The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-09-21
SOME CURIOUS WAGERS.
How u SpOrtive British DarOuct Was
Caught In the Tolls Of tho Church-Sir
Walter Ralcigh's Bet with the Good
Queen Bcss- Other Odd Chances.

"oNSi NusSikh hSt WIN tuc oOOS
Queen Bcss- Other Odd Chances.
From the Chicago News.
Betting IL a human weakness by nc
means confined to the wagering ol
money on sporting events. In all ages
II has been common to settle points OF
difference by a wager or to accomplish
great feats under THE penalty Of the loss
of a given sum. There's a man down
In Kentucky who vowed never to cut
his beard until Henry Clay was elected
president. This was really a vow. bu,
1t was also bet. The man bet against
fate and fate won. A rash young
Harvard graduate recently went
money in his pockets when he started
1t was given out that he had laid u
wager of $1,000 that he could make the
trip without money. 1t has since
turned out that he was simply the
agent of widely advertised article.
The old English law forced bettors to
pay their debts. A remarkable action
was brought in 1872 by the Rev. Mr.
Gilbert against Sir Mark NJ. Sykes. The
baronet, at a dinner party at his own
house. in the course Of a conversation
of the hazard to which the life of Bona
parte was exposed. offered on receiv-
Ing 100 guineas. to pay one guinea q
day as long as Napoleon should re-
main alive. Mr.. Gilbert closed with
Sir Mark and sent the 100 guineas and
the latter continued to pay the one
guinea day for nearly three years.
At last he declined to pay any longer
and an action was brought to enforce
the payment. 1t was contended by the
defendant that he had been surprised
into the bet by the clergyman's hasty
acceptance of 1t. and that the transac-
ton was an illegal one, seeing that
Mr.. Gilbert, having beneficial interest
In the life Of Bonaparte, might, in the
event OF an invasion, use all his means
for the preservation of the life of an
enemy Of his country. The jury Loyalty
brought in a verdict for the defend
ant.
Sir Walter Ralcigh's Wager.
Another queer wager Is the one popu-
larly believed to have been won by Sir
Walter Raleigh from Queen Elizabeth
on the debatayble question of how much
smoke was contained I'm a pound of to-
bacco. A pound Of the article was
weighed, burned and weighed again in
ashes. and the question was held to be
satisfactorily settled by determining
the weight of the smoke as exactly that
or the tobacco before being burned,
minus the ashes. The fact of the ashes
having received an additional weight
by combination with the oxygen of the
atmosphere was unthought of by Eliza
beth and the knight
An amusing bet for the small sum of
hve shillings was laid in 1906 in the
castle yard. York. between Thomas
Hodgson and Samuel Whitehead as to
which should succeed In assuming the
most original character. Hodgson ap-
peared decorated with 1O-guinea, g.
guinea and guinea notes all over his
coat and waistcoat and a row Of g.
guinea notes around his hat, while to
his back was fastened the words John
Bull" Whitehead appeared like a
woman on one side, one half Of his face
painted. one silk stocking and slipper.
while the other side represented a
negro In mans dress. with boots and
spurs. John BulI' won the wager.
Thought They Wcrc bogus.
A gentleman Of the last century laid
a wager to great amount that he
could stand for a whole day on London
bridge with a tray full of sovereigns
fresh from the mint and be unable to
find purchaser for them at a penny
apiece. Not one was disposed Of
Wagers have sometimes taken grim
form. 1t is creditably recorded that in
the last century wager was laid for
one Of a party Of gay revelers to enter
Westminster abbey. at the hour Of
midnight. He was to enter one OF the
vaults beneath the abbey; In proof Of
his having been there he was to stick
a fork into coffin which had been re-
Gently deposited there. He accom-
plished his object and was returning
In triumph. when he felt himself sud-
denly caught and was SO overpowered
by terror that he fell In a swoon. His
companions not being able to account
for his absence found him In this con-
ditiOn. The fork which he had fast
ened into the coffin had caught and
pinned his cloak and SO occasioned q
flt Of terror which nearly proved fatal.
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