Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-03-22

meeting Tuesday as follows: Presi-
dent, W. S. Swingle; secretary and
treasurer, G. H Weirick
THE PENUCHLE FIENp.
Poison or no Poison, He'd Play His
Favorite Game.
When he is not eating or sleeping
Henry Bayer spends his time playing
penuchle. says the New York Sun.
For the greater part of his sixty years
of life, the latter part of which has
been spent in that part of Williams
burg known as Dutchtown, penuchle
has been his only amusement. In adj
versity and poverty, in sickness and
health, for better, for worse, Mr..
Bayer has stuck ito his penuchle deck,
and even with the prospect of impend
ing death staring him in the face, he
turned to his favorite amusement, and
now all Seigel street and the surround
| ing German districts are ringing with
the fame of Bayer, who, when guarded
| by the police and supposed to be at
| the point of death, arose in his bed
and played penuchle all night with the
guardian Of the peace, and afterward
was discharged in the police court.
| The occasion of Bayer's arrest urS
indirectly traceable to a game of pc
nuchle. Another factor was a sick
horse belonging to Bayers brother,
who lives at 156 Siegel street, and
for whom Bayer works. A veterinary
surgeon called ON Tuesday and left
a quart of ointment, chiefly carbolic
acid, for the horse. Charles Bayer, the
/ brother, rubbed half the ointment on
| the horse and put the other half on
stand in the sitting room, where he,
! Henry, and two neighbOrS sat down
in the afternoon to a game of penuchle.
Before the game had progressed very
far one of the players handed Henry
a quart bottle of whisky, which Henry
sampled and set behind him on the
stand where the horse ointment stood.
Then it came Henry's turn to deal.
He dealt and after some minutes of
play he declared game. The others
counted his points and found only
900, instead of 1000, which constitutes
| a game. Therefore they declared
Henry a loser, according TO rules.
| There was great jubilation for Henry
is a famous player, and was never be-
| fore caught in such an error. With a
look Of panied surprise the loser sought
consolation from the whisky bottle
but made a wrong connection and got
carbolic acid instead. Just as the 9th
ers were about to take the stakes
Henry gave a loud yell, kicked over
the table and rolled upon the floor.
One player ran for the police, an
other for a doctor and the third
| poured water over the sufferer. An
ambulance took him unconscious to st.
GATHERINGS hospital, and after work
| ing over him for hours the doctors de-
clared that he had a good chance for
| recovery. Policeman Charles Hoem
| ing, of the sixth precinct, was sent to
the hospital to stay with the patient,
who was put under arrest for at
tempted suicide. The policeman was
to watch and see that he did not try
to kill himself again. 1t was very
| busy business for the policeman, who
had to pinch himself to keep awake.
The patient lay very quiet, and from
time to time Hoeffiing would lean
over and look at him to make sure
that he still breathed. On one of
these occasions Bayer suddenly opened
his eyes and said abruptly:
you play penuchle?"
''Wh-wh-what?" grasped the startled
policeman. ''You mustn't talk. You'll
die if you talk. Keep still"
II ask if you play penuchle" per-
sisted the German, raising himself on
one elbow.
II wan to play a game Of penuchle,"
observed Bayer, calmly. IF you won't
play penuchle with me I'll jump out
of the window
''Oh,'' gasped the policeman, don't
do that: just keep still. I haven't got
a deck of cards here, but I'll get 'em.
Just you lie still and don't bother.
I'll play penuchle with you.
After some trouble Hoeffling got
boy to find some cards, hoping that
after a game or two the patient would
quiet down. Vain hope. Bayer won
the first two games, and called for
more. They played and played until
the officer SINGERS ached from hand
ling the cards, and Bayer won every
game. Finally, when about 20 games
had been played, the sufferer lay back
and remarked: ''You play a rotten
game Of penuchle. So long, I'll be
all right in the morning.
Next day he was much better, and
yesterday he was arranged in the
Ewin street police court on a charge
of attempted suicide, where he ex-
planned matters to the satisfaction of
Justice Watson and was discharged.
Hoefiing told the judge that he
played penuchle with the Iatient for
fear he would have a relapse if de-
prived of his favorite amusement. He
also remarked that he lost every game,
not to mention other things, and that if
Bayer ever wishes a recommendation
as a penuchle expert he can get it by |
applying at the sixth precinct police |
station.