The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-13
BILLY EDWARDS. srAxKHoLDER.
HewsHe Did the Business, ana What His
Commissi ms Cpne To.

| Here's Mr.. Edwards" said Joe vendig
during ono Of tho recent exciting nights at
| tho Hoffman House. pointing out Billy Ed
| wards to gentleman at his side.
Tho latter looked at him suspciously.
| Pardon me-" he said. II don't know you.
and don't know him. How can tell whether
| 1t Is really he or notY'
Ask him." vendig said. sententiously.
Are you Mr.. Edwards p said tho man. ad-
| dressing Billy.
IL am" said the latter.
The gentleman still looked duhious They
were all In the saloon. the centre OF big
| crowd which was swaying 10 and fro and
jostlirC them without reference to their feel-
ings. NcndC looked Mt his companion indif-
ferently, but seemed rather bored. Tho man
turned around to the persons back OF him and
| whispered:
"po you know that man" pointing to Ed
| wards.
"Yes that is Billy Edwards" snid several.
Certainly" assontcd others, that's Billy"
IL beg your pardon again" said the man to
| Billy Edwards and Ncndig. but you sec am
Il stranger here and have to he on my guard.
! for ANYBODY might represent hlmse as Billy
Edwards. AM satisfied now"
That's all right" said Edwards; "yon are
/ justified In being careful. What can do for
! you'"
I'VE want you to act as stakeholder for u.s."
said Nendig.
"A!! right. What's the he,"
| lam betting $1,000 to $1,000 that Clevs.
land carries New York." said vendg.
Yes. and l bet he doesn't" said the man.
"All right said Edwards.
| He walked over 10 corner as rapidly rs the
| crowd would allow him to. and Vendis and his
| companion followed closely behind him. About
twenty or thirty men who hal overheard tho
conversation followed them. Edwards man
! aged to get part OF table and drew Some
| blank cards out OF his pocket
| What is your name" he asked vendlc's
companion.
Howard Smith," rerlicd the latter.
! Edwards began to write some memoranda
on this cards. Will, vendig aud Smith pro-
duced big rolls OF bills and counted out the
amounts they intended to wager.
| Sign this" said Edwards to Smith.
| The latter read over the card scented to
him and affixed his signature. He and Vendig
handed over the money to Edwards. who
thereupon gave each receipt Vendlg and
Smith then walked away. while Edwards took
! the cash and tho memorandum to which Mr..
Smith had affixed his signature and put them
with bundle of similar memoranda and bills.
lie thrust all into his right hand trousers
pocket, which was made in tho old style. so
| that entrance to 1t could he obtained only
! from the top. Having satisfied himself that
! the money was securely put away he turned
| to answer a call from another pair OF bettors.
One OF tho most interesting rs well AS sur
! rrising features OF tho campaign was the way
! in which strangers were willing to put up
| large amounts OF money upon their coEvic-
| tOns or theories in the hands OF persons upon
whom they could have no other reliance than
the faith which one man may put in the honor
| NJ annthor rha rpnlinesa dis MIA vai " par
| sons OF all sorts to place largo stakes in the
| hands OF Billy Edwards. the detective OF the
| Hoffman House art gallery. was sufficient to
| impress one with the belief that human no
ture is very trusting. after all. Men who had
never seen him. and had heard Of him only oc-
casionally seemed to Gravitate toward him by
| natural attraction when 1t came to l!ndns
stakeholder for money which they wished to
! wager. At least two-thirds Of the men who
| placed their bots in Billy Edwards's hands
were unknown to him. and probably
had very little knowledge o! him.
| Their confidence was all tho moro sur
rrisinC. as they had no legal redress in case
no should dispose Of their money dishonesty.
or in some manner not called for By tho condi-
lions Of tho wagers mado by them. The dis
position o! the funds after they were once
placed in his hands was LETT entirely to his dis
erection and sense OF honor. The money might
| possibly have been locked up for six months
| if the election had been close and had required
an ofliciat count to decide it. 1t may seem
wards should have been Selected OF ali men.
He rst came before the public through his
no he asa not BEEN sye ns
would inspire the average bushes man with
Gnnasncs IA MS astty to DECIDE dsliiate
Putting il, plainly; Mr.. Edwards has been the
"bou nc Of the iioilman HouseE'hat is. the
are not anienaUle to the rules OF the establish
m.nt. Why was he selected ins,end Of some
man o! business repntatlcn or some corpora,
tion whose business 1t is to take care OF
money The only answer can be that Edwards
has held bets in II similar fashion for tho past
ten years. has shown great disc! elton and cool
Judgment. aud has never violated trust; 1t
bets in large numbers during moments OF
great excitement. while one Is being pushed
Ing i mob: It t"r exHssrnse as Wa in
order to keep track OF these bets: and make
I So 30 "r s uuse
Mr.. Edwardss eYpcrsnce has led him to adopt
q system which he has never found wanting.
Two . men H desire to set for instance. on tho
general re- suit. Edwards makes three memo
the parties: One Of these Is signed by the par.
two are signed by him. and are given to the
hett9rs:, For instance. here is the way in
WHICH Edwards recorded one OF the bets made
John HAYNES bets $1,000 that Harrison will
he the next trrS!deltt ot mo lh!teu states.
Joe Nrndlg bets Cleveland"
As it happened this particular memoran-
dun was signed only by. John Haynes. The
reason for that was that EendtG was personal
q stranger. Nendig having won, Edwards
knows whom pay. II HAYNES had won. "a.
wards could only have identified him by two
things. ono would DO tho receipt which he
had given to him. But IN the crowd on the
night that the bet was made slr. Haynes might
have lost his receipt or il might have been
stolen from hinl. Ii the receipt had bean tho
only means Of Identification the person pos
| tessin- II could. in the event OF his side OF the
bet being successful. have obtained the NJ on-y
from Edwards. and the real Mr. Haynes would
have teen lott without any means of proving
his claim, J 0 avoid any such possible condi-
ton. ldWarGs compcls winner who Ia UNI
known to him to sign his mans az well as pro-
duee tile recent. Then he CON nares the sig
natur" with the signature on the mem oran-
DUN which ~ holds ana can thus tell whether