The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-12-01
Americas Plunger.

Now 1Ork sun.
Mr.. F. Theodore Walton, whose betting ex
ploits in England have gained him world wide
fame as the American Plunger," strobe int
the St. James Hotel, of which he is the pro
prietor, last night, an hour after the steam
ship Germanic brought him into port. He re-
tired to private room. but soon emerged, ant
was occupied with handshaking Although
he said the ship was day overdue, and that
for five days passengers could not go on deck al
all, he looked as fresh and well as his friends
had ever seen him He is about the average
height and of stout build He has large
frank face, blue eyes, and big blond nous
tache, and looks ten years younger than he
is. He is probably at the middle age. Las
nighthe was well but plainly dressed, and
his clothes set on him as clothes are apt to sci
ON rounded figure, and on a man who, like
Mr.. Walton, appears not to trouble himself
about them
Mr.. Walton, what is a'plunger?" was
the first question an interviewer put to him.
"Plunger, said he, sis an English express
sion applied toa man who lays down large
'e3AAA' VI AAOdNs Al oPoleiA1S ahdllo. CDDlC
don't bet in England as they do here They
bet small sums. suppose the average bets OF
wealthy English people are ESQ and f100.-
There are only two Or three persons there who
bet as high as fl 900, and bet many thous-
ands Of pounds on single event"
WAS the word 'plunger' invented to suit
your performances, or are you not the first
man who ever bore that title ?"
ooh, no." Mr.. Walton said there have been
other plungers. There's the Marquis of Hast
ings, you know
IF it is fair question, how much English
money did you win 2"
Il won f93 900 or about $465 900. | won
f75 900 on Foxhall alone, in three races-the
Grand Duke Michael the Czarewitch and the
Cambridgeshire. / won $4,000 on lroquos on
the St. Leger, but lost Ga, 900 on him in the
Championship for all ages race, won by Bend
Or lost and won at "a great many odd races,
which squared one another outside of my
principal winnings. | won f10,400 on Roth
childs's mare Nellie at Newmarket and won
on two of Sir John Astley's horses-f5, 0G0 on
Leghorn and "a, 700 on his Medicus after the
tiff he had with me-"
did you go over there expecting to be the
'plunger' that you became ?"
Not at all. was oyer there in the Spring
and l came home and stayed here about two
months. | bet while was here and won
about $50 900. / went back because | vas
subject to hay fever, and incidentally, while
was in England, put down some money on
the races-that was all 1t has been stated
that l am an adept at cards. | am not
| am simply business man, and | do
not want my outside operations of this kind
heralded about any more than any other man.
I speak of them now because they have been
common topic, and they may as will be put
straight. In England | was alone in whatever
did, and acted on my best Judgment 1t is
not true that | always bet on American horses
as YOU have seen in the instances have men
toned | put my money on the American
horses only when thought they could win.
ned to keep thoroughly posted about the
yes, and bet accordingly.
=. my betting entirely with the bookma-
- there the bookmakers are very
are the hawks and the public are
They did not like me because
aicken. | was hawk among
upset their calculations. Then.
\puld not understand how any
own such sums Of money. -
\ed to it,"