Wheeler v. Spencer
Supreme Court of Connecticut
This was an action for money had and received by the defendant, to the plaintiff’s use. The cause was tried at Litchfield, August term, 1841, before Sherman, J. In October, 1840, the plaintiff and Giles Griswold 2d, both being then electors of this state and entitled to vote for electors of president and vice-president of the United States, having each placed in the hands of the defendant, the sum of 50 dollars, made with each other the following wager respecting the event…
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This was an action for money had and received by the defendant, to the plaintiff’s use. The cause was tried at Litchfield, August term, 1841, before Sherman, J. In October, 1840, the plaintiff and Giles Griswold 2d, both being then electors of this state and entitled to vote for electors of president and vice-president of the United States, having each placed in the hands of the defendant, the sum of 50 dollars, made with each other the following wager respecting the event of the then next presidential election in the United States: “ If Wm. II. Harrison is elected president of the United…
1Opinion of the CourtHinman, J.
No question has ever been directly raised, in this state, as to the validity of wagers at common law. The general understanding of the profession, however, has been, that they would be held to be illegal, as being contrary to the principles of morality and against sound policy. But in England, where the courts have gone so far in sustaining wagering contracts, as to subject the law to the reproval of descending from its dignity, in lending its aid to recover idle and frivolous wagers, it has been held, that a wager between two voters, on the event of an election then pending, was illegal; and…
2Cited by9 opinions
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- Cooper v. RowleyOhio Supreme Court · 1876
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