The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-06
SIIEIIH'S BARRON RIDE
OF CAL SEIBERT LAST
NIGHT
WEST ST. PAUL TURNED OUT
South Wabasha street Has GIori-
GUS Time at the Settlement
of an Election
Ret.

1t was better than most theatrical en-
tertainments for many reasons. One is
that 1t was strictly an open air, out of
door entertainment Another is that it
was an excellent speciality and, the third
is that it was free to all, and that fair
proportion of the population Of West st.
Paul enjoyed it hugely.
1t took place in South Wabasha street
all the way between Fillmore and Isabel,
between 5:45 and 6:25 o'clock last evening
The actors We're George Sudeith and Cal
Siebert. The properties Were one old
wheelbarrow with a wobbly wheel, ten
yards of bunting of the national tri-
color, two American flags of small size,
and a sign with rude lettering: "a Win
ming Election Bet
The facts in the case are that John
Sudeith was ready two weeks ago to
back his confidence in and judgment that
the Democratic ticket would be elected
to a degree that he wagered a ride in
Wheelbarrow with his fellow laborer, Cal
Seibert, that two out of three of the
head of the ticket would be elected. The
bet was decided in his favor officially
by the result of the canvass of the vote
made by the city clerk and reported to
the city council at its meeting Friday
night.
Sudeith and Siebert are fellow laborers
at the barns of the Merchants Express
company, on Fillmore street, near South
Wabasha. When it became known early
last week that the loser Of the bet would
be compelled to wheel the other fellow
from the barn to South Wabasha and
Isabel and back the people all along the
line of procession became impatient for
the day on which the bet would be set
tied Consequently there were hundreds
of people on the street corners and side
walks, in windows and doorways watch
ing for the procession when the time ar
rived.
All during the day Sudeith was prepar-
ing for the event. Seibert had procured
a rickety old wheebarrow, and Sudeith
proceeded to decorate it. He built
platform across the bed of it and fast
ened cushion of large dimensions there
to. Then he draped it with the national
colors in bunting, nailed small flag on
each side, had sign painted and hung
on an upright so the sign would be i'm
Inediately over his head, donned his Sun
day clothes, and called on Seibert for a
settlement Of the bet. Seibert stands
six feet high in his stockings, looks like
he might measure eleven feet across the
chest, and weighs 2SG pounds, without an
ounce of surplus flesh or the shadow OF
an inclination to embonpoint.
The procession moved from the barn
promptly at 6:45 o'clock, and mad no
sooner emerged from the shelter than the
principals We're greeted with cheers. and
surrounded by a crowd of 100 people
John Till barn foreman, acted as referee
and saw that the procession moved off in
ship shape. Then the march began fol-
lowed by crowd of heoting, yelling
en- a1 Z 4
men. boys and girls on bicycles, whoefelT
in with the procession, forming an in
spring cavalcade as il moved south
ward.
With the exception. that siebert direct--.
ed the barrow over all the rough places
he could distinguish in the street and
came near landing his opponent in the
mud several times the trip to Isabel
street vas accomplished In safety, At
this. point the principals rested while
and sought consolation and refreshment-
in neighboring life-saving station
refreshed and reinyigorate ted they re-
pared to their former positions at the
barrow. Seibert fastened a strap to the
handles of the barrow, and permitted the
weight of the load to fall upon his sHorI-
ders On the return trip the crowd was
not 50 large, but there was more fur.
Seibert steered the barrow onto the car
tracks and pursued a zig zag course
across the rails. The wobbly wheel wouI1
not mount the rail; the result invariably
was a partial tip over. On this trip they
met the o'clock crowd of workers on
their way home from ST. Paul and the
loser of the bet stopped full in the mid.
die of the street several times in order to
permit the cqriously interested ones TO
gaze uponstll9 odd-,ooking outfit
When they reached the corner of FIJI
more and South Wabasha, on the return.
Sudelth left his position on the barrow
and Seibert wheeled it up on the side
walk
There" said the winner, to the man
who had paid the penalty of betting
against good Democratic candidates for
oHice there now; may De you'll know
better than to bet the next time
That's all right. retorted Siebert
I've paiG the bet and .ts all square"
AND he raised his brawny right arm over
his head, waving the crowd back in warn,
ing that he show was all over.
Then the referee took charge Of the
barrow, wheeled it away into the barn
and called to the friends of the principals
to assemble at a certain designated place
where discussion over an eighth of
ffothS encouragement was 20 he held as
the other end of the bet-at the eApense
of the loser
Siebcrl said if the voters of the city
had been informed as to the Important
issue involved in the campaign-almost
the whole Of his weeks salary-they
would have voted the other way.
Sudeith said the ma jority of the voters
of St Paul could be relied upon to exer
else profound discretion in electing city
officials as evidenced by the result Cf the
recent contest.
RAAJ RnNIN IN 0Err1rD