Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-03-19
BETTING AT ST. AsAPH.

race tracks was resumed at inc OI.
Asaph track yesterday, and when the
betting commenced there were about
, 800 persons on the grounds. The bust
ness was conducted on the commission
f system. Among those present were
State Senator Mushbach, Prosecuting
Attorney Johnston, Commonwealth
Representative Marbury, Sheriff Fat
mer and large number OF depulles'
x-Mayor Downham, ex-Judgo Pel-
ham. besides large number of horse
owners and track followers. AS each
man entered the gate there was thrust
into hi, hands card bearing the en-
tries at the New Orleans and st. Louis
tracks, and handful of printed blanks
on which to write orders for the execu.
ton of commissions. Inside the pool
rooms, instead of the names of horses,
the blackhoards were decorated with
notices as follows mo betting done
or permitted here. All orders cashed
the following day. No commission
tickets furnished here"
A telegraph operator occupied
conspicuous seat behind the counter,
and three clerks, ]. Conway, L..
Bargen and w. Lee, attended to
receiving the commissions. The
operator first called out the riders
in the various races at New Or
leans, and half an hour before post
time for the first race he announced ::
"First line at New Orleans" First
line" meant the odds quoted at the
track, which the bettors proceeded to
record on their entry cards A few
minutes later the second line," or sec
Dad track betting, Vas announced, and
the hackers proceeded to get their COM
missions in. They wrote out their or
ders on duplicate slips, bearing the
same number, and handed them to tie
clerk, with 10 cents commission fee.
: The clerk simply stamped the slips
J and banded one back to the bettor.
The slips are held together by perfor
ated line, and part of the impression OF
the stamp was on one and part on the
other slip. 1t read as follows: "Com'n
reed. V. J. c., Mar. 18th, '96."
, After the operator announced that
. the horses were at the post no more
commissions were received. The to-
tai sum received on each starter
was wired to Mclaughlin & Co.,
, Turf Exchange, Wheeling. W. Va
and few minutes later the OPP
orator announced: Commissions have
been excused" at the same time
banding to the clerk in charge dis
patch signed "McLaughlin and Co.,
( reading: Commissions accepted o.
K" 4 description of the race followed
2 soou after, and the fortunate hackers OF
the winner preserved their ends of the
order blank, which will be cashed TO-
day. II is Understood that Fora Hill
] ana c. Collifower are at Wheeling, rep
resenting the Virginia Jockey Club. II
] is also stated that all the officials of the
club formally rendered their resigna
tions recently, in order to avoid posi-
! BILE responsibility.
e At first the gamblers were little
timid in taking hold of the new scheme.
: \ colored man in the employ OF the
e track was the first to fill out an order
: as it was feared the initial case would
t result in au immediate arrest. The
4 crowd hung back for some time and
3 then gradually grew holder, and under
;. the excitement of the announcement OF
? the races the bookmaking in West Vir.
4 ginia became lively.
/ Judge Pelham essayed the task oil
5 qualifying himself as witness. He
walked up to the counter and said be
D wanted to bet on Tom Payne. He was
informed that he could not bet there,
E but that commission would be eXecut.
( ed for him at Wheeling. He then ask
} ed for commission blank, but was in
, formed that none was furnished. a
! gentleman on the outside of the count
/ er kindly accommodated him with
] blank, but refused to Fill it out. The
: prospective witness was evidently q
f high roller. He placed S. on Tom
S Payne, who "also ran," and after the
, third race had been run the Common
t wealth, as represented by Judge Pei
D ham, was still trying to pick winner,
so as TO make the transaction, includ-
| ing the cashing of q ticket, complete.
. Ex-Mayor Downham attempted to
] have a commission executed after the
horses were at the post, but was unsuc-
, cessful Every feature of the commits
3 sion business was carried out, aud il it
. is possible to conduct commission
business under the laws of the State,
, there can be no legal objection to the
method in vogue at st. Asaph.
Mr.. Bargen and perhaps one of the
other clerks will be arrested either to-
day or tomorrow. The indictment
which the grand jury is expected
to return will keep the State au-
thorities busy between now aud
Monday. 1t will contain eight or
ten allegations, and the greatest care
will be observed in drafting it. 1t is
generally conceded that there is no pos
sible chance of conviction under the
Maupin bill, which attempts to deal with
the foreign book question. Itsimply pro-
hibits the betting in theState or forward
ing or pretending to forward money to
. be bet at race tracks. 1t says nothing
about forwarding to pool rooms outside
of the State. The companion to the
Maupin law, however, which deals ex-
clusiyely with betting IN foreign events,
is sweeping. Itprohibits forwarding or
pretending to forward money to be bet
outside the commonwealth. 1t is
| under this law that it will be attempted
to secure conviction. The lawyers for
the tracks, however, claim that this
bill is coustitutionally defective, and
are confident of securing decision in
their favor in the lower court. What
ever decision is rendered, an appeal
J will be taken. and the track people