National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-09-06
ELECTION BETTING.
Tho Way the Tide is Setting In Out
in CnIirornia-Democra Doing Very
Little Gambling This Year.

"You've come to the right place TO find
out about election betting" said the pro-
priotor of noted resort for politicians on
Montgomery street as he loaned over the
bar. "What, soda wator2 You're the
most temperate newspaper man l ever
run against. About betting; let's see. i
can only think of n few small bets Just
now. 1t isn't anything tho way it was
here four years ago. Why at this stage
of the campaign then there was fully
$4,000 bet back and forth in this place
alone. don't think would bo safe in
saying there was $4,000 up now. Yes
I'm a betting man had up over $1,000 in
different bets on this state, New York,
Indiana, the general result, and one on
Louisiana, four years ago. Amt betting
q - cent this year and don't intend to.
YOU'RE a democrat, then ?" ventured
the reporter.
swell, amt a black republican by
long chalk"
What reason do you give for the lack
OF pluck in betting circlesp"
zone reason is this. The party man
ayers have quietly told the boys that
there isn't any money 10 be wasted on
betting this year. It's all needed to make
votes. You know good deal of this
betting money in former years has come
from tho bosses, who had raked IL in on
assessments, and wanted to make big
bluff for their candidates"
"Can you mention any heavy wagers
made thus far on the presidential cleo
tionp
81 could mention few, as | said DO.
fore, but that would DO q breach Of conf
dence. You see the boys lny low. so as
not to BIO challenged at the polls. A
prominent republican druggist has closed
bet with democratic saloon keeper of
81, 900 to $1,000in favor of Blaine. know
of three or four other bets with about the
same odds, though of smaller amounts.
None OF Buckley's boys have made any
big bets, though / understand that s., 700
was given to Tom Morrell to bet against
Jack Duncan's $1,000. Morrell betting
that Cleveland would carry the state. 1t
would be q - wild bet If it wasn't a
bluff to gain confidence for the party"
The reporter then went to the demo-
cratic county committee rooms, where, in
| long talk with some of the members, il
was found that there has becn great
deal of talk about betting on Cleveland to
carry California, but no actual wagers
| have boon made.
At the republican county committee
rooms it was learned that only one or
two bets Of any consequence had been
| recorded. 1t is intended to challenge
all known betters at the polls on election
day. A member of the committee said
that two Oakland saloon keepers had
agreed to wager $1,000 each on the gen.
eral result in November, but the man who
had bet on Cleveland left $50 forfeit in
the hands Of the stakeholder and with
drew.
At democratic headquarters in the
Alhambra building the reporter was told
that Billy Emerson, with his character
istic recklessness in money matters, had
offered to bet $1,000 to 81, 500 that Cali
fornia would go democratic this fall.
lie did not have to go around tho block
before he mot his man in Bill Higgins,
who snapped him up before he had time
to wink.
At the Dirigo club all the betting mon
complained that they could not get any
wagers, even at large odds, though they
had been frequently offered to democrats
who on former occasions have shown
great speculative wisdom by accepting
odds, to BIO negotiated at discount, with
some still more eager and less cautious
bourbons.
At the Bohemian club all the members
interviewed said the Blaine men could
not make bets, though they had offered
to wager two to one for any amount de-
sired.
At the Pacific club there has been some
betting of three to one and even higher
odds against the veto candidate for pres
ident.
| On the whole it is fair to assume, If
current talk can be taken for anything,
that the betting democrats are not out
in very full force this year and it is even
limited hat some of them have very
quietly undertaken to make wagers with
their brethren on tho success Of the
Plumed knight.