The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-10-19
REMARKABLE WAGER.
The Extraordinary Election Bet OF
Two Milwaukee Men.
The Loser Agrees to Expatriate Him.
self for the Rect of His Life.

The most remarkable election bet yet re-
corded Is one in which the penalty stipu-
lated is that the loser shall promptly leave
the United States and remain an exile
from his native land for tho remainder Of
his lifs The parties to this wager, which
entails SO great sacrifice, arc G. n. Don
aldson and Fred w. Burke Of Milwaukee.
Both arc men OF prominence In the busi-
ness and social circles OF that city and are
ia the prime OF life, and neither has made
any definite plans in regard TO the occupa-
tion he will follow on taking up "A resi-
dence IN foreign lands.
Mr. Donaldson is great believer in the
principles for which William Mckinley has
so long fought in public and is an ardent
admirer Of the Republican candidate as IA
man. Being satisfied in his own mind that
the defeat Of the great protectionist would
plunge tho country into all sorts OF trouble
and that business would promptly go to
tho bowwows Mr. Donaldson announced
one night 10 a party Of frionds that If sill
yer won he did not want anything more to
do with such a country and such people.
Somebody asked him If he was in earnest,
and Donaldson gravoly announced that II
Bryan was elected he would pull up stakes
and make tracks for gold standard coun-
try. The Only condition was that In the
event Of his party winning, some other
Milwaukee man should suffer expatriation,
while he remained at home and enjoyed
the prosperity that was sure TO follow Nc
kinley's election.
Now, ii was well known about town
that Burke was as rabid a silverite as
Donaldson was IA goldbug, and a self ap.
pointed committee made up of prominent
men of both factions, notified him of the
Mckinley mans Defiance and he could
not say quickly enough that he accepted
the challenge and would pay tho penalty,
should he lose, though it entailed the loss
of evsIy dollar he had in the world.
Whom tho news got about town that two
men of means and position had made such
an extraordinary wager their acquaint-
anccs who knew what one or the other
would have TO sacrifice, declared that they
were blufiing and that the whole thing
wes II practical joke. This got to the ears
of Burke and Donaldson, and in order to
show that they were in dead earnest they
met at prominent club and drew up a
paper setting forth explicitly the condition
of the bet.
Then the principals, accompanied by a
big crowd of their friends, adjourned to
the Office Of a promipent lawyer, who,
when the signatures of both men had
been affixed to the contract and duly wit
messed, placed upon IL his notarial seal.
While each man was willing To sacrifice
everything and start for other shores just
az soon as one or the other OF the candi-
dates was proved TO have been elected,
their friends insisted on the time of de-
parture being extended to enable the loser
to settle up his business affairs and make
the necessary arrangements for his lifelong
sojourn among strangers in strange
land.
Recognizing the strength Of the argu-
ment, both men agreed that the defeated
one should take pains not to be found
within the borders of the United States
after the lst day Of January, 1897.
Both men are now busy studying up on
geography and welcome all information
regarding the commercial opportunities
offered by any inhabited section of tho
globe from the Transyaal TO Van Die.
mans Land d-Philadelpiha Timea