In decades past when you saw references to "aces and eights" (two black 1's and two black 8's), it was often the sign of an intelligence operation. This was called "the dead man's hand," allegedly the poker hand 'Wild Bill' Hickok was holding when he was killed in 1876. In 1886, the Daily Herald of Grand Forks, Dakota Territory referred to the hand Hickock was holding as consisting of three jacks and a pair of tens. Use of Hickok and the story of his "dead man's hand" of aces and eights didn’t come about until a book about Hickok in 1926. The book was written by a character named Frank J. Wilstach, a "promoter" of all kinds of things, and who was a very interesting person as well. . .

"Aces and eights" was and is a spooky reference and homage to William "Wild Bill" Donovan. It's not being used as much today because it got so overused in popular culture. There is a new numerical marker popular today, but 1s and 8s are still used old school.

https://upswingpoker.com/dead-mans-hand-poker-aces-eights/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._Donovan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_J._Wilstach



Charlie was a great-nephew of French Emperor Napoleon. That's another story.