Three-card monte: Dia Vernon and Soapy Smith

Three-card monte

Today's video is of magician Dai Vernon explaining three-card monte, the short con used by Soap Gang members, Bowers, Triplett, and Foster to rob the gold poke of John Stewart, which resulted in Soapy Smith's death.

Dai Vernon was a huge fan of Soapy. In fact, Dai came to visit my father, John Randolph "Randy" Smith in Anaheim, California in the 1980s. Dai Vernon and the Magic Castle in Hollywood now holds an annual Soapy Smith night honoring the date of Soapy's death.

THREE-CARD MONTE

Play an honest version of three-card monte

Click to play

April 12, 2011, January 4, 2009 

Three-card monte: pages 8, 10, 15, 27, 51, 53-55, 59, 69, 75, 80, 91, 121, 141, 248, 360, 467, 472, 526.

Jeff Smith

SALE ENDS DECEMBER 31, 2011

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