Poker Games in Carlisle’s Court House

Frederick A. Harris and Reverend Joseph Martin carried on a correspondence of reminiscences about Carlisle in the 1850s and 60s. Their letters were published in the American Volunteer newspaper in the 1890s. Recalling some of the religious meetings, court house characters and legal goings on in the court house, Harris also wrote about the poker games there.^[1]

“The little poker games that used to be played in some of the offices in the court house in those days got quite exciting at times. The stakes didn’t amount to much but one night in one of the offices looking out on the hotel alley, the hotel then kept by John Hannon,^[2] there was a most exciting time. The shutters were closed, the door locked and no one could peer into that quiet recess, where only wills and other things were supposed to be kept, or a record of them, when the jack pot, which had grown to big dimensions, got to be a subject of discussion among the players. A gentleman from Newville was interested in that jack pot and wanted it whether or no, but he didn’t have the hand to pull it in and then he got mad. A fight ensued but with the exception of a black eye, the thing ended there, and the official walked off with the jack pot. These people had been honored by their fellow citizens and were making good use of their time and salaries. Lawyers sometimes took a hand in these little sociable games, and I suppose when they arrived home in the early hours of morning they would have a great tale of clientage to tell their wives. Thus you will readily perceive, Joe, that there were other meetings held in the court house besides religious ones and legal ones."