"There goes one of the most remarkable men in the country," said
a well-known gentleman standing in front of the Gibson House
yesterday. The person referred to was a stoutly-built, sandy-
whiskered individual of medium size. He is well known to most men
about town, and his exploits on Southern rivers might fill a book.
It was George H. Devol. "I have known him for thirty-eight years,"
the gentleman continued, "my acquaintance with him having been
strictly in the South. Do you know that physically he was for
years one of the best men we had down there?"
"No. Never heard that George was a fighter," added the reporter
somewhat surprised.
"Well, he was, and as good as they made them, too. I never saw
him take water in my life, and personally I know that for nineteen
years they tried to find a man to whip him. They couldn't do it.
He was a terrible rough-and-tumble fighter, and many a tough citizen
have I seen him do up. George was a great 'butter.' He could use
his head with terrible effect. One night at New Orleans a stevedore
tackled him. It was a set-up job. The stevedore was a much larger
man, but George got the best of it. During the fight the stevedore's
friends stood over George with drawn pistols, threatening to kill
him should he do any butting. He can kill any man living, white
or black, by butting him. Although over fifty years of age, I
don't believe there is a man living who can whip him. New Orleans
sporting men will go broke on that."
"He made considerable money in the South, didn't he?"
"Yes, he has won more money than any sporting man in the country.
He had the privileges for years on all boats on the Southern
Mississippi. When Ben Butler took possession of New Orleans he
confiscated all of George's horses and sent him to jail. That
little affair cost George just $50,000. He retaliated, however,
for he had not been released two weeks until he beat one of the
General's paymasters out of $19,000. It was on the Red River. I
see he has settled down and quit sporting, and I am glad of it.
Had he never seen a faro bank he would have been an immensely
wealthy man thirty years ago. One night before the war I saw him
lose $13,000 at one sitting. He left the table without enough
money with which to buy a cup of coffee."--_The Cincinnati
Enquirer_.