The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-11-24
UNIQUE WAGERS
ON THE ELECTION.
Some of the Strange Beis That We're
Made BY Political Enth usia>ts
Of EOtn Parties,

Although the air is full of rumors
concerning heavy election bets, it is
about certain that up to date the wa
gers OF Mr.. Richard Croker on Bryan
We e by far the largest genuine ones
mat we're made during the campaign.
Col Dewey, q cousin of the Admiral,
hal over $50. 900 of real money up on
Bryan. against which $40. 900 on Nc
knley WAS quick placed. and other
heavy Transaction have been recorded.
Mr.. Croker lost $59. 009 which he bet
In 1898 on the election of Van Wyck
for Governor Of New York, and was
determined to get his money back
this year IL possible. Mr.. Wormser.
VINO took some of Mr.. Eroker's wagers.
has made many other bets on McKin-
ley. he total SO far reported being in
the n~eighborhood of a quarter of a mil
lion dollars. He gave odds of S to 2.
and there were plenty OF Den ociats with
money to take him up.
Aside from the money transactions.
the usual number of crank wagers were
offered up. One bet is reported from
st. Louis between two residents of that
city. the terms of which were that the
loser was to eat n live cockroacn.
Another one is reported from New
Mexico. in which the stake was a bride.
II Bryan was elected, James Howard was
to marry Mary Johnson: if Mckinley
waSelected. the terms of the wager
which are with the father of the girl
called for tie cessation of the young
mans courtship.
In the early days of the Republic it
is recorded that in a campaign be-
tween Federalists and Democrats. a
cask of ale was wagered OF the result
by two prominent men OF Philad alphia.
The terms were that the ale was to be
drunk at the Blue Anchor Tavern in
Dock street. then a widely patroniZed
inn. A fortnight after the election was
held enough returns had come in TO
show the result. and the bet was paid.
There was a good. old fashioned JAM
bores at the ale Drinking, and before
the night was ended the whole party
was In the hands of'the night watch.
The newspapers of the day got hold of
h story and printed it, but, after the
fashion of those days. no names were
given. And. also after the fashion of
the day. the Iixle: affair referred to as
"A bravI .aBtB1Seray.r when in these
days it would be called a case OF
drunk and disorderly."
A bet which was watched with in
terest has been put up in one of the
Middle West states. Two men. one
named Ware and the other Terbot.
Sere boys together and %aspirants for
the hand and heart of the present Mrs.
Terbot- Ware bet Terbot his farm
against Mrs. Terbot on Bryan. At first
Terbot hesitated to take up the wager,
but after a few moments considera-
ton Of the offer telegraphed the news
- Al. "a ruIa tvac 4 4. n na;r6hnrtr q
city. Mrs. Terbot. who is an enthusi-
astic Mckinley woman" was delight
ed. go ahead" she wired in reply to
her husbands telegram. you have a
cinch." The election sh pws whether
or not Ware agrees with. Mrs. Terbot.
Following the course of time and the
election bet. 1t in found that about
twenty years ago Jay Gould put up a
steamboat as a stake on an election.
Whsther the other party to the wager
put up another steamboat, or all equiv
alent in cash, real estate or railroad
stocks, IL not recorded; but at any rate
Mr.. Gould won. Later he sold tha
steamboat he had wageTed to an actor.
whs converted it into an excursion boat
and got rich.
when George Francis Train. the &c. |
centric. lived ia Omaha some years aec.
at the time when he was prominent In
the building of the Union Pacific Rail- |
road, it came to pass h a an election
was scheduled. Mr.. Train thought he
knew how the election was going, and
to prove his courage made a wager that
H his man was defeated he would wear
a duck suit ali the ear round. Mr..
Trains guess was bad. and he lost.
He lived up to the letter Of the bet.
however. and for a WHOLE .Winter-ops
of those Omaha Winters. too. in which
the Thermometer takes sudden and I'M
expected dips to 3ar below zero. and
bIzzards com si6ng over night and
freeze everything that 10 not actually
on dre-hs wore white duck. There
were those WIFI saidSh violated the
spirit of the bsEbV wearing half a dog
en- suits Of HAdsinlathes under his
white duck. Bat M.-Train could stand
criticism betterltbaff he could stand an
attack Of pnsufPSrfa, and refused to
abandon his misunderstanding.
They tell anothsfestory of an election
bet in the blixzardteauntry.' 1t Is to the
effect that in l~ssaeExekiel Timrock. of
Hunnewell, KaHys8nade a bet In these
terms: II Cleve1Snd was defeated he
would Join the chusgh. Timrock was a
gentleman withH.reputation as a tough
and a bad man generally. He had long
scorned reli2 ten.t& nd' cursed religion
lists. So his eEewEs heavy one. Well.
he lost. r,
Thers wei& kmSny who thought he
would back.fdGts and compromise by
giving the VI q big farm, or some
thing of tina &tNftds3s But heedidn't. He
made appli& 2Sfer membership in