The morning call., 1890-07-16
MARCUS r. MAYER.
How He Expects to Be the Winner
of Twenty.f0ur Dinners.
An Interesting Sketch of the Polyglot Nomad,
Erst Of San Francisco but Now Of
the Universe at Large.

In 1HE CALb OF yesterday was puDnSned q
dispatch from New York announcing that Mar
Gus X. Mayer was TO sail from New York on the
City of Rome 10 fulfill an engagement in London
and to reach Paris in time 10 win heavy bet he
made. The New York Sun OF the 10Th inst.
gives the following interesting details Of the
agent OF Patti and his peculiar bet:
A character in which Jules Verne would find
much delight is Mr.. Marcus R. Mayer. origi-
nally OF San francisco, but now OF everywhere.
His father is an immensely wealthy man. and
one OF the officers OF the Alaska Seal Company,
under the agis OF which Marcus was, for a little
While, prevailed upon 10 remain. But having
Will OF his own as well as private and personal
fortune, he soon turned his back upon Behring
Sea and It's furry inmates and took TO theatrical
management rs naturally as a full-grown seal
takes to deep water.
AssOclating himself with MIR. Henry E. Abbey
Marcus had charge at various times OF The pro-
fessiOnal tours OF AdeliDa Patti, Christine Nils
son, Sarah Bernhardt, Mrs. Langtry, Mary An
derson, Helen Terry, Henry Irving and Josef
Hoffman. So much travelling had he 10 do at the
shortest conceivable notice that he grew TO be
living timetable OF the entire American railroad
system. and can at this day tell you the precise
second the express leaves Kalamazoo for 0sh-
k0sh as easily as he can spot the steamer which
is due at Vera Cruz on the 2lst OF next October.
Learning, as lie does, every spoken language
with lightning ralidty his iHtimates. when them
selves abroad, not Il particle surprised to
hear him chalIer1ng French III Cairo few weeks
after they knew HIM TO be delivering speeches OF
thanks to Brazilian students III tbe puTeSt Portu
gueSe
Nine. Patti declares that Marcus Is her ideal
Of a coSmopolite, and Henry Irving vows that If
he were dropped cut Of a ballooncar in the small
est town IN Ihibet, Mayer would at once recog-
nlZe an old friend IN the head man and know by
ius inct where 10 get the best dinner for the
most money. For 1t is one OF Marcus accom-
plisnmeBts that lie can order an expensive break
fast IN any eXtant tongue as well as pay for IL
afterward without deigning
TO LOOK AT THE BILL.
Such is his unfailng good nature that he Is
willing to give The most tremendous odds 10
friend while such is his luck that lie never loses
bet. lie only took to playing horses at tile begin
ming oi this season, aud embarked upon the dam
geTous deeps OF equine speculation without a
particle OF experience Yet his winnings have
been phenomenal. and those who know him de-
clare that since last April his gains have amount
ed TO $4,000 or $4,000. All OF his spells are
devoted 10 the entertainment of his friends. and
IL is easy 10 tell when Marcus Is in town by the
brisk extra business Immediately imposed upon
DrlmOnicOs and the Hoffman House.
But the latest exploit of this polygl0t nomad,
erst Of San Francisco and now of The universe at
large, easily places him at the head OF American
ganesters when one considers The character OF
his wager and It's dimensions.
About six weeks ago jim Williamson, who used
10 be the juvenile comedian OF Wallack's Just
after The war, and is now the principal manager
of Australia, with bank account OF at least haTf
a million, sat in San francisco club-room with
Mayer. Their talk ran upon their plans for The
summer Just on lDeli.
ii can't leave Frisco" quOth Marcus, until
the 9Th Of July, but expect to be in Paris on
The oath"
THAT'S rather a bold expectation on your
changed good deal since my day, but can't
swallow That From Frisco 10 Paris in fifteen
days !" No, sir; you'll never do it,"
Mayer rubbed his mustache with his finger
and thumb, his usual expression of confidence.
"Pll bet you anything you Ike" lie said. that
l do It,"
Outsiders, hearing the debate, were drawn into
it, and when the wager was registered and mu-
tually accepted all round, 1t took this shape
Williamson and twenty three friends-many OF
them theatrical celebrities and all OF Them amply
able to redeem their obligatons-were 10 take a
fortnighi1s law of Mayer. On July 24th pre-
ctsely al O'Clock In the afternoon The twenty
four gameslers are TO be in private room al The
Cafe AUglais. in Paris, awaiting dinner, the SER
vice OF which is to begin at $50. he cost OF
he dinner Is TO be at the rate of $50 francs a
cover, aud there ave 10 be twenty-five covers,
OEe ned III reserve for Mayer.
Between and $50 Mayer is to appear at the
Cafe Anglals and take the place reserved for him.
Should lie do this, Williamson must pay for that
particular dinner, and on following days the
twenty-three other bettOrs must each In turn
foot an equivalent bill. That Is to say, II Mayer
reaches the Cafe ABglais In time, Williamson
and his twenty-rhree brother skeptics Will have
to provide, one after another, twenty four din-
ners for tHenty-four diners at cost for each
dinner OF $3.50.
On the other hand, if Marcus should fall to
make his entrance into the cafe Auglais be-
tween and $50 O'clock on the afternoon Of
July Oath, he will have 10 give twenty.fOur diu-
ners To twenty four people, at all aggregate
cost of S720X24, which, as everybody knows,
Will be S17,2S Although 1t was
NOT so STIPULATED
In the protocol, Mayer has declared his inten.
tion 10 rely absolutely Gpou ordinary modes OF
travel and not employ special trains or boats or
any other extraordinary device.
BY general consent, his movements are to be
kept secret and until lie snail have arrived IN
Paris nobody will know the precise moment OF
his departure from San Francisco OF the name of
the steamer on which lie Will sail from New York.
Some OF the party are already quartered In
Paris and large number OF Americans, actors
aud business men, aware OF the bet, Will, un.
doubleday swell Mayors triumph IT, as most peo-
pie who know him believe, he makes his connec-
lions all right. Nat Goodwin, Donney and Gil.
rard and other theatrical people intend, IL they
can discover The place OF his arrival in Paris, to
whoop him along in fOur-in-hand TO the Cafe
Anglaise. ana celebrate his victory with special
jotcaiion of their own.
A good deal of money viii change hands on the
event, the friends OF The audacious cosmopolitan
being willing to give long odds.
The hero OF the venture is ood-lookipg
young man of about So. of the middle height.
well.deveoped, a good dresser aud a genial com
paniou. He has keen aquilne face, with
laughing dark eyes, and chm suggestive OF In.
domitaDe resolution.