Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-03-19
The Moore and Cover Bet The Litiga-
ton and Verdict Of Jury for Defend

The Moore and Cover Bet The Litiga-
ton and Verdict Of Jury for Defend
ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF MOORE, DUNN HpsHNELL roR
DEFENDANT COVER, BARBER HAMILTON.
At the Presidential election of 1864,
every honorable turn was taken to
procure votes for the candidates, Lin
coin and Mcclellan. And some turns
were taken not perhaps clearly hons
orable, especially in the minds Of
strictly good people. In the latter
class of means we must include bets
ting on election results, for though
the writer hereof made wager at
that election, on behalf cause, as he
believed, the most patriotic and holy
that was ever presented at any cleo
ton, he yet does not undertake to de-
fond such action as strictly right in
any sense. Betting may be bad
means Of affecting good ends, to make
the best oft. But there is injustice
continually in betting, and nothing
to answer good conscience.
| There may be honorable actions
connected with betting, or rather ac-
tions which indicate honorable prop
critics in the character Of men. But
SO there may be honorable actions
connected with any other evil prac~.
tice.
The better public opinion properly
condemns betting as immoral. But
the almost unanimous public mind
recognises certain conduct as honor
able among betting men, and certain
conduct as being dishonorable.
| The laws however, very properly
pay no respect to the code Of honor
in betting transactions. They are rs
stringent antipodes to the winner as
to the loser, and even provide that
the loser who honorably pays bis
wager may commence suit for the
recovery against either the winner
or the stakeholder. In the case we
are about to notice suit was enters
tanned against the stakeholder.
| In the betting case. alluded to
wherein Hugh A. Moore was the
plaintiff and j. G. Holloway defend
ant, the responsible defendant, how~
ever, beingJ. G. Cover, the following
were the stated written conditions :
"The subscribers make bet this
day, as follows:
| Cover bets that if Lincoln is elected
the war will be closed-and called in
u closed condition in bounds Of one
year from this time; also, that the
union will be saved and not divided
these points essentially conceded on
all hands, that thereafter it will not
be deemed necessary for the union
government to raise and send more
soldiers to fight the rebels"
[sTAMP J. G. Cover,
III. A. MOORE.
Nov. 8, 1864.
Whereupon, the subscribing par>
ties put up each 800 in the hands Of
Mr.. Holloway. But Mr.. Moore not
having the money with him, Cover
offered to lend and did lend HIM the
sum re luired on his side-t taking Mr..
Moore's note therefor, payable to
Holloway or order one year from
date, with interest.
The 5000, with the betting oondi>
tons above, and Moore's note were
all left with Holloway.
It will be remembered the bottom
Of the rebel confederacy fell out the
following April-Sherman and Grant
having Quilted the concern and scat
tered the rebel armies. Of course
the bet was won by Cover, as within
FIVE or six months after the election
the war closed and everybody said
so the Union was saved altogether,
and thereafter no men were raised to
fight rebels-all Of which were SO
palpably true that in June thereafter
Mr.. Holloway did not hesitate about
surrendering the money at stake to
| Cover.
Mr.. Moore's note for the 500 bor>
rowed Of Cover was unquestionably
| the property Of tLeiatter. This note
Cover sold to Augustine & McCarn,
Platteville, for it's face, and Mr.. Moore
could not otherwise than pay it.
But Mr.. Moore found this to quib~
| BILE about, and had he not found this
lie doubtless would have looked up
something else. for it is more than
probable he never meant to pay it,
or, if paying, ssto apply the statute
remedy for recovering Mr.. Hollo-
way had neglected to consult Mr.:
Moore upon the matter OF giving up
| the stakes to Cover. Holloway's
plea was that he deemed the bet SO
clearly won by Cover that il was un-
necessary to consult any one-or
rather that he didn't wish to hazard
his name for common sense by con-
sultation which would have shown
himself as doubling fact which none
! but asses could doubt.
| Mr. Moore next sought for rene \
dy ~in the laws, and he found the
statutes clear enough in his favor, al
! though at the time OF the betting he
and Cover agreed before W illnesses to
waive all bubbles and laws and the
losing party to pay as in duty bound.
Most singular to relate Mr.. Moore,
in making out his SWORN complaint,
lost track Of the fact that he put up
his money against Covers money,