a first is why is it revived, since I who taught him to cheat at cards, is responsible for the disfigured nose sharp lookout on him until Monday every one agrees that it disfigures: and he considered himself with this of many an old-time river gambler. morning. When I returned at night the limb on which it is worn and I accomplishment fixed for life. He He and Bush made up after the lat I found that my partners had beat hinders free circulation of the blood? skinned the soldiers out of $2,700 ter’s betrayal, and were partner’s the Texan, and he had Houstin The second is, what sort of women along the Rio Grande when only 17 in crime for many years after. locked up in jail. I carried him buy jeweled garters? years old. He then went home, en “I caught a preacher once for all down a good supper from a restau One answer to the first question i deavored to learn the trade of boat his money,’, said George, the other rant and then hunted up the Texan is that simultaneously with the ap calker, but getting angry one day, night, at Carmody’s ; "likewise his who told me that he had started in pearance of these expensive garters,' kicked his tools into the river, and gold specs and sermons. Then I betting, and at first won, and then cheap ones of the same pattern' determined to go to gambling and had one of those queer feelings come lost $7.600, and that his only object have become a leading arti "make money rain.” After many over me, and I gave him back the in arresting Houstin was to scare cle in all the great ladies’ shopping adventures, in which he eventually specks and sermons.” Oceans of him so as to got his money back. stores. Trays heaped with them got the worst of it, he landed in St. wine George must have consumed The other man he could not find, are to be seen in all these places. Louis with but $40, hut he stacked to hear him talk about ordering He said he had gambled when in Some are mere loops of elastic, with ! that up against the tiger, won $780, whole baskets in order to work his Texas, but these fellows were too the clasps hidden under bows, some and started by steamer for St Paul. games. He alludes pathetically to smart for him, and that he could have brilliant buckles of burnished On the boat he practiced his fine bis old partners, Charley Bush, not afford to lose the money. When steel, and some have both clasps work to the extent of “doing” a Hugh Foster, Eph Holland and the the case was called for trial, the and bow knots, or buckles and bow convivial party for about $1,300 never-to-be-forgotten Canada Bill. judge dismissed it on the grounds knots. They cost from 25 cents to which two boss gamblers relieved “It is often said that faro banks that they were all gamblers. Noth $1.50. They must be coming into him of in a no limit game as soon are never broke, but I recall one in ing was said about the settlement fashion and must be worn by many as he reached his destination. He cident that will prove the contrary. of the game for a couple of days, women or they would not be on sale. “carried the banner" awhile but the It was during the war. and a num when one morning they both arose, The queer thing about these gar men who had fleeced him staked ber of us was playing together at paid their bills and skipped, and I ters is that not 'every woman could him in a keno lay-out and he start New Orleans, at Charley Bush’s, never received a red cent of that wear them if she would. They are ed into that highly profitable busi my old partner. They were all money.” worn above the knee, between that ■ ness. The book abounds with stories of member and the fullness of the up-I high rollers, and when one of them, When Winona was opening up who was a big loser, went to get his how the author "bested” the best per leg, as high as possible, in order : he left St. Paul and opened a hotel checks cashed for $1,000, the cash gamblers in the country by his su to keep the top of the stockings j and gambling house at that place. ier pulled out the drawer and found perior shrewdness. He took a par from turning over. The modern | A drunken man walked into his that the bottom had been cut out, ticular delight in doing up a "sure stocking is so long that garters can place and poured a pitcher of water and all the money was gone. Some thing” man by means of his being not be worn as school girls wear on the fine billiard table, whereup snoozer had crawled under the table the possessor of a surer thing. Here them, below the knee, because then on George caught him a clip under and with a sharp knife cut the bot is an incident: nearly half the stocking 'would fall1 the ear that stretched him, and the tom clear out. Of course the pro “At one time 1 was going down down over the garter and almost to j man was carried out and died. prietors were very mad. but the the river below Baton Rouge and the shoe top. It is notable, there- j George did not wait for a post mor joke was such a. good.-eae-that it there-were'a'lot of raftsmen on fore, that the person who wears' tem. I He ” skipped, leaving his prop- woulfa-’ttceep. Still, in spite of all board. They all laved to gamble, these newly revived leg belts can j erty in the hands of a friend, «rfio this, I had rather deposit my money so one of them opened a chuckaluck not excuse herself even on the shal-' likewise skipped with George’s in faro banks than the Fidelity, of game. They were putting down low grounds that she likes to see' money. It developed then that the Cincinnati, and I guess all honest their money with both hands, and herself prettily adorned, for the | man the young sport had hit had citizens feel the same Way.” Of the game was over $400 winner. I garter is hid under the further cov- i not died of the blow, but of conges Canada Bill, whose real name was thought 1 would give him a little ering of the limbs. play, so I went to my room and got I Two of the Broadway jewelers tion of the brain, the result of alco William Jones, Devol says: holism, so George eased his con “He was the greatest monte man a set of dice the same size as he I were asked what sort of women buy science by giving the dead man’s that ever lived, but a fool at short was using, and then changed in a these costly garters, and both said wife $700, and started to Kansas cards. He used to say suckers had five without winning a bet. Then that they had never known a woman City, where he won five lots, which no business with money. Bill how I asked him if I could shake them to buy or even to price them. They he afterward sold at $10 apiece. ever, died a pauper, and the mayor once for luck. ‘Oh, yes,’ he said, . are purchased by men, apparently “When I last passed through Kan- of Reading had him decently inter for he was playing on the square. I to make gifts of them. One jeweler City,” says he, “I saw those same red. There never lived a better came the change on him, then I put I said that he thought the principal lots bringing $600 a foot, “The hearted man. He was liberal to a $100 inside of a $1 bill, and put it market for them is for men who man I won them from was named fault. I have known him to turn on the five. He shook them up, j make a great deal of money sud McGee.” back when we were on the street when lo and behold, up came three denly, and who are bent upon cele “We had a great graft,’ before and give to some poor object we had fives. He picked up my money, brating the gain among their friends. the war, on the Upper Mississippi, passed. Many a time I have seen and when he saw the $100 he looked A broker who makes a lucky turn, between St. Louis and St. Charles. him walk up to a Sister of Charity i I worse than a sick monkey ; but he a sporting man who wins heavily We would go up by boat and back and make her a present of as much I ' paid up like a man. I then came on the races, or a college youth who by rail. One night going up we had as $50, and when we would speak ' 1 the change back and quit. A man has a quarter’s spending money in done a good business in our line, I of it he would say: ‘Well, George, should learn all the tricks in his his pocket, arc the men who buy j and were just putting up the shut they do a great deal for the poor, trade before he takes down the shut these jeweled garters. To whom ters, when a man stepped in and and think they know better how to ters.” do they give them? The jeweler said ‘he could turn the right card.’ use the money than I do.’ ” Here is a story about our own did not know.— New York Sun. My partner, Posey Jeffers, was doing Another side partner of Devol’s | Dick Roche that will interest nearly Electric Power. the honors that night, and he said, was "Rattlesnake Jack,” whore real all St. Louisans, who either knew or The utilization and distribution ‘I will bet you from $1 to $10,000 name was Jackson McGee, and who have heard of the pool-alley king. that no man can pick out the win. earned his sobriquet from the fact “While playing one night in St. j of electric power arc stated by Mr. ning ticket.’ Tl.e man pulled out that he used to catch rattlesnakes Louis, at old Mr. Peritts’ game of ' F. L. Pope to have reached by far a roll nearly as large as a pillow for showmen in the Virginia moun faro, and Dick Roche was dealing, the greatest development in Switz and put up $5,000. Posey put up tains. The redoubtable Sherman luck ran dead against me, and every erland and the United States. In the same amount, and over the card Thurston, now dead, was also a fast play I turned up loser, when in the former country electricity is went for $5.000; but it was not the friend of this 40 year gambler, and came a drunken man who was transmitted to considerable dis winner. ‘Mix them up again,’ said he speaks of him with much affec quarrelsome and insisted on annoy tances for large motors. At Solo the man, and he put up the same tion. He says : “Sherman Thurs ing me. I told him that I was in thurn a manufactory of machine sum as before. He turned, and ton was the best stake holder in no condition to have anybody claw screws is driven by an electric mo- Posey put the second $5,000 in his America. He was death to coat-tail ing me around. Then he got mad I tor of 50 horse power, which derives pocket. The man then walked pullers. He had a way of acting as and wanted to fight. I said nothing I its energy from a turbine wheel away as if to lose $10,00 was an if he were in a terrible passion, and and stood it as long as I could, when ! more than five miles away on a every day thing with him. We coming down on their feet with a I got up out of my chair and hit ; mountain stream. At Derendingen then closed up our ‘banking house,’ stamp that made them lie quiet, him a slug in the ear that curled ! a delaine mill of 35,000 spindles is well pleased with ourselves. The i Sherman was a man of hard sense him up on the floor like a ’possum- driven by a pair of electric motors next day we were counting our cash and native resources that rendered Then I cashed my checks and went 280 horse power operated by a tur and we found we had on hand him ready for any emergency. Once out for a walk. I knocked around bine wheel twelve miles away. At $10,000 in nice new bills on the ! when we had won some money for about half an hour and got to ' Lucerne 130 horse power is similar State Bank of Missouri, but it was i from a man he began to raise a fuss thinking about how much money I ly carried half a mile and 250 horse I all counterfeit. We deposited it in and carry on like one bereft of rea had lost, and resolved to try my power a quarter of a mile. In the the (fire) bank, as we had no im son. Sherman humored him. He luck again. There was no other United States no electric motor of mediate use for it.” . locked him up in the car, and told bank open, so I went back to Peritt’s more than 60 horse power is known One incident, the recital of which everybody that he was a lunatic game, and there, sprawled out on j ! to Mr. Pope, but there are as many gives this veteran reprobate great . he was removing to the asylum—to the floor, lay the big lubber that I ( as 6000 small motors in use, a fav- delight, relates to the blowing up ; keep away from him as he was dan had knocked over, and Roche was j orite size being 10 horse power. It of the Princess steamboat. The gerous and entirely irresponsible-; kneeling down by him rubbing him I is predicted that in cities electric j boat was bound for New Orleans, Then when the fellow got too noisy with ice water and a towel, so I re- motors will soon practically sup carrying among other passengers 14 Sherman went and said, ‘See here, f solved to take another walk, when plant steam engines of less than 50 preachers. They were going to a i old fellow, you had better keep still. Roche, catching sight of me, said: irse power. conference. It was Sunday, and I for gambling is a penitentiary of-; ‘Devol, I guess you owe me some- -- ■ — ----- . the gamblers, among them Devol, ; fense in this state, and you are just thing for taking careof your patient, were working a roulette game in the I as much implicated as the man who | and if that’s the way you hit I ■ Children Cry for barber shop, when of a sudden the won your money. That settled it, I don't want you to hit me. I’ve been j Pitcher’s Caetoria. boiler blew up and the passengers ‘ and the man quieted down as mild I rubbing this fellow ever since you THE PRESENT RAPID GROWTH Both in Public and Private Improvements and Popu lation of the Beautiful and well situated CITY - M MINNVILLE Demonstrates that the Nucleus for a Great City has been formed. During the last two years in the neighborhood of It is the Only City in Oregon that Owns and Operates And soon the Rattle and Ring of a Street Car Line will be heard No city in the Willamette Valley presents a better field for the operation of Capital. The Manufactories of the Town Are comparatively few in number, but still they employ a large number of people Among them are the cMinnville Flouring mills, with a capacity of One Hundred Bar- rels of Flour per day; two lumber lumoer yards, yarns, with wiin sash sasn and ana door aoor lactones connection; a factories in connection creamery and cheese factory, wit a capacity of one thousand pounds of butter per day; a furniture factory, yet in its infancy, but with the surety of increased operation in the near future. The Population of the City is 2,500 And is constanly increasing; faster in proportion than other cities of the same size in Oregon. The surrounding country is exceedingly productive, a larger yield per acre, being raised within a radius of ten miles than in any other section of the State. YAM HILL County is known as “The Banner County of Oregon, V And McMinnville is the county seat and metropolis of the Banner county This city is receiving deserved comment from the press of the State, and it is the intention of the propri etors of The Telephone-Register To issue on February 1st a Mammoth edition devo ted entirely to McMinnville. Her business interests and business men will each receive attention in their respective columns in the issue, together with a history of the town from its first settlement to date. The edu cational facilities will receive their portion, together with interesting statistics, Banking, Commercial, Ex press, Freight, Municipal, Building, Religious and Fra ternal will given. Articles by prominent people; sketches of the Lawyers, Doctors, County and City of- ficials are being prepared, making it, as a whole, a pa- per which shoul.. should be read and distributed throughout the State and Union in order to give the outside popu lation a correct picture of McMinnville, the banner town of the banner county of the banner state. The price of this paper will be 10 cents, a sum which you can easily afford to spend in order to let your friends know the true merits of our city. This i» the first edition of a newspaper devoted entirely to McMinnville, and it will be complete with superb portraits of her business and professional men. with views of the principal buildings and points of interest. Send in Your Orders Immediately for Copies. HARDING & HEATH, PUBLISHERS.