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Cadiz, Tony

Saloon owner of the Golden Nugget in Deadwood, Dakota Territory[1] in 1877[2] and husband to Coral Stacey[1] (October 22, 1843 – June 30, 1924)[2]

Cadiz worked as a dealer at the Saint-Cyr Casino in New Orleans in 1873, where he met Coral Stacey. They partnered together, using each other's powers of persuasion and confidence to bilk casino patrons out of extra cash. Their partnership was successful enough that they decided to make it permanent. They were married on July 5, 1874.[2]

In early 1876, Cadiz heard of the gold strike in Deadwood Gulch and decided he and Coral should set up their own casino in the new mining camp of Deadwood. They arrived in Deadwood in early June and set up their operation, the Golden Nugget, in a tent. By early July, the were able to celebrate their second anniversary in the Golden Nugget's permanent structure on Main Street.[2]

Cadiz met Madame Pompey that same month. Pompey was looking for a saloon in which to operate her stable of female entertainers and Cadiz was open to a partnership, believing her girls would draw in more business from his competitors. It wasn't long before Cadiz realized Pompey did not trust him. Their relationship became contentious, but the business arrangement proved profitable for them both.[2]

As the Golden Nugget brought Cadiz a new-found wealth, he began to give some of his money away to other influential Deadwood business owners. In so doing, he built a strong alliance on which he could count if he ever needed support.[1] However, his allies were in business only, as his often underhanded dealings made him trustworthy only as long as he had money to back up his dealings.[2]

In March of 1877, as competition in the Deadwood saloons grew more fierce, Cadiz began looking for a new attraction that could generate higher revenue. He left the operation of the Golden Nugget to his trusted cashier, Jack Blair, while he and Coral traveled to St. Louis on a talent expedition.[2] There, they met Dandy Jim Buckley. Recognizing him as a card sharp, they decided to set him up for a robbery and stole $7,000, leaving Buckley broke and stranded.[1]

While in St. Louis, Cadiz heard of an undefeated pugilist, Battling Kreuger. In April, he and Coral traveled up the Missouri River to Council Bluffs to see Kreuger fight.[2] Impressed, Cadiz hired Kreuger as a featured draw for the Golden Nugget and as his personal bodyguard.[1]

After boarding the Dakota Queen[1] in Omaha, bound for Fort Pierre,[2] Cadiz and Coral met Bret Maverick on his way to Deadwood. He lost over $4,000 to Bret in an embarrassing poker game. Coral approached Bret on deck after the game and offered to partner with him in Deadwood, but before Bret could answer, he was sucker-punched by Kreuger and knocked out. Cadiz and Coral robbed him of his money and had Kreuger throw him overboard.[1]

Once back in Deadwood, Kreuger proved to be a veritable gold mine for the Golden Nugget. Cadiz offered two-to-one odds for any challenger that could stand against Kreuger for ten rounds. Kreuger remained undefeated until May, when Bret Maverick arrived in Deadwood and, having studied Kreuger's fighting technique, was able to beat him by attacking his weak belly. Cadiz and Coral had put up all their assets, including the Golden Nugget itself, and lost it all. With no money left to his name, Cadiz's Deadwood allies would not come to his aid, and he and Coral left Deadwood to start again elsewhere.[1]

See: Stampede