OCR Text |
Show A terv singular bet, resulting in a law plea, has recently come up for decision before what was formerly known as the court of queen's bench, in England. The circumstances were as follows: Mr. Hampden offered, by advertisement, to deposit 500, on reciprocal terms, defying all philosophers, philos-ophers, divines, or prolessora to prove the rotundity of the earth from Scripture, reason, or science, and engaging to forfeit the deposit on the exhibition to an intelligent referee of a convex canal or lake. A Mr. Wallace Wal-lace accepted the bet, engaging to stake a like sum ou an undertaking under-taking to show visibly and to measure the convexity of a r inL-o, And n.Ki Uku iu JNorth Wales was suggested for the purpose. The money was paid into Ooutls' bank to the order ot Mr. Walsh, who had been appointed umpire. The trial was made, and upon an examination of the reports submitted, Mr. Walsh decided that Mr. Wallace bad proved the curvature of the Bedford Level canal to the extent of five feet in Bix miles. According to the terms of the br.t Mr. Walsh accordingly paid over the 1,000 to Mr. Wallace. Mr. Hampien then brought action against Mr. Walsh to recover hiB 500. The defendant's counsel contended that this was not a wager, but a contract on certain terms and conditions which had been performed and completed. Since 18-45 all contracts of gaming or wagering are void, and no suit can be brought for recovering any money alleged to he won upon any wager, or which shall have been deposited to abide the event on which any wager shall have been made. From latest accounts the case has not been decided, but it raises a very nice point which may at least produce the eflect of convincing the plaintiff that the earth is round if his own head is not level, and proving to him the truth of the adage that a fool and his money are soon parted. |