Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-10
WAGERS OF OTHER DAYS.
Odd Stakes Were at Risk on Elections
Held in the Past
From the Chicago Chronicle,

From the Chicago Chronicle
Betting on elections was as prevalent in
the early days of the republic as it is at
present. 1t is recorded that in campa gn
between federalists and democrats a cask
OF ale was Wagered on the result by two
prominent men of Philadelphia The terms
were that the ale was to be drunk at the
Blue Anchor tavern in Dock street then A.
widely patronized inn. 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
jamboree at the ale drinking and before the
night was ended the who.e party was in
the hands of the night watch. The news
papers of the day got hold of the story
and printed it, but, after the fashion of
those days, no names were given And
also after the fashion Of the day, the little
affair was referred to as "a brawl and af-
fray" when in these days it would be
called case of drunk and disorderly.'
About twenty years ago Jay Gou.d put
up steamboat as a stake on an election.
Whether the other party to the wager put
up another steamboat equivalent in
cash. real estate or railroad stocks and
bonds is not recorded, but at any rate Mr..
Gould won. Later he sold the steamboat
he had wagered to an actor, who converted
it into an excursion boat and got rich.
When George Francis Train, the eccen-
trio, lived in Omaha some years ago at
the time when he was prominent in the
building of the Union Pacific railroad, it
came to pass that an election was sched-
uled. Mr.. Train thought he knew how the
election was going, and to prove his cour-
age made a wager that if his man was de-
feated he would wear a duck suit all the
year round. Mr.. Trains guess was bad
and he lost. He lived UP to the letter of
the bet, however, and for a whole winter
one of those Omaha winters, too, in which
the thermometer takes sudden and unex-
pected dips to far below zero, and billiards.
come along over night and freeze every
thing that is not actually on fire-he wore
white duck. There were those who said
he violated the spirit of the bet by wearing
half a dozen suits of underc,othes under
his white duck. But Mr.. Train could stand
criticism better than he could stand an
attack of pneumonia, and refused to aban-
don his warm underclothing.
They tell another story of an election bet
in the blizzard country. 1t is to the effect
that in 1888 Ezekiel Tmrock of Hunnewell,
Kan. made a bet in these terms If Cleve-
land was defeated he would join the church.
Timrock was a gentleman with reputa-
ton as tough and bad man generally.
He had long scored religion and cursed
ligionsts. So his bet was heavy one.
Well, he lost. There were many who
thought he would back out and compro-
mise by giving the winner big farm or
something of that kind. But he didn't. He
made application for membership in the
church.
1t so happened. however, that the dea-
cons knew the terms of the bet and his
application was blackballed. Ttmrock
thought this released him. but the man
who held the other end of the wager In
sisted that he had not paid up. Timrock
considered that he was insulted and prompt
~ there was shooting match. Both were
equally quick on the trigger and both were
equally good shots, and the result was the
death of both parties. The coroner sum-
moned jury and when the inquest was
over a verdict holding the church response
BILE, because 1t rejected I1mrocks appilca-
ton was returned.