The sun., 1895-05-27
COMMON GAMBLING IN ILLINOIS.
Pool Selling Suppressed in Cook County.
but Permitted Elsewhere.


CHICAGO, May 20-Race-track gambling has
had hard setbacks in this State this year. AS a
result of the decisions of the Supreme Court of
the State Of Illinois. to the effect that pool SELL
ing, either on local or foreign events is COM
mon gambling and amenablc as such to punish-
ment under the state statutes, the bookmnkers
and the sporting men who follow the races for a
living are deep in the slough of despond. They
argue that they are not treated justly; that
they are more violators Of the laws than the
Board Of Trade. the bucket shops. and other
similar institutions.
So far as can be ascertaincd there are no
prosecutions for violations Of the gaming laws
at the race tracks in the State. outside OF Cook
county. and even here the prosecutions are not
by the local authorities. but by a law and order
organization known the Civic Federal ion.
All the raids on the tracks have been made ut
the instigntion OF members OF this organization,
the President Of which Is the President of the
Chicago Board of Trade William r. Baker.
The only tracks in the State, outside Of this
county that amount to much in the racing as-
sociations are those at East st. Louis and Gales
burg. The former is largely patronized by the
residents Of st. Louis, and some fine racing is
done there. Betting is pretty high. and the books
on foreign events are well patronized. At Gales
burg last year, there was q sixty days meeting,
and there will probably be one of similar length
this year. No attempt was made last season to
stop pool selling or bookmaking. and none are
feared this season. Whether or not the raids in
Chicago on the Hawthorne and Harlem tracks
result from a BRIEF reign OF virtne on the part Of
the civic Federation. or Is u movement that has
come to stay, remains to be seen.
The lllinois statutes ON tho subject of book
nakng md pool isilinE are terss but explicit
THAT any person who keeps any room shed,
tenement, booth, or building, or any part Thereon.
prvaes grounds Nv Within tins usV tate ,. WITH ~npq any n
book instrument or device for the purpose of
senn POOLS OK @ @hS OF OF
registers bots or wagers, or sells pools upon
thS result, ,a, of of any trial or contest Of
political nomination, appointment, or election;
room, sned. tenement. booth, or building, part
thereof. knowingly permits the same to be used
kceps. exhibits. or employs any device or ap-
paratus for the purpose Of recording such bets or
custodian or depository for hire q or privilege @ Of
any money. property, or thing of value stakcd.
wyagered, or a,t; pledged - upon any such result
county jail for a period not longer than one
year. or by fine not exceeding $1,000, or both.
act shall not apply to the actual inclosure OF
fair or race track associations that arc ncorpo-
actual time OF the meeting OF said associations,
or within twenty-four hours before any such
strangely. this law has been held to be insult
fclent, inusrnuch as the enacting clause was not
made II part OF the statute, but the pool sellers
were held 70 have violated the gambling laws of
the Cvil Code and to be amenable to them. Sec
ton l27 of the Criminal Code. under which
many arrests were made on May 10. 10 the law
which the state Supreme Court Interpreted ad-
versey to the boOkmakcrs and horsemen in the
case OF Joseph Swigert. This opinion was hand
ed down on Jan. 10, 1903. and holds that the
making of books OF selling of pools ON horse
races is common gambling within tho meaning
OF the statutes. The law reads:
Whoever Keeps n common gambling house.
or in any building. booth, yard, garden. boat or
float, by him OF his agent used and occupied.
procures or permits any persons 10 frequent or
valuable thing at any game, or keeps
apparatus for tho purpose OF playing at
any game or sport for money, or any
other valuable thing. or knowingly rents any
yiction. for the first offence be fined not less
than 500, and for the second offence shall be
fined not less than 5000, and he confined in the
county jail not less than Blk months. and for the
third offence shall be fined not less than $500
and be imprisoned In the penitenttary not less
than two years nor more than five years"
Swigert was secretary of the old Garfield
Park Club and had charge of the betting ring.
He was arrested upon q warrant charging him
with keeping comm0h gaming house IL u