Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-02
CURIOUS WAGERS.
Remarkable Bets of Men
of Prominence.
FORTUNES LOST AND WON.
An Occasion Where a Silk Hat
Cost Hundreds of valu-
able Lives.

as to support these opinions, will make
wagers that seemingly have very
moderate chance of success. Others
again are actuated by spirit of devil
try and make wagers that apparently
are impossibilities and attempt to wir
them either by dash or readiness
Others again have had the scheme
fully made up in their minds before
the wager was made. Some wagers
stand out from the general run very
distinctly.
Lord Charles Beresford, of Condor
fame, WAS once dining with some
friends in London, and the converse
ton turned on Rotten Row. Nov
Rotten Row is confined to equestrians
only, and such a thing as driving
down the row never occurred to any
one until the reckless Irishman Offered
to wager e100 he would drive dowr
the row at II O'Clock the following
day and at that hour punctually woulC
speak to his friends from tn,
box-seat and claim the wager
At the given place and hou
the friends we're all assembled. Hun
dreds of riders passed by, but no
sign of Lord Charles. At a few
minutes before midday the waterinl
cart, which was sprinkling the row
turned around, and as it passed the
group Of friends the driver turned
the water on with such force that f
splashed all over them. A volley O
objurgations was fred after him ans
he meekly responded: "Ill take 10(
sovs, please Lord Charles had
given the waterman a "fver" to
change places and clothes, and thus
won his bet.
Captain Candy, once bosom friend
of James Gordon Bennett, was with a
party of friends dining at North
Lodge, Melton, England. The con
versation fell on the subject of clever
horses and "Bill" Candy wagered he
had pony that would 60 up stairs
and down. The pony was sent for
and very readily walked up stairs.
Down. however, he declined to come,
and he would probably have been
there now if they had not pulled out a
window and by means Of pulley and
tackle lowered the pony to the ground.
CAPTAIN Candy paid his wager.
A certain captain in the English
army, by name OF Kay, was noted
for his extraordinary wagers and from
the fact that the more improbable the
wager, the more certain he was oi
winning it. When in India brother
officer watched him counting row Of
posts outside the mess bungalow
and thinking some wager was
intended, sailed out and dug up
one of the posts. That night
at mess Kay got the converse.
ton on those posts and wagered that
there were seventeen. The wager
YVES made and an adjournment show ed
that sixteen was the number. Kay
yearned to retrieve his loss and get
even with his opponents. He wagered
the officer who had beaten him on
posts that he could not run to a GER
tain spot in the mountains, distant
two miles, and back in an hour. The
only way to reach this spot was by a
NARROW, PERCEPTIONS path, only wide
enough for one person. The wa
ger was made, and at the given houl
the man started. When he got to
the path he found a herd OF goats
being driven up it, and after grea
trouble, having succeeded in passing
he came up with a flock of sheep
Seeing that he could not win bis bet
he returned and paid. Not satisfied
he made a wager with Captain Kay t,
carry him 100 yards in fifteen second
at given hour and a given place. Th,
wager was accepted, and invitations
were sent to all the ladies and officer
of the regiments around. At the hou
named the runner appeared and Ka,
was also on hand. Mr.. NJ request
ed Kay to remove his clothes, as h
had contracted to carry him and nc
his clothes. Kay could not undres
before the ladies, and had to pa, bu
he did it with very bad grace.
One of the widest wagers eve
made was that of a notorious game
ster Of the last century, who, in play
ing with Lord Lorne, had lost all hi
money. Jumping up from the table
he seized large punch bowl an
dashing it against the wall, cried
"Now for once I'll have a bet wher
I'll have an even chance of winning
Now" he cried, fare the pieces od
or even?"
"Odd," said Lord Lorne; and cd
they were. The gamester los
EGO, 600, though it cost him his estat
to pay it.
A still more extraordinary bet is re
corded: A French banker named BuI
lott, being firm believer in the say
ing that if St. Swithin's day is wet
will continue to rain more or less TO
forty days after, offered to back hi
opinion to any amount. So many pei
sons were ready to take up his chal
lenge that the terms were reduced t
writing as follows:
"If, dating from the 18th of July,
rains more or little during forty day
successfully Bulliott will be considere
to have gained"
So confident was he, that ever
cent he had in the world was wagered
and he mortgaged every piece {
property and article of value he DOS
sessed. For twenty-one days raj
fell, but on the twenty-frst tn
weather played him false and not
drop of rain fell. So utterly was b
ruined that his creditors sued, and h
ended his days in debtors prison.
Lord Hastings, in his palmy day
made some wild wagers, but th
largest wagers made in years wer
those of the late Lord Dudley, VIII
only made three bets in his life-on
of 100000, another of 100000 an
q third of s25 900.
A wager of silk hat once cos
many lives. 1t was in 1911, whel
Captain Decatur of the United State
navy, commanding the frigate Unite
States, met Captain Garden of tn
British navy, commanding the Mace
donian. 1t was just prior to the wa
of 1872, and while talking about th,
chances Garden said to Decatur:
If you and ever meet after hos