Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-11-02

Gently in New Jersey, and Will certain
lv be demonstrated elsewhere If occa-
sion calls, that the terrible demoraliza-
ton attending this Infamous business Of
keeping tracks and racing horses for
betting purposes becomes in time unen-
durable, and although the most persis-
tent and law-defying efforts are made
by those wishing to maintain it, 1t will
at last be eradicated, no matter what
loss of property may follow, by an
aroused public sentiment.
We close this article with extracts
from "Sidney's Book on the Horse"
that illustrate English experiences in
these matters:
In the preceding pages the object has
been to describe the turf in its present
state-an institution that has in fact
created the blood horse-Dot to dwell
upon vain projects for reforming mode
of gambling. which, If It did not suit the
native taste, would not exist. 70 pre-
tend that modern race meetings are
held for the purpose of improving the
race of horses is rank hl pocrisy. They
horses. but races are held, and some
sixty thousand pounds awarded in
stakes i'm the seven New Market meet
ings alone, in reality to afford the world
of betting men an opportunity of losing
Amongst the owners of race horses
arr few-at the present day four or
five-who breed, train and run them
purely for sport.
When Mr.. WilberfOrce entered public
life as a young, Il rich and unconverted
man. at every club in st. James hazard
was played, and at the private houses of
ladies of great fashion faro-banks were
open every night of the season. OF
Chas James Fox it was said, pleasantly,
and not as a reproach, that he could
have made fine income at whist and
piquet, but he preferred to ruin himself
at hazard. declaring that "neXt to the
pleasure of winning at hazard. the
greatest pleasure was losing" Every
body played; many fine hereditary
estates passed away to obscure owners !;
those who objected to play were ridi-
cuied as "Methodists".
Lord Holland in his "Memoirs of the
Wing Party" says, "Mr. Pitt was, |
believe, partner in the faro-bank at
Groosetree's (St. JamesD. At this
period many men of fashion did not
scruple to belong to such associations,
and to avow it. | mention the circum-
stances not to the discredit of MIR. Pitt,
but to show by the example of so cor
rect and decOrOus a man the habits of
the times"
Within the first quarter of this CEN
fury gambling was openly carried on in
md ut
every race meeting. The stage-coach-
man used to point out sheep marked "E.
o." browsing on Bagshot Heath, whose
owner had won the capital for stocking
a farm at Ascot in an L. O. tent. A
gentleman who tried to put down the
hazard rooms opened during Doncaster
races in 1927 was not only pelted in the
streets. out the subject of vote of cen.
sure.at a public meeting of respectable
Inhabitants.
In ST. James street, in 1925, it might
literally be said
The gates of hell stood open night and day;
Smooth the ascent, and easy was the way"
to an exclusive set, privileged to ruin
themselves if they chose at CrOckford's /;
and. if they did not, to enjoy the luXu-
riCusly-furnished club, with the great
chez Ude's exquisite cookery, and wines
purchased regardless of expense.
At this time gambling houses were
regularly licensed, just as public houses
and music halls are now. The law, as
sisted ny the new police, put down gam
bling houses between 1913 and 1918.
Hitherto legislature has not attempted
to interfere with the betting transactions
carried on in private subscriptiOn-rooms
and IN the betting rings of public race
nv 81 m
strictly perform their engagement on
pain of expulsion, and who are sup
posed to lay the odds to nothing less
than FLYER, l. e., five pounds, and to
owe the money until the regular settling
day. Ready money gambling is illegal
aud sometimes checked by the police,
but in 1873 it was carried on conspicu-
ously at all the race meetings.
The expenses of IA racing stud are
enormous. The winnings of Il race
horse are Insignificant, even when such
prizes as the Two Thousand Guineas,
the Derby, the Oaks, or the Doncaster
st. Leger are landed, in comparison with
the possible gains of betting on the
scale in which the business is now car
ried ON.
Betting presents-in the words of DR..
johnson Speaking of Thrale brewery
to the sanguine man or boy "pOten-
TALLY of wealth beyond the dreams of
avarice". In 1869 horse described by
sporting reporter as a common nine.
~ guinea platter, won for the owner
the Cambridgeshire handicap, worth
fl9OO in stakes and El2,0 in bets
The losses are proportionate. a vol
ume of Sir Bernard Burke's "Peerage"
or of Mr.. Walford's Country Families,
annotated by one of those not quite
ruined gentlemen who have made the
turf the business of their lives would
trace the decay of many ancient aud
noble names and the dispersion of many
grand estates to losses on the turf.
As the value of racing stakes and
the number of race horses have increased,
the trade of gambling in bets has been
organized into a business, the professor
of which regularly follows circuits of
the most important race meetings, pre-
pared to bet against every horse. Those
who were called "legsn or "black-legs"
in the last generation, now bear the
more genteel name of "boOkmakers".
They are on the turf what iobbers are
on the stock tXchange-always ready
to do business by laying against every