Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-19
TAPPING THE WIRES.
How Three Firms OF BOOkmakerS Wer
SWindled Yesterday
THE MYSTERIOUS BUSINESS TRANSACTED IN VA
CANT HOUSE NEAR THE sCHUETzEN PARK-HoLDINt
BACK NEWS FROM THE RACEs-AN ARREST MADI
THIS MORNING.

sensation was caused at the pool-rooms at Sew
enth and Boundary streets yesterday, when it wa
reported that the wire connecting the rooms witt
| the Guttenburg race-track had been tapped, o
''welshed," as the bOokmakers call it. an operation
which resulted in the loss of about 81 900 to The
| bookmakers. The bookmakers, however, are con
| graduating themselves that their loss was no
greater. The wire was tapped the bookmaker
| say, just before the last race was to come OF
| When the horses went to the post the betting wa
as follows: Maia, even money: Una B., TO ant
to 8; Little Mickey to and even for the place
| Gold star 10 to and to l; Joe Mitchell, 70
and even. Maia and Una b. were hot favorites
The heavy beJters were stalking money on the IA
vorites, but just before the result OF the was
announced there was
RUSH FOR JOE MITCHELL,
and everybody was ready and anxious to put uI
money. Considerable money was accepted by the
| bookmakers, who were somewhat uneasy because
the horses were so long getting on.
'Is that you, New York;" asked the operator.
"ThiS is New York, came the answer.
oWhat's the matter with the horses?"
"They made some bad breaks at the post"
After q moments hesitation the word came:
run 100 feet the word came, "Joe Mitchell first;
Una B., second; Little Mickey, third" Then the
operator asked New York how the race was run 20
quickly, and he said that the race had been Nm
tshed ten minutes The wire from Guttenburg
connects the three pool-rOoms Jones & Co., Miller
& Co., and Lynn Wall While there was no posi-
tampered with the boOkmakers were satisfied that
such was the TACT
TIE TICKETS PAID.
In the absence OF such proof the bookmakers
made no ''kick, but promptly paid the tickets on
Joe Mitchell Such thing as tapping the wires
has never before been attempted In this city, but
In other cities several such attempts have been
made. The wire is cut and the New York end is
attached TO battery In the house where the fraud
is committed, and the end leading to the pool
room is attached to another battery, an in
strument being placed at each end OF the cut wire
Then the news from the track Is withheld a
sufilcient time TO place money on the winner
Then the Information Is sent on to the bOOkmaker
II carefully worked the fraud may go undiscovered
that the operator became frightened and sent In
the information as soon as he could 80 that he
would have time TO skip" before the Dookmakers
the last race This fact alone accounts for the de-
lection OF the break In the wire, as the men were
not busy and had time 10 notice the way in which
the information was being sent.
FINDING THE "rAP.r
After the days races were over q delegation OF
men interested In the pool business started out on
q tour of inspection. opposite the Schuetzen Park
they discovered where the wire had been tapped
The wire ran through chimney to an unoccupIed
house, which was rented q few days ago by two
men. It was decided to watch the house. and
Frank Gait G. W. Henley, Jack Ryan, and Lou
house last night They found In the house the in
struments and batteries
AN ARREST.
No one appeared at the house until about 8
O'Clock this morning. The men were all asleep.
with the exception OF Cole, when the door opened
and In walked man. The ofncer slipped between
the man and the door ana asked: aWhat DO you
want?"
"These things" answered the man.
policeman was sent for and the man was
taken 70 the station, where he gave his name Is
Edward Collins He had In front OF the houst Q
wagon, OF which he was the driver, and In which
he was going 70 put the batterieA He declined to
talk, and would not tell by whom he was en-
ployed He was taken to the Police Court on .
cnarge OF being suptcious person. but as there
he was released. the men who aie connected
with the fraud are known, It IL stated and WIN be
arrested II they can be found. IN such event they
viii be charged with malicious mischief There
VI no law against tampering with telegraph
wires unless the wires are owned or controlled by
the United Statea the penalty Tor malicious mis-
chief Ia In the discretion Of the court not exceed
ing one year In Jail