They have a signal service on board the vessels running from New
Orleans to other points on the gulf, by which they can notify those
on shore what is wanted some time before the vessel reaches the
landing. If they run up the police flag, there will be twenty or
more police at the wharf when the vessel arrives. We would play
one vessel out to some point of landing, and then wait for another
to bring us back. We had played a boat over to Mobile at one time,
and was on our way back, when we got a fellow down in a game of
euchre. Several times during the progress of the game, remarks
had been made about good poker hands, so I ran the gentleman up
the old hand of four queens and an ace. He picked it up and said,
"I have a poker hand." I turned my head to spit, and in doing so
I purposely exposed (or tipped) my hand so he caught a glimpse of
it. I then said "How much will you bet?" He replied, "Fifty
dollars." I then raised him $100. My partner said, "Gentlemen,
as this is a game of bluff, I will raise you $1,000." I threw down
my hand, remarking, "I started in to bluff you out; but you fellows
are too much for me." The gentleman then said, "You can't bluff
me; I will call the bet." They showed down, but the fellow's four
queens and an ace were not enough, for my partner had four large
live kings, and he took down the money.
The fellow got up and raised a h--l of a kick, and finally, when
he saw he could get nothing back, he went to the Captain and told
him we had stolen his money. The Captain was a stranger to me, so
I could do nothing with him. He ordered the police flag to be run
up, and then we knew we would be arrested when we reached New
Orleans. I did not fear the result if we could get rid of our
money, but I did not want the fellow to get a chance at that. I
commenced looking around, and soon found a friend I could trust,
so I gave him all the money my partner and I had, and then I did
not care how quick they nabbed me. When we started off the boat,
we were met by about twenty police. The kicker was there, and when
he saw us he pointed me out and said, "There is one of them." The
officers laughed when they saw us, for they knew me. We got into
a cab and went up to the court, which was then in session. They
searched us, but only found a few dollars. I employed a lawyer,
and in about ten minutes we were free; but if we had not got away
with the stuff we would have had more trouble, as he was ready to
replevy. After being released we started out to find our friend,
and when we got our money we had more wine than was good for our
heads. I have often seen the police flag run up, but always managed
someway to keep from giving up the boodle. If I could find no
friend to trust it with before we landed, I would find one in the
officers or the cab boys, and not one of then ever went back on me.