Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-18

drawing a sharp-polnted stllleto. very
coolly presented it 10 Captaia Hunt, ask
ing him 10 prick his arm till the blood
come; then, handing him pen, requested
him 10 catch a drop of blood upon the
point and write his signature to the above
oath. Captain Hunt very reluctantly COM
piled, signing his name in full,
tTitteR NTH his Oua blood The Mag
istrate, Mr. Samuel Roboliet. Col.
Moses d. Ferguson, Capt. Joseph II. Par
ker, and myself, then witnessed it, and
Capt Tolbert, sealing il up, handed it to
Mr.. Reboliet, requesting him to pat il in
place of safety, and deliver it to no person
save himself The Magistrate then drew
up the following article of agreement: 1--WE,
the undersigned, being equal participants
in the question at issue, do hereby bind
ourselves to deposit two thousand pounds
sterling $4,000 each in the hands of the
President of the Bank of Bombay, in the
city of Bombay, British India, this the 21st
day of March, 1867, the aforesaid sum
total Of four thousand pounds to be held
by said President of said bank till the ex-
piration Of ninety days, to be Subject at
sueh time - the order of ssititeE sae 81 the
two parties whose signatures are hereto af-
fixed" (Signed) w. Martin Tolbert,
Chas. Newton Hunt. Done before me, at
my office in the city of Bombay, this the
the 21st day of March, in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and
sixty seven. (Signed) Samuel Reboliei,
Notary Public" Two duplicates of the
above agreement were drawn off, signed,
and one delivered to each of the Captains,
the original being held by the Magistrate.
The costs having been paid, ETC., we pro-
ceeded to a Tefreshment saloon, and, after
partaking of a sumptuous repast at the ex-
pense of Captain Tolbert, our party dis
persed to arrange the preliminaries Of the
bet, making an appointment at the Royal
Exchange at p. M.
Col. Parker, Col Ferguson, and myself
were on the ground promptly at the ap-
pointed hour. and found Tolbert already
there. Hunt arrived about fifteen minutes
later, and thence we all proceeded to the
Bank of Bombay, where the two Captains
deposited Bank of England notes TO the
amount OF two Thousand pounds each, and
received bank certificates therefor, payable
at ninety days sight, with the understand
ing expressed in writing that the whole
amount should be paid TO either party on the
L
A few days after this the papers an
nounced that the ship Bird of the Ocean,"
Tolbert master, had sailed for Colombo,
Ceylon. Meeting Capt. Parker the same
evening" | inquired if Capt. Hunt had
gone. Yes" he replied, he went as
passenger in the Bird of the Ocean, and
left his first mate in charge Of the Loyal
till his return. He told me he would be
back in about six weeks, and appeared
quite jubilant over his big bet; said he felt
confident of winning, as he believed Tolbert
was only blower and was determined
to bluff him that he still felt sure Booth
was not alive, and when he found out where
the hoax was he would expose it."
told Parker was fearful Hunt would lose
his money; that it did not seem reasonable
that Toibert would recklessly bet SO large
sum on an uncertainty, and that he must
remember he won ia Calcutta.
Nothing was heard of the ship for seven
weeks, when it was announced by telegraph
that the Bird Of the Ocean" had arrived
at Madras. On the following day Captain
Parker received a telegram in these words
haze lost The man Booth IS actually
aiiUe l should have been at Bombay ere
this, but we have encountered heavy
weather. Shall be there soon.-Chas. New
ton Hunt"
Neither of the parties can reach here for
some time to come. When they do arrive
there will be considerable excitement, in
their immediate circles of acquaintance
Mt least. Thus, it sesms, has Captain w.
Martin Iolbert won iinoshef large sam o.
money upon this most mysterious Of all
the mysteries Of the nineteenth century,
leaving no doubt in the mind of any think
ing person that j. Wilkes Booth is alive.
l have given you the full details of this
strange affair, so far as | know, and will
write you again as soon as Captain Hunt
returns, if ] gain any further particulars as
to how he lost the wager.
| still remain your sincere friend,
WILLIAM A. FRAZER. +, Rs.