New-York tribune., 1895-12-13
THEY MATCHED PENNIES on THE STAG
DrAcoy WHITE AND DR. RAYMOND GIVE A RI
MARKABLE PERFORMANCE IN PI.YM-
ovTH CHURCH.

Ot'TH III RcH.
II member OF Plymouth Church had been tod
Yesterday afternoon that he would i've to See TWO
Of the church's leading and venerable members
matching penn.e - in the building dedicated 10 the
usmory of Henry Ward Beecher ne would doubt
less have fallen In a righteous ht ana declared
that such d statement was the rankest heresS'
Bur that very thing happened .ast night. on the
platform OF the lecture-rOom, before several nun
dred peop,e Deacon s V White and Dr. Rosster
W RAYMOND deliberately and without Dushlng
staked on the turn Of a coin the possession OF
fen dollars in money Deacon White suggested the
little game but the learned Doctor consented 10
do II with a readiness that made MIN sN~'e' VI
the guilt in equal measure with the Deacon
Whether or not the full facts in tnis proceeding
in any degree lessen the reprehensbleness OF the
offence no one may say except for himself Some
len ent and indu,gent persons may also take coshi
zance OF the fact that both the winner VINO De-
came through the transaction the possessor OF Slo
and the loser whose spoils were only ohe-'our'"
of that amount Will give their winnings 10 cndI-
ity and mention that as just ground Tor ac-
auita But here the full facts in the case anu
The Tribune's readers may decide for themseNeS'
An o'd-fashioned spelling bee was held IN P'ym-
outh Church. the gate money to go to worthy
charity OF Dr AbbOtt's people. There We're twelve
in the contest. all OF whom We're lured to Their
seats or the platform before the tribunal OF spec
dlct.onaTies ,G by prizes Of SO IS and 81 20 Cha
Mrs Jennie Whitcomb was schooIna am one
was an easy examiner, the whole, ana gave
only such words person freed from tle @ COiI-
fus!ne anxiety OF such contest could easly nla
ter But she easily "downed' the more youinlul
contestants In half dozen rounds w NlIham Ian
german was the first victim giving VaieiUus a.
Iis Version of "valorous" Then Richard Webster
was called down on "hyrogphics: George W:
Tong on ''peneuma smatcs Miss cara l.. MINI
on Fseigunrial" c. f.. Van Buren, on "tnberculer
F. II Wilson on .seditve." Charles, Dennis on
"eliptical" j. " Hazard on 'ophthalmy, T.. II
TuttIe ON "sequatious" Then the trouble Degdn'
Deacon" White had overcome gyratlon' chi-
rarranhv 'egreglous "isoscees and "hypo-
ch0ndriac' without wincing, but when he stan-
mered through mignonette ne was prouipa.S pi ply
MS before the final syllable He suceumbed grace
fully but went straghtway 70 the dictionary ah9
husied himself there while the contest proceeded
between the two survivors. DR.. Raymond ana
Dwight Douglas Then Mr. Douglas was told mat
"soStiriaT' was not acceptable. The reason why
was not evident. but he walked or the stage cav
ing DR. Raymond the winner. BY this time now
ever M White had found his httle mower re-
corded in Webster "mlgnonette. He sald so
amnhatcallv in Dr. RaymOnds hearing, Whetr-
unor the Doctor magnanimously offered 10 enter
tbe arena again and fght 1t out. This was agreed
to and the contest about 70 reopen. "neh d
dispute as to authority and one or TWO ofher points
arose betveen the Doctor and the Deacon. rms
gave Mr. Douglas time 10 learn that ne hau Deth
Correct in his rendering OF "solsticial, ana ny
common consent second place was uncondluOnally
awarded 10 him But that didn't settle the DIS
nuta for first and third places between the Deacon
and the Doctor and as discussion seemed TO be no
In the twInkling Of an eve the coins were matched
against each other. and the Doctor was pronounced
the winner. leaving the Wall street magnate with
third place.