The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-06-23
THAT FOREIGN BOOK.
A DEVICE FOR UNDIsG USED GAM
Bling At TIE ACE TRACKS.
II Full Swing at Alexander Islsnd,-Al-
though Declared by the Goysruor OF
Virginia an Usiawfui Concera.

For little more than a year row the peo-
ole OF tho District have witnessed Just
across the river racing day IN and day
out. in all sorts OF weather. In summer
heat and In winters cold and snow anu
ice The spectacle mas not been al any
time pleasant one. rot even 20 inoS'
who believe that genuine. honest racing
IL the grandest OF sports. Tho reason
for this II not at all difficult OF discovery.
for IN IL easily apparent. even 10 nose
who have never visited race track, thdt
wher racing 10 INDUCED In day after Gay
the wear around tt ceases 20 be the
snort OF kings and develops into nothing
rlore or less than a gisfntic gambling
scheme pure and simple. IN which Inc
results Of the races are viewed with that
Interest alone created BY money wagered.
the degeneration Of racing from
clean. healthy sport, from the time when
racing had for its one real great object
the Development of mans best friend
the horse down &c the~ present time,
when, with extremely rare exceptions.
racing has sutordinatcl the development
and encouragement Of :he breeding a
the horse and all else 10 the passion for
gambling. has been gradual except dur
ing the past ten years a has been most
rapid. so rapidly. indeed. that one visit
ing "A race track.to-day for the first lime
In ten or even less years would be I'M
Fly amazed by the extent 10 which gam
bling is there carried on
This IL especially the case at track
where. as at the two race tracks across
the Potomac, what IS known as a for
elgn book Is run. Since the day when
The Star turned its guns from the dis
mantled fortress Of Winsar racing at Ivy
city upon the Virginia tracks the people
Of the District have heard mucp more 81
foreign books" than eyer before. But.
while this IS true ncgortheless few %
% trio
what a "fcTelsn book" IS. or aow !; IS
run.
wHATIsA FOREIGN BOOK.
The term foreign book IS applied 20
betting conducted by bookmaker on
races run elsewhere than at he track
where the betting is fone In racing a
bOokmakcr is man who posts oCsis
against the success OF the various horses
in the different races. lie l. sO-called
because originally the man recorded IN
a little memorandum book the different
wagers made with MIN. That custom
still prevails In England, where Il origi-
mated. Ia France and other European
countries. and since the prohibition of
hOokmakeF and pool selling IN the state
Of New York II has been prac.icod there,
being made a mere subterfgge 10 eyade
the law.
The American bolsmakor. owever. soon
found that such a method was far too
primitive and inadequa-e for him and his
patrons, and today The average book
maker has no less than three clerks or
assistants. one OF thele assistants writes
down on a specially printed card the
name OF the horse selected by the bettOr,
the amount wagered. AMI Of course, the
odds given. As one clerk Is doing that a
second clerk Is recording the number OF
the card or ticket and the amour. # calls
for on a great sheet Of paper, specially
ruled and arranged. 4 third clerk acts
as cashier. 10 being his duty 10 pay at
the end Of the respective races those hold
ing winning tickets.
The bOokmaker himself stands IN font
or the small box occupied by mis- clerks.
and from time % time changes the odds
posted on slate or blackboard opposite
The names OF the h0f--s starting. These
odds are constantly changing the in
crease or decrease Ia them beiag caused.
respectively, by the heavy or light play
Of the specializing public
TO those unfamiliar with gambling on
horses the manner OF play s thus de-
sCribtd For about twenty-five minutes
previous 20 each race bets are made on
the horses starting
The b0Oknlaker. be 70 understood, never
bets that q 'kcrse will win. but that he
viii net. Ia this. perhaps may De- found
not infrequently a very substantial fea-
son why the horse capable OF winning Is
hcaten-it being so much castor 20 stop
4 horse than 10 Ycn with aim. However
the bookInaker. 20 use an apt racing term
Is always "out for the stun and his pa
irons recognize that fact. and have an
overwhelming faith In the doctrine that
hen one beats II. O., wins from "A book
maker. one is fully entitled 70 all the
money.