The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-20 00:00:00

SUPPRESSION OF 711 E DEPTFORD

SPEC."

--...--_. _.

BOW-STREET -THIS DAY.
For some time past the Detective Department of the
Metropolitan Police have been lately taking steps for the
suPpression of this great sporting lottery, and having per-
fected their arrangements, Inspector Clarke, Sergeants
Palmer and Sunnaway, and two other officers proceeded
to Deptford and apprehended the five defendants, who
were the managers of the "Deptford Spec," and Mr.
Farrah, of the Strand, on the authority of warrants issued
by Sir Thomas Henry, the chief magistrate, and this
morning they were placed in the dock, where they gave
their names as follows :
Alexander Leishman, the proprietor of the "Deptford
Spec," 10, Florence-cottages, Deptford ; Alex. Walker, 12,
Florence-cottages ; Charles Clayton, stationer, Clarence-
Place, Deptford ; William Daniels, Pluuastoad-road ; Thos.
Stephen Morris, dairyman, 25, Central-street, St. Luke's.
Mr. Poland appeared on the part of the Treasury to
prosecute, and Mr. Sergeant Sleigh defended the defen-
dants.

1-1": Poland, in stating the case, said the present prose-
cution was instituted under the 16th and 17th of Victoria,
and the
ta charge against them was illegally keeping and
carry
on a lottery on horse racing. A tremendous num-
ber of books;are sent to the various public-houses, where
they are sold. The name of the race is mentioned in the
ticket in each of the books, the name of the horse and the
taamkoeunt of subscription is also mentioned. He would just
one as a specimen from "the Newmarket Handicap,"
for Which 60,000 subscribers was required.
Sir T. Henn
y—Hove many ?
divlaidre.dPoland-60,000 ; £5OO was the prize for the first
horse, £3OO for the second, £l5O for the third, £5OO to be
amongst the starters, £6OO amongst the
non-starters, £2OO prizes of £2 each, £3OO in prizes
of £1 each, and 500 prizes of 10s. each.
The draw takes place at a certain public-house on a given
night from two wheels-of-fortune by two boys, and as the
names are drawn they are taken down in the most busi-
nesslike manner. The drawing of these " specs," he con-
tended,, were not only lotteries on horse racing but lotto-
"es in the most extended sense of the term. Saturday
nights were generally chosen for the draw, when the
labouring classes received their wages, and as it was im-
Possible that all the 60,000 subscribers could be present,
result-sheets were published, which the prisoner Farrah
sold at his shop in the Strand, and as there was a pro-
vision that 10 per cent, were to be deducted for ex-
Penses) no person except the prisoners could by any
refutes tell the amount of money kept back for expenses as
the allotment of the moneys was always subject to the
number of tickets. The Newmarket Handicap was drawn
oa the Bedford Arms, Holloway, and the City and Subur-
nat the Union iteerbouse,'Poplar. These lotteries had
W grown to an enormous extent, and it was most de-
sirable that some steps should be taken to suppress these
very objectionable speculations, and as the case would he
thought be fully made out against each prisoner, he should
Theaelol t
forfor the committal of them all for trial at the
Central Criminal Court for misdemeanour, the punish-
'which was two years' imprisonment, the in-
the on of a fine being altogether inadequate to meet
'he exigences of the case. He should have stated that
Fheu the prisoner Leichman was apprehended at 10,
fl°renue Cottages, two cab loads of tickets, &c., were
Nound, and also £1,400 in money, the distribution for the
everaarket Handicap, but as 60,000 shillings amounted
£3,000, it was impossible to say how many tickets
had been sold, or how much money bad been
deducted for expenses. At Clayton's shop, at
Deptford a gat quantity of things connected with
the
spec Were taken possession of, as also at Farrah's shop.
4t Was thought that, the system having grown to enor-
mous Proportions, it was for the public good such pro-
ceedings should be suppressed.
The following witnesses were then examined
Inspector Clark said—l am an inspector of the Metro-
Politan police, and in consequence of directions I received
went on Saturday last to the Bedford Arms, Andover-
road,liornsey. It is kept by a person of the name of
Harris. Sergeant Palmer was with me. We went to the
bar, where we found Minns serving the customers, he had
a book of tickets for the Deptford Spec, for the Liverpool
Grand National, to which was attached a counterfoil. I
think about a dozen were sold, whilst we were present.
at one shilling each. I purchased a ticket, numbered
56,840. Palmer also purchased a ticket. I produce the
ticket I purchased. There were to be 60,000 subscribers
at is each, with the other prizes as already mentioned.
" L." was on each of the tickets. After the tickets
Were purchased the people went up to a large room on the
first floor. I went up, and found about 60 or 70 persons
there. The four defendants, Alexander Walker, Charles
Clayton, Walter Daniels, and Thomas Stephen Morris,
were there. A man was also there selling tickets. I don't
him personally, but I know him to be a racing man.
Purchased one of him also—viz., 53,794, for the Liverpool
Grand National. The draw then took place. Walker,
Who was behind the table in the club room, got np and
said, "4,200 tickets not sold." That he repeated twice,
and then gave the particulars of them. It took half an
hour to read the numbers. Daniels and Morris appeared
to be conducting the business. They untied a number
of small parcels of tickets, and continued to
do so until they had undone about a bushel of them. I
could see there were numbers upon the tickets. The
tickets were then all mixed up and put into a large wheel
of fortune with a quantity cf sand to prevedt the tickets
sticking together. Clayton then asked if any gentleman
had got a sporting paper, and receiving no answer ho pro-
duced one himself—the Sporting Life—said, " Will any
gentleman read out the horses entered for the Grand Na-
tional ?" This was done, and Clayton produced a ticket
Na-
tional?' each horse entered; and placed them on the table.
Walter Daniels and Morris then proceeded to undo the
Prizes, -which were larger tickets than the others —I
should say in bulk they appeared to be about a
quarter the quantity of the other tickets. These
tickets were then placed in another wheel of
fortune, and then two boys came into the room, pulled
their jackets off, and one went to each wheel, when the
Wheels were turned by a stranger present, and each boy
drew a ticket, which he gave to Morris, who stood be-
tween the two. He called out the name of the horse and
the prize twice. This occupied about 40 minutes. All
the tickets were entered on a paper as they were drawn.
Clayton assisted Morris in calling out the numbers and
Prizes. They took turn and turn about until the whole of
the tickets were drawn. The draw terminated at a quarter
Past ten. I left after the draw, and went to the front of
the bar and saw Minns. I did not see Leishtnan at all that
night. I then left the house. I was not present when the
I)tizes were distribed at tho Bedford Arms. On the
23d of March 1 went to 10, Florence-cottages. It is a
private house, but fitted up as an office. I saw Clayton
and Walker there. They were behind the counter. I
said " Have you any tickets for the City and Suburban ?"
Clayton said "Yes, how many ?" I said "five." He said
Will you have them from one book, or several ?" I said
"From different books," and he gave them me from some
books he took from different parts of the place. The num-
bers of each were 3,462, 3,877, 3,819, 42,930, and 72,374.
I paid Is. each for the tickets. I produce them in the
form I received them. The prizes in this race wore 75,000
subs., ls. each. First horse, £600; second, £400; third,
£2OO. Starters, £5OO ; non-starters, £BOO. 800 prizes
£2 each ; 400 £1 each ; and 500 of 10s. each. There
Were hundreds of books of tickets in the office. 1 then,
On the same day, went to Clayton's shop, Clarence-
Place, Deptford. I purchased these two tickets for the
same race, these were numbered 74,893 and 65,142. There
Were here also a great many books about the place. On
the 3d of April I received the result-sheet from Sergeant'
Suunaway. I from that found that ono of m
71 20
1.
3174, m
on the y tickets,
threee 7tolpfroil
nu I
found
westor to
Morris
Florence-cotta a
e-cfl Pi7e
atagre a,n arat h f
o'clock A
and Walker at the door, and I
vfoalilowed them into the
office and presented the ticket. 1 ker asked tho amount
of the prize, I said £l, he then looked paper. I gave
the ticket, which had had seine ink spilled' on it at the
back. Morris looked at it, and then said, "We can't ay
this, that's all about it." I said the number Navtaesitqtuphiete
plain, and that it was purchased cf them in the state was. They refused to pay the ticket and 1 then left then
office.

Mr. Sergeant Sleigh—My learned friend need not im-
pute other charges to those now being I
w
disposedonto Deptfordof .
Witness continued—Last evening
armed with warrants and some other officers
office
to
and No.
found 15,
Florence Cottages. I went into h
Walker, Clayton, Daniels and Morris there, all seemed to
be engaged counting money. Money was lying in heaps
d
on the counter. I heard that Leishman
dani so, and I thenwas in the house,
so I sent for him to come down.
He
told them I was an officer and held warrantsr namesfor t
wiheatph--
ap-
prehension of all of them. Each gave thee
out hesitation, and I told them I must take them into
custody. I produced a search warrant and said Ishou.ld
take possession of all I found connected with
I've
for lottery, and do so. During this time Leishman said,askime
conducted this spec for six years, and no one
for a
obfisaculotthhiensgtso
PennY• he repeated that frequently. canHe said he
was the originator of the spec., and that he had pledged
riettoehtoeeitts, tc.,of books, tickets,
ii.cfeoviiPuhais first engagement. I took posses-
there, consisting
and I believe in aft enough to fill four large hampers.
and
handicap thatuthrge of £1,400 19s. Ed., all in small There was to have been a distribution for the Newmarket
t; Is the amount. I've not counted it.
night. Leishman said he was very
sorry he was
I
the not permitted to pay the money.
Shea
sent to Clayton's shop. I went to Farrah's, 282,
Strand. It is a stationer andp. publisher's shop. I asked
for Ur* Farrah, and he saidl am Mr. Farrah. 1 told him
Was an officer, and held a warrant for his arrest. He
read the document and said ho was quite surprised he had
Would
not received notice to discontinue the business, which he
of course have done. I told him I had a search war-
rant, which lat once put into execution. Farrah gave
rile all tickets, &c., he had in the shop. I produce them
all. I have not had time to examine them. There aro
tickets relating to a great number of " Specs," and also
shares in the-" Lucky bag." Tickets had previously been
bought at his shop for the• Derby Spec.
14 reply to Mr. Sergeant sleigh, who said he should