Evening journal., 1896-09-25
Billy AND ms oPULL. I"


The grand jury OF Cecil county has
denounced in unmeasured terms the
race track system now in operation
there. In its report to the court It de-
clares that the system of gambling on
the several race tracks. established
there for that purpose by certain cor
porations, by which the good name OF
Cecil county is brought into disgrace,
demands the positive condemnation of
all our citizens. AS pledge OF its sim
cerity it has indicted two OF the men
engaged in unlawful pool-selling.
Now the grand jury of New Castle
county has fitting opportunity to ex-
press itself upon an attendant abuse
and violation of the law which affects
the good name of this community.
Everybody knows that local option
prevails in Cecil county and that there
is a license system in New Castle
county. When the promoters OF this
system OF outlawed tracks decided to
build their first track at Iron Hill sta
ton, on the p, w. g. B. railroad, a
short distance below Newark, they had
two objects in view. Under the laws
OF Maryland they could conduct races
and sell pools for thirty days in the
year, and they bought enough Cecil
county land for their track, stables,
sheds, grand-stand and pool-room. But
that privilege, with its various money
making concessions, was not sufficient
to crafty the lust of these men. They
not only wanted TO rope in that part of
the public which was addicted to
gambling on horses, and others-par-
ticularly young men who could ill-af-
ford to stand their losses on the turf
but they wanted to run a big bar
room. Knowing that they could not
do it in Cecil county they purchased
two or three acres of land Immediately
back OF the grand-stand, and enclosed
the plot with the Interstate boundary
stone within the enclosure to convince
the Maryland authorities that what
ever violation of law ther was. was
just beyond the sphere of their infiu-
ence. Then a small cottage, called a
clubhouse, was erected, stocked with
liquors, thrown open, and the public
was invited to "join the club" After
paying a certain fee and signing the
club roster the initiate could, by buy
ing tickets, go to the bar, present them
and get any drink that the establish
ment had in stock, provided its price
did not exceed the value of the tickets
presented
The Evening Journal and other pa
pers called the attention of the state
officials to the fragrant violation Of the
license laws, but they were deaf to al
such information, and sat back ant
waited for someone else to do theil
work for them. Approaching the ad
vantage of this official indifference, the
proprietors of the clubhouse threw of
all semblance Of caution, dispensed
with the prerequisite of club member
ship. and the tickets and drinks werl
sold to all comers.
Then the Evening Journal attacked
the violators of the law, and the stat
officials who we're so lax in the per
formance Of their duty and called upoi
the Law and Order Society TO take &C
tion. 1t responded by sending two de
tectives to Iron Hill. They bough
drinks, paid for them, and kept som
OF the tickets they had purchased. The
William S. Prickett wrote to Attorney
General White and demanded tina
some action be taken. Mr.. White wrot
letter deputizing Mr.. Prickett to tax
such steps as he might deem prope
and placing the state detectives unde
his orders. Mr.. Prickett instructed tn
state detectives to 60 to Iron Hill an
arrest every man found engaged i
the clubhouse. Accompanied by on
or two police officers, they went dow
there and raided the place, arrestin