Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-10-10
Gddest Of Bets

! York state an undertaken VINO during
the Decentralization campaign bet
his hearse on Cleveland. The winner
found he had no use for the vehicle,
SO he sold it back to its original owner
Tor a mere song.
| Many other winners in that election
rode gayly in wheelbarrows at the
expense of the losers Drawn and
serenity of mind. Still other men
shaved off their imperlals and side
| boards" other men shaved only one
side; men appear in public wit
half hair cuts; other men, proud Of
+, the fine lines of their smooth-shayen
faces, grew bushy whiskers; other
men climbed telegraph poles and fell
| off and broke their bones Other men
went without their drinks for a year;
other men abstained from vegetables
/ for year.
Again, turing the Bryan Mckinley
excitement many freak Fets were
made by strong partisans and by
others. When Bryan was nominated
/ General ]. Madison Drake of Eliza
beth, n. j., took solemn VOW that he
/ wouldn't have his locl.s shorn until
<he Nebraska candidate sat in the
presidential chair. He made great
preparations TO celebrate the BRYAN
victory, invited the public to join
him in the demonstration and propos-
ed to lead all good Bryan men through
| the streets in parade. He proposed to
ride on snow-white charger, with
the stars and stripes wrapped around
| his shoulders. His hair is still grow.
! ing.
South Dakota furnished a romantic
bet on the Bryan-McKiniey election.
John H. Chase and T. F. McIlheny
loved the same widow an the widow
indicated no preference. Davis was a
Bryan man and McIlheny was an ad.
yocate OF Mckinley. 81 they agreed to
let the result OF eiel tlon decide their
claims McIIheny won the wager. but
the perverse widow made Chase break
faith with his rival
Perhaps the strangest wager of The
SO campaign YVES made by William
Corbus and George Barneu of Elk
hart, Ind, Corbls, overheated with
faith in Mckinley, offered to bet his
wife on his judgement. Barneu snap
ped him up at once and the two men
went to a lawyers office and drew IN
a formal agreem snt as follows:
This memorandum of agreement
made and entered into this 2Ist day
OF October, 1906, by and between
William Corbus. party of the first
part, and George NJ. Barnell, party of
the second part, both in the county Of
Elkhart and the state of Indiana.
Witnesseth, that the party of the
first part covenants and agrees. in
consideration of the covenants hera.
matter stipulated and agreed upon to
Immediately apply to the courts of
the count of Elkhart for a bill Of d.
Yorce for the legal separation Of him
self and wife and pay all expenses
therefor in event William Jennings
Bryan is elected to the presidency of
the United States. and procure n
marriage license Tor the party of the
cond part and his wife anw pay for
the services of tns minister or maeis-
tFate performing the marriage cere-
mony.
And The party OF the second part
covenants and agrees in consideration
Oh the premises TO convey and war
rant the house and lot now owned and
occupied by him to the party of the
first part, provided William Mckinley
Jr., is elected president Of the United
States, in consideration of winch
mouse and lot is S. 00G.
In witness whereof the parties
hereto have hereunto set their hands
and the seals the day above written.
And Mr.. Corbus agreed to the
terms of the strange wager. However.
Barnell failed to win her.
But here is the most gorgeous
wager on record. Henry Harley. the
oil man. once won 100000 by a sim.
pie wager with friend named Phil.
lips on the niger up or nigge II
down game. This was a fayorite
sport among the clubmen of Fifth
avenue. Frequently they bet 500 500
or as high as 800 that the first negro
passing would 90 up or down the ave.
nue.. Harley bet q niger up at 800
a head The judges and retire. went to
the window and began to count.
Strangely enough. there seemed to ne
an unusual number of colored men
and women on the avenue and in twos
and threes they were strolling down.
town.
By IL o'clock $40 men. women and
children had gone downtown. Phillips
was highly elaJed and Harley thunder
struck. Phillips, $4,000 ahead of tho
game, began to order UP the cham.
payne. Between II and 1o'clock the
downtown movement of co.ored people
ended, but at two o'clock thehe cam
strains Of band from far down the
street and presently a negro drummai.
or followed by an army of colored or.
CARNATIONS paraded past the club. The
counters worked desperately to keep
tabs on the numbers and, although
they missed many persons. thew
agreed that at least 5000 had gone up
me avenue and only $40 had gone
down. Consequently Hariey's winnings
amounted to $4,000 Phillips paid
without murmur, but he never took
part in a Niger" gamble again.