Dead Man's Hand-poker

[Jesse Sheidlower]

On Wed, Dec 10, 2003 at 10:27:20PM -0500, Sam Clements wrote:
> Sorry to post this to the general list, when I really only want to call on
> the  help of Barry, Fred, and Jesse.  (Jesse:  I don't have a separate email
> for you).

It's jester at panix.com .

> While I'm not aware of a cite earlier than the Century Dictionary(1909) cite
> in my Mathews,  I'd love to know if there is earlier.  We get this question
> posted over at the Straight Dope repeatedly.  Mighty Cecil, himself, even
> wrote a column on it many years ago.  But NO cites.
>
> Everyone spouts on about Hickock, but no one can cite any evidence.
>
> Questions:  Did the phrase originate about Hickock?  Is there any
> contemporary cite for the cards? (I doubt it.  Why WOULD there be)?
>
> And, Jesse, you don't list this useage in current on-line OED that I've
> found.  Neither does M-W.

There is an entry for it in HDAS, which uses the same Century
quote but dated to the 1908 supplement (I don't know if this
is an error, or the actual date of that supplement, or HDAS's
overly optimistic dating practices). Still haven't discovered
anything earlier. It's unquestionably associated with Hickok
and I have no reason do doubt this. Rosa spends a bit of time
on the subject in his 1974 biography.

I haven't re-checked the databases, though.

Jesse Sheidlower
OED