A Veteran Sporting Man Goes to His Reward.
Dallas, Tex., Jan. 11 - (Special) - William S. Brown died yesterday afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Small, in East Dallas, of Bright's disease, after prolonged suffering.
The deceased was 57 years old, and was born in the state of Indiana. He was a professional gambler and known throughout the United States as one of the squarest and biggest hearted of men. He gave all sports a square deal, and never failed to respond to an appeal for charity or the help of an unfortunate brother.
Brown made a fortune in Memphis, Tennessee, where he ran the "Big 44" on Monroe street, which was famous twenty-five years ago for its oriental splendor. He was the inventor of the game of "peco," which has largely taken the place of keno, from which it differs by using the names of the common playing cards instead of the numerals. In addition to his gambling house in Memphis, he ran a lottery and had three drawings per day. This lottery was a Klondike as a money maker. But yellow jack ruined Memphis for several years and Brown pulled out, going to Pittsburgh, Pa., where he became the business partner of Frank Herdie in the pool selling business, operating on all the tracks of the country. In 1880 he opened a gorgeous house in Little Rock, Ark., with Angelo Marie as his partner. From Little Rock he removed to Texarkana, at that time one of the swiftest towns on the border. At Texarkana he made all kinds of money. He came to Dallas eight or nine years ago.
The deceased was a man of good mind. An omniverous reader, great traveler, and gifted talker, he could always get an interested audience when he was disposed to talk. There were two things he especially prided himself on, to-wit, dressing in the latest fashion and taking in all the prize fights.
Brown, like all other mortals, had his virtues and his vices. He made a great deal of money, and gave much to relieve persons in distress and to help along the struggling and unfortunate. He was in a business that is called questionable, or that was once called questionable, but which by the side of many of the gigantic business enterprises of the present day, may be called old foggyishly straightlaced in its methods of fairness.
The remains were this morning shipped to Lafayette, Indiana, for interment."
Dallas Special to the Waco Times Herald (McLennan County, Tx) January, 1898.
Update shared by Gina Townley Swinburn
Dallas, Tex., Jan. 11 - (Special) - William S. Brown died yesterday afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Small, in East Dallas, of Bright's disease, after prolonged suffering.
The deceased was 57 years old, and was born in the state of Indiana. He was a professional gambler and known throughout the United States as one of the squarest and biggest hearted of men. He gave all sports a square deal, and never failed to respond to an appeal for charity or the help of an unfortunate brother.
Brown made a fortune in Memphis, Tennessee, where he ran the "Big 44" on Monroe street, which was famous twenty-five years ago for its oriental splendor. He was the inventor of the game of "peco," which has largely taken the place of keno, from which it differs by using the names of the common playing cards instead of the numerals. In addition to his gambling house in Memphis, he ran a lottery and had three drawings per day. This lottery was a Klondike as a money maker. But yellow jack ruined Memphis for several years and Brown pulled out, going to Pittsburgh, Pa., where he became the business partner of Frank Herdie in the pool selling business, operating on all the tracks of the country. In 1880 he opened a gorgeous house in Little Rock, Ark., with Angelo Marie as his partner. From Little Rock he removed to Texarkana, at that time one of the swiftest towns on the border. At Texarkana he made all kinds of money. He came to Dallas eight or nine years ago.
The deceased was a man of good mind. An omniverous reader, great traveler, and gifted talker, he could always get an interested audience when he was disposed to talk. There were two things he especially prided himself on, to-wit, dressing in the latest fashion and taking in all the prize fights.
Brown, like all other mortals, had his virtues and his vices. He made a great deal of money, and gave much to relieve persons in distress and to help along the struggling and unfortunate. He was in a business that is called questionable, or that was once called questionable, but which by the side of many of the gigantic business enterprises of the present day, may be called old foggyishly straightlaced in its methods of fairness.
The remains were this morning shipped to Lafayette, Indiana, for interment."
Dallas Special to the Waco Times Herald (McLennan County, Tx) January, 1898.
Update shared by Gina Townley Swinburn
A Veteran Sporting Man Goes to His Reward.
Dallas, Tex., Jan. 11 - (Special) - William S. Brown died yesterday afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Small, in East Dallas, of Bright's disease, after prolonged suffering.
The deceased was 57 years old, and was born in the state of Indiana. He was a professional gambler and known throughout the United States as one of the squarest and biggest hearted of men. He gave all sports a square deal, and never failed to respond to an appeal for charity or the help of an unfortunate brother.
Brown made a fortune in Memphis, Tennessee, where he ran the "Big 44" on Monroe street, which was famous twenty-five years ago for its oriental splendor. He was the inventor of the game of "peco," which has largely taken the place of keno, from which it differs by using the names of the common playing cards instead of the numerals. In addition to his gambling house in Memphis, he ran a lottery and had three drawings per day. This lottery was a Klondike as a money maker. But yellow jack ruined Memphis for several years and Brown pulled out, going to Pittsburgh, Pa., where he became the business partner of Frank Herdie in the pool selling business, operating on all the tracks of the country. In 1880 he opened a gorgeous house in Little Rock, Ark., with Angelo Marie as his partner. From Little Rock he removed to Texarkana, at that time one of the swiftest towns on the border. At Texarkana he made all kinds of money. He came to Dallas eight or nine years ago.
The deceased was a man of good mind. An omniverous reader, great traveler, and gifted talker, he could always get an interested audience when he was disposed to talk. There were two things he especially prided himself on, to-wit, dressing in the latest fashion and taking in all the prize fights.
Brown, like all other mortals, had his virtues and his vices. He made a great deal of money, and gave much to relieve persons in distress and to help along the struggling and unfortunate. He was in a business that is called questionable, or that was once called questionable, but which by the side of many of the gigantic business enterprises of the present day, may be called old foggyishly straightlaced in its methods of fairness.
The remains were this morning shipped to Lafayette, Indiana, for interment."
Dallas Special to the Waco Times Herald (McLennan County, Tx) January, 1898.
Update shared by Gina Townley Swinburn
Dallas, Tex., Jan. 11 - (Special) - William S. Brown died yesterday afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Small, in East Dallas, of Bright's disease, after prolonged suffering.
The deceased was 57 years old, and was born in the state of Indiana. He was a professional gambler and known throughout the United States as one of the squarest and biggest hearted of men. He gave all sports a square deal, and never failed to respond to an appeal for charity or the help of an unfortunate brother.
Brown made a fortune in Memphis, Tennessee, where he ran the "Big 44" on Monroe street, which was famous twenty-five years ago for its oriental splendor. He was the inventor of the game of "peco," which has largely taken the place of keno, from which it differs by using the names of the common playing cards instead of the numerals. In addition to his gambling house in Memphis, he ran a lottery and had three drawings per day. This lottery was a Klondike as a money maker. But yellow jack ruined Memphis for several years and Brown pulled out, going to Pittsburgh, Pa., where he became the business partner of Frank Herdie in the pool selling business, operating on all the tracks of the country. In 1880 he opened a gorgeous house in Little Rock, Ark., with Angelo Marie as his partner. From Little Rock he removed to Texarkana, at that time one of the swiftest towns on the border. At Texarkana he made all kinds of money. He came to Dallas eight or nine years ago.
The deceased was a man of good mind. An omniverous reader, great traveler, and gifted talker, he could always get an interested audience when he was disposed to talk. There were two things he especially prided himself on, to-wit, dressing in the latest fashion and taking in all the prize fights.
Brown, like all other mortals, had his virtues and his vices. He made a great deal of money, and gave much to relieve persons in distress and to help along the struggling and unfortunate. He was in a business that is called questionable, or that was once called questionable, but which by the side of many of the gigantic business enterprises of the present day, may be called old foggyishly straightlaced in its methods of fairness.
The remains were this morning shipped to Lafayette, Indiana, for interment."
Dallas Special to the Waco Times Herald (McLennan County, Tx) January, 1898.
Update shared by Gina Townley Swinburn
Gravesite Details
age 54. Born in Hamilton, Ohio. Died in Dallas, Texas. Son of George Brown. Lot owner, George S. Brown.
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