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Famous Gamblers of the Old West. Famous Gamblers of the Old West.

03-14-2012 , 11:00 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Hughes
Once Wild Bill Hickok showed a hand with three aces, a six, and a four and called a full house. When it was pointed out he did not have a full house, he pulled his six shooter and said that was his other six, and he took the pot.
great stuff, johnny. well appreciated even on this side of the pond
Famous Gamblers of the Old West. Quote
03-15-2012 , 08:06 AM
Thanks so much. One of the most feared gunfighters was an Englishman, Ben Thompson, who lived in Texas. He gambled in the Old West for twenty years. He had several gunfights. When he was drunk, he'd shoot out the lights. He had a fine gambling joint at 6th and Congress in Austin, a famous intersection now. A "brace joint" or cheating joint opened up. He went in alone, and shot chips off the Faro tables, tore the place apart. This was typical of the most feared gunfighters. They could keep whole crowds at bay. I think it was Wichita where Ben and his brother had a very successful gambbling house called the Bull or Bull's Head. Wild Bill Hickok, another famous gunfighter, Poker Hall of Fame member now, and the guy who was shot by a Texas holding Aces and Eights, the dead man's hand, was the lawman. Folks wondered if Ben and Wild Bill would clash. The Thompson's bar had a sign with a bull with an erection. Wild Bill came around and said folks objected to the sign, and Ben agreed to paint over the erection. Things were going great until his brother accidentally killed the Sheriff when his shotgun discharged. Ben had a long-term gambling partner, Phil Coe. Later, Wild Bill killed Coe.

At one point, Ben dealt Spanish monte to the ex-Governor for three days, breaking him of his money and property, and the jewelry he had on, including his gold watch and chain, and cuff links.

When Ben was in Austin, a Mr. Harris, also a famous gambler, had a very fancy joint in San Antonio, a two-hour train ride away. He barred Ben for tearing up joints and being rowdy. Ben said he was coming anyway. Harris set up an ambush inside the joint, but Ben saw him though a curtain, began firing, and killed Harris. He was acquitted, but nearly everyone was. He and another Austin gambler insisted on going back to the San Antonio casino. After words, five of the employees of the popular Mr. Harris shot Ben and his friend to death. Ben was shot nine times, his pal thirteen. Ben wounded three of his assailents as he went out.

Last edited by Johnny Hughes; 03-15-2012 at 08:12 AM.
Famous Gamblers of the Old West. Quote
03-16-2012 , 03:48 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Hughes
Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday were famous early in life. There were newspapers for and against them in Tombstone, and newspapers coast to coast covered the gunfight and vengeance ride afterward. Wyatt Earp spent far more years as a gambler and saloon keeper than he did as a lawman.

He and Sadie moved around boom towns, including to Alaska where he built a large bankroll. Wyatt was into horse racing and betting. He had referred a few bare-knucle fights, when he was selected to referee the heavy-weight championship in San Francisco in the 1920s between Sharkey and Fitzsimmons. As Wyatt entered the ring, police confiscated the pistol showing in his pocket. He paid a small fine for it later. Sharkey went down holding his testicles, and Wyatt ruled the fight for him because of one low blow by Fitzsimmons. Wyatt was already a controversial figure. Folks thought he fixed it, did the right thing, or that Sharkey fooled him.

The movies were another boom town. Jack London, the writer, whom Wyatt had met in Alaska introduced him around the movie lots: Charlie Chaplin, Tom Mix, WilliamaS. Hart, John Wayne and famed director, John Ford.

He wanted them to tell his story and they did, fifty-five movies.


Late in life, the Earp's ran low on money. Sadie, whom he was with forty-six years had a rich family that helped them. When he was winner, Wyatt would buy Sadie jewelry. She hocked it to play in backroom poker games in L.A. She was a compulsive gambler and a bad poker player. The old gambler finally went broke, because of his wife.
Johnny:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Bat Masterson the boxing referee?

Best wished,
Mason
Famous Gamblers of the Old West. Quote
03-16-2012 , 03:56 AM
Johnny:

In The Knights of The Green Cloth there's a great story about Wyatt Earp and Ike Morris.

I'll let you tell that one.

Best wished,
Mason
Famous Gamblers of the Old West. Quote
03-16-2012 , 09:59 AM
I think both referred fights. I'm reading Knights of the Green Cloth now, and have Bat's biography by the same author up next. Wyatt had been the referree for bare knuckle fights before the heavy weight fight. Wyatt's role in this was a huge controversy that really dogged him. Bat had bet a bunch of money on Fitzsimmons and Wyatt's decision really hurt him. He made statements to the press defending Wyatt. Late in life, Wyatt was angry at Bat for his lies, and told the press he was not too factual.

The amazing thing about this is that all these guys were famous in their life times, and newspapers wrote up their movements, fights, quotes.

When Ben Thompson had a dispute with, and killed Jack Harris, the San Antonio paper was for Jack, the Austin paper for Ben. Jack barred Ben from his joint after Ben lost $3000 at Faro and was cranky and made threats. Ben had the fanciest joint in Austin and was a boss gambler, known by all. Jack was more of a boss gambler in San Antone, and had the biggest joint the Variety Theatre..sic.. He was also a political force. Ben went to his joint, saw through the window that Jack had a shotgun and was hiding in wait. Ben killed Jack and was acquitted. Later, he insisted on going back to San Antone and the Variety Theatre. He took along a deadly gunfighter, King Fisher. The new owners killed them from ambush, but no investigation was done. The San Antonio and Austin newspapers disagreed on all this.

Bat was a fighting promoter. Wyatt was into horse racing. Several books say Bat only killed one man. I read a book by him, which seems accurate on the others. Damon Runyon was a young reporter working on the same New York newspaper as Bat Masterson. Bat would send him to pawn shops to buy old pistols. Bat would carve notches on them, and sell them as the guns used in famous gunfights.

Demonstrating how an error can grow, several writers said Bat Masterson was Runyon's model for Sky Masterson in the short story that became Guys and Dolls. That was obviously Titanic Thompson, since it was set in later times, involved a big prop bettor, and involved Arnold Rothstein.
Famous Gamblers of the Old West. Quote
03-16-2012 , 10:27 AM
Hey, Mason. Thanks. The Ike Harris story is in several books because it is illustrative of Wyatt Earp's character and style. Here is Bat Masterson telling the story in 1907. I find the Knights of the Green Cloth book very accurate, and he has filtered some of the stories.

Ike Harris was also a gunfighter, faro dealer. In Gunisson, Colorado, Wyatt had a faro bank. Ike accused the dealer of cheating when Wyatt was gone and demanded his money back. Wyatt went to him incredibly calmly, a big part of this story, and told him the dealer admitted cheating (he did not) but Wyatt was keeping Ike's money because people would think Ike made him give it back.
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-earpbymasterson.html

The reason the story is often repeated it that it shows Wyatt's calm, quiet, Type Two personality. Laid back. Speaking in a normal voice when everyone else is very excited. Wyatt did not drink, and all these other guys were drunk. He also had his brothers and, especially Doc Holliday, as backup. Holliday was so loyal to Wyatt that he was ready to kill anyone Wyatt fought with. Wyatt would beat the hell out of people, especially the leaders of the Cowboys, a loose confederation of 200 people who were afraid of Wyatt and Doc.

You want to see the Ike Harris story illustrated? Go to any John Wayne movie. The movie colony, famed directors and stars, were mesmerized by Wyatt Earp, and his quiet self-confidence. Wayne has said he got his walk, talk, attitude from Wyatt Earp. The cowboy stars and big directors admired Earp.

I think Wyatt knew that Ike Harris knew he had not been cheated. He was trying to muscle the joint. Wyatt's main job was to protect the gambling hall and its reputation. The big celebrity gunfighter/gamblers were a huge asset to a gambling house. The Oriental gave Wyatt a quarter of the action when competitors were sending in toughs to scare the crowd. Wyatt, Doc, Ben Thompson, Bat Masterson, and Luke Short were the rock stars of the day. People wanted to gamble against them. They all dealt faro and played poker. Every one of them could go into a boom town and go right to work for the house, but they nearly always got a piece of the play or they'd open a saloon. Nearly all served as lawmen, but for a short time in their lives. They were gamblers all their lives, and saloon owners.

Wyatt would walk through excited crowds, and disperse them or disarm people with guns because of his piercing blue eyes, and the fact he never showed fear in his life. Neither did Doc. Just as he had done with Ike Harris, Wyatt prevented trouble by being so calm and quiet. Wyatt did to the Cowboy leaders just what he did to lynch mobs and Ike Harris. His calmness, reputation, and fierce determination scared anyone with any sense. It was speak softly and carry a big stick. Basically he was saying, be reasonable and accept my position, or me or Doc will kill you. His persona, charisma, and the way he carried himself were rather special.

There is a famous picture of Wyatt at eighty sitting in a chair. One of the western mags has that picture and Clint Eastwood, also eighty, posing in the same attire, pose. I wonder if there is a movie coming about Wyatt's old age?

Last edited by Johnny Hughes; 03-16-2012 at 10:52 AM.
Famous Gamblers of the Old West. Quote
03-16-2012 , 11:04 AM
It is Ike Morris, NOT Ike Harris.
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