The Grave of Gambler Joseph “Neversmile” Harrington in Metairie Cemetery
JOSEPH “NEVERSMILE” HARRINGTON
On July 21, 1924 Joseph Harrington was returning home in his shiny new Buick Roadster, purchased only ten days before, from a successful night of craps and card playing when he was gunned down on the corner of Louisiana and Constance Street – just a couple of blocks from his house.
Harrington was found slumped over the wheel of his car while it was still running with a lip split and $1304.04 on his body. $250 of it was in his pocket but the majority was tucked away in a secret pocket on the inside of the breast of his shirt next to his undershirt known was a “gambler’s pocket” so it wouldn’t be picked.
The first line of the States newspaper article reporting his death was simply – They got Joe Neversmile.
Neversmile was nicknamed as such for his uncanny ability to read his hand without looking up and never revealing the slightest hint with a twitch of face, or a raise of an eyebrow to the hand he held. It was also said he could make the dice “behave.”
Neversmile’s widow Bertha was brought to police station to view the body. She collapsed and was taken home where she refused to see visitors. After his murder, Bertha received threats that the police took so seriously that they assigned a guard detail to watch her house at night. Despite numerous clues, police were baffled by the murder – unsure if it was someone who followed him from the dice game or who had a vendetta against him. Frustrated, his Bertha offered a reward of $500.
Neversmile’s murder remain unsolved.
But that is just one mystery to Neversmile’s death.
The day after his death, Harrington was placed in a receiving vault. Bertha selected a design from Albert Weiblen for his tomb. Bertha chose this massive tomb featuring a seated bronze female figure laying a spray of roses on one side of the doorway. A judge passing on the succession of Harrington refused to approve the expenditure for the tomb saying it was out of proportion to the assets of Neversmile’s estate. But Bertha was determined and Weiblen went forth with transaction. When it was completed – Bertha paid Weiblen all in cash – in denominations of 20s and 100s. Not that much of a mystery where the money came from, but a little mystery nevertheless!
Bertha remarried Jacob Kombar and died in 1956 but was buried in the tomb she built for Neversmile. On the tomb it reads: What Love Hath United, Death Cannot Separate.
Neversmile is buried in Metairie Cemetery and visitors today still leave change on Neversmile’s tombs in honor of the stoic gambler.
