Bucking Against the Tiger

From "Selma; Her Institutions, and Her Men" by John Hardy, pub. 1879:

Games of chance were popular, With few exceptions, everybody would “buck against the tiger,” and in that way, large sums of money would change hands, and in some instances, entire fortunes, The general headquarters of “The tiger,” them days, were upstairs, in a wooden building, occupying the ground now occupied by Heidt’s drug store, Loughridge’s clothing store and Watson’s grocery store, on Broad street called the Alhambra, kept by R. D. Baxter, and Gen. McKeagg, usually assisted by Hatten, Ragland and Pat. McMullen, who was killed in this place by Jas. Hamilton, and a few other subalterns. It is a remarkable fact, that in this rendezvous, “the tiger” always whipped the fight.

It is said “there must be a change in all things.” so it happened to be in regard to the moral condition of affairs in the town of Selma. The Rev. S. M. Nelson, a most talented young preacher, of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, opened his batteries of eloquence against gambling; in his pulpit, on the streets, around the family fireside, did this able man let no opportunity pass, without inflicting a wound against gambling; and, finally, the public sentiment commenced changing. At first the “tiger” was not so public in his operations, than the door was locked to his room, and only favorite friend was admitted, and finally, it was with the greatest difficulty to ascertain the arrival of “the tiger” in town. Rev. Mr. Nelson had an able assistant in his fight against gambling, in the person of Zeak Pickens, a young lawyer of peculiar ability. Mr. Pickens took the field against gambling and the Masons. As he proceeded with his labors, gambling gradually went down, but it proved to be different with the Masons, Lodges were opened in almost every little town in the country, and members rapidly increased. But little, however, was ever said against horse racing; it appeared that it was and innocent amusement, against which, but few had an objection.

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