Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-15
BETTING is DANGEROUS
The Laws of the District Are Severely Pro-
y, hibitory.
Those Who Violate the Law Are Lii
!. prisOnment for Ninety Days.

1t may not be generally known. but 1t is
nevertheless true, that any one betting here
on the coming presidential election, or, In
deed, on any other, makes himself liable to
rather severe punishment If convicted. The
laws of the District in relation to gambling
as construed by Judge Cole In the Miller
case, which construction the Court of Ap-
peals affirmed, prohibit not only betting
en- elections, but also betting Of any other
nature. Judge Cole, indeed. went even
further, holding that any one who induces
or entices another to bet Is guilty of set
ting up q gaming table. The act of Janu-
airy 81, 1883, provides that the penalty for
setting up a gaming table shall be impris-
onmeEt for a term not exceeding five years
And that construction CT the law the Court
of Appeals also affirmed in the Miller case
The offense of setting up a gaming table,
IT. would appear. can be committed only by
ore who induces or enticeS another to bet
or play at such table CT gambling device,
but. the term gaming table is broadly con-
strued by the act of 1853 and by the courts
as to mean all games, devices or contriy-
ances at which money or any other thing
shall be bet or wagered. Indeed, the same
act declares that the courts shall constrde
its sections literally, 80 as to prevent the
mischief intended to be guarded against" ~
This act of 1885, the Court of Appeals held
in the Miller case applies to the whole DIS
irict, thus prohibiting the setting up OF a
gaming table Chat u.s. the inducing or en-
ticing of any one to bet or gamble) any
where In the District. But, from a glance
at the following provisions of the act of
April 26, 1885, 1t will be seen that in certain
sections OF the District takers Of bets car
be punished -.
1t shall be unlawful for any person or
persons, or associations of persons, in the
cities of Washington ana Georgetown, In
the District Of Columbia, to bet, gamble, Of
make books and pools on the result of any
trotting or running race of horses, or boat
race, or race of any kind, or on any cleo
ton. or contest Of any kind, or game Of
base ball. Amy person persons, or asso-
citation of persons, violating the provisions
of this act shall be fined not exceeding 500
nor less than SIS, be imprisoned not
more than ninety days, or both, at the
| discretion of the court"
So it would seem that not only Is one
prohibited from enticing or inducing one
| to bet or gamble anywhere in the District,
but also that in the cities of Washington
| and Georgetown even the acceptance Of a
| bet is heavily penalized. Therefore, would
| be bettors should, before Offering to wager
| accepts wager or bet he should be beyond
| longer being legally city,. But even then
| the parties to the wager or bet are no,
| by any means on what the sporting fra
| ternity term 1.-The shady side of Easy
| street." for the loser can, by suit at law
| recover the amount lost by him. Yet, ever
| ali this is not preventing the Mckinley
| people from giving, and the Bryan crowt
from taking, 3 or ~ to on the success OF
| the Ohio man. "-