After getting well of the fever in New Orleans, I took a trip up
the river on one of the Vicksburg packets. On this trip I met a
man by the name of Rollins, who was the first man I ever saw playing
three-card monte. Seeing I was pretty smart, he proposed a
partnership. We commenced depredations on the packets. He did
the playing, and I was the capper. I represented a planter's son
traveling for my health. The first party that we fell on to was
a nigger trader, who had forty-five big black coons on board, taking
them to New Orleans to sell. We found him an easy victim, and
downed him for $4,100 and four of his niggers. We were afraid to
win any more from him on account of a squeal, but he acted very
honorably and made out a bill of sale.
Well, here I was a slave-holder with plenty of money. My partner
was one of the best that I ever worked with, except Canada Bill,
whom I shall speak of later.
We sold our slaves at one of the yards for $4,400; they averaged
$1,100 apiece, and in twenty minutes after I saw one of them put
on the block and bring $1,700. We knocked about the city, spending
our money freely; riding to the lake, eating big suppers with the
girls; and all were friends, for we would not allow any person to
spend a cent, and the flowing champagne was a great luxury in those
days.
The next trip we took was on a Red River packet. We went as far
as Shreveport and back on the same boat; and on the trip, clear of
expenses, we were $6,000 winners, as it was no more trouble to win
$1,000 then than $1 now.
Well, the gamblers began to get a little jealous of us, and at the
same time we lost heavily at their games when we played, as we were
both good suckers at any game except our own. One night one of
them struck my partner, and I jumped in between and told them I
did all the fighting for both; and at it we went, and the result
was I did him up; for I always kept myself in good condition by
using dumb-bells and taking other exercise. When I was twenty-five
years old, I did not think there was a man in the world that could
whip me in a bar-room or on the street.
After I got away with this gambler, they made up their minds that
they would get a man who would make me squeal. We continued working
the boats and making plenty of money, and every time we got out in
the city both of us would lose a big sum of money; and then perhaps
I would have to fight, for they were looking for a man to start a
fuss with me. One night we had been down to the lake and had a
big supper, and we drove up opposite the St. Charles Hotel and went
in. There were about twenty-five gamblers standing in a saloon
called the Jewel. I saw at a glance they were drinking and full;
I also saw two of my men that I had whipped previously. Well, I
could not show the white feather, so I called for a basket of wine
and invited all to join me, when one of the party stepped out into
the middle of the room, took off his coat, and said: "I can whip
any man in the room." I looked around, and saw it was a job to
either kill or whip me. I saw at a glance I had only one friend
in the house; that was Captain Smoker, of the Vicksburg Packet
Company. I knew he could be of no service to me. The door was
locked. I turned to the challenger and said: "I know who you mean
this for," and I untied my cravat. I had a single stone on my
shirt that cost me $2,600. I took off my coat and vest, and handed
them all to the barkeeper. The enemy was a powerfully built man,
six feet and one inch high, and weighed thirty-five pounds more
than myself; at that time I weighed 195 pounds. Well, to tell you
the truth, it was a pretty hard fight; but I got one good lick at
him with my head, and that won the battle for me. It took all the
fight out of him. He said, "That will do." The doors were thrown
open, and in less than a minute there were 1,000 people in there.
We were both arrested and taken to the station-house, or calaboose,
where we gave bail, Captain Smoker going on my bond. While they
were signing our bonds, my opponent made some remark that I did
not like, and I hit him a good crack in the neck and brought him
down on his knees, but they parted us; and the next day, when we
appeared in court, the Judge said he had a notion to fine us $100
apiece for not sending for him, as he wanted to see it himself;
"but I will let you go this time." The man's name was John Mortice,
of Natchez, Miss.
Well, to tell you the truth, I was pretty well used up, but I staid
in my room till I got all right again. We made several successful
trips after that together. At last we parted, and he went to
California, and soon after died. I was then king of the monte men,
and did all of the playing myself. I got a man named Charlie Clark
to do the capping for me, and we made a world of money.
"Eph" Holland, Alexander, and I were coming out of the Red River
one night. The boat was full of people, and a great many were
playing poker. It was 2:30 A. M., when a large and powerful man
rushed out of the ladies' cabin with nothing on but his night-shirt,
and with a large butcher-knife in his hand. He rushed to one of
the tables, where there were seven seated, and before they could
rise he plunged the knife up to the hilt in two of the men. I
jumped up and ran out into the hall, determined to kill him if he
made a break for me; but the Captain hallooed at me, "Don't shoot,
he is a crazy man." He had been brought on board at Alexandria by
his wife, who was taking him to an asylum. He came rushing through
the cabin towards the hall, and I snatched up a big iron poker;
for I made up my mind I would lay him out if he came within reach.
He picked out another man and started for him, and they had it all
around the guards. The poor fellow that he was after was almost
scared to death. I jumped inside of the door, and as he came
brandishing his knife I dealt him a heavy blow on the side of the
head, which brought him down. We then got rope and tied him, and
kept him in that position till the engineer made hand-cuffs for him.