New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-29
ENGLISH SPORT.
.-c,sroN WHICH CRIPPLES BOOK
,,,xERs. But WILL NOT STOP GAM
prING-THE BLUES ON THE
THAMES


,,.u,ts vs. Dunn has displaced. at least tenn
a.,,v the Cretan question as the current topic
,,..,ss,on II is a suit brought by the sec
-, Of the Anti-Gambling League against
70 r,own bookmaker Richard Dunn. for hav-
Wed Tattersall's Enclosure at the Hurst Park
iNe .,r the purpose OF betting. The Surrey
,.-ates had declined 10 convict the book
and Mr. Hawke appealed the case. Five
H'" N.,oss have delivered the judgment Of Di-
al Court sustaining the appeal and send
r. case back 10 the Magistrates. The de-
- enforced ly the Home Office and the
49, will render ready money betting illegal
,,,nossible on racecourSes. As there is gem
o., agreement on opropositions-namely that
- "a mot be horse-racing without betting. and
-, there cannot be betting without the book
.ter.s assistance-it is not strange that this
.,.,eion has caused intense excitement in the
spor,ing world
The law. which has been authoritatvely in
..-nreted by the Court. was passed in 1853. Book
r,akers have been plying for over forty years a
,-a5a which has been eadily increasing in vol
r,e and popularity; and they sud-
denly deprived OF the privileges Of a ring which
,bev have regarded as their professional sanctu-
arv The learned Justices have not affirmed that
betting IS Illegal under this statute have
they asserted that the business of the bookmaker
6 contrary TO law. What they declare is that the
uee OF any place for the purpose Of betting with
persons resorting thereto is illegal under the
statute and must be prohibited. The decision is
based upon the common-sense Interpretation Of
a single word. The prohibitions of the act APP
rlsd to any person. who being the owner or
occupier Of any house room. Office or other place
or 4 person using the same. etc" The Magis-
rates had contendcd that the bookmaker in
TsttersalTs ring had not remained on a stool or
box nor under umbrella, but had moved
sbout a. will and not occupied any definite
~nace" The Justices have not Joined in so
whimsical an attempt TO whip the devil around
.be stump They have decided tina: any area
whether nclosed or not, which is usei b., those
making a business Of betting is q 'pace under
the meaning of the act ana subje-t TO all pro-
hibtions Of law
The system of betting which is brought under
Tar by this decision has prevailed or everv Eng
llsh racecourse for generatic". The rings arr
irclosed by rails o. ropes with stands at the
liner end: and within them. moving about freely
among the crowd. are the bookmakers and their
clerks shouting The cd Is and soliciting custom.
Those who wish to bet pay their stakes in ad-
vance and receive vouchers i'm return bearing the
and when :he winning jockey has passed the
scales the bookmakers pay the successful back
srs their winnings Enclosures with entrance
lees large or small have been provided by the
1roprietors Of all racecourses for the purpose
II systematizng betting. This has been the
hef attraction at Epson and all the best
curses Even al the Ascot. the most fashion
ible sporting parade of the year. betting is
in this way. Sporting men unite in
declaring that the attendance al races will fan
Fl one-halt II this familiar form Of betting be
rohibited. The Anti-Gambling League, by Sc
uring this decision. menaces the turf with a
erious loss Of popularity. Its officers have al
eady announced their determination 10 follow
ID their victory by measures for the prevention
2 the publication OF betting odds
The triumph Of the league would be more con-
picuous If it involved a distinct affirmation OF
he illegalty of betting and bookmaking. on
he contrary this Interpretation of the law is
mphatically ~epudated by the Court 1t is en-
rely legal and proper TO make or solicit bets,
md the booKmaker's business is alegitimate one;
,ut under the statute there is no place" whore
his trade can be conducted. This is an anomaly
Which at once arms the bookmakers and their
ustomers with a grievance If the law. they
nay assert does not condemn betting on horse
aces as wrong and immoral facilities ought TO
% afforded for enabling the public TO indulge its
aste and 10 enjoy its usual recreation. Other .
Use the rich will be left at liberty to make pri-
ate wagers for hundreds or thousands OF
uineas while the masses viii be prohibited /
rom making small bets and having their sport /
he decision is based upon d technicality rather
han a broad principle Of legislation or morality,
nd its deterrent effect in regulating or dimin- /
Of i'm
aired thereby So long as betting retains the /
auction of the courts as a legal act. the oppo- /
ents Of gambling will not make much Roadway I
y demonstrating that there is no place in which 4
can be carried on without violation Of law.
LICENSING BOOKMAK ERs
There are indeed no signs Of the regeneration +
: human nature by which betting on horse races .
-u be excluded as a matter of conscience. The +
faddists' pure and simple. in their organized /
ampaign against gambling have not succeeded [
enlisting any large measure u public sympa- /
by and support. 1t Is natural for an English
nan 10 want 20 have something al stake on the {
INNING Of the horses as to see the races, and he
annot De readily convinced that there Is any
arm done by moderate betting. which sherpens
he zest OF a crowd for a das sport. At any
ate he does not consider the abolition Of
citing by legislation practicable. There is.
ovever = general feeling among the best
atrons Of racing sport that the hOOkmaker .
as become unnecessarily and unple2santly
Onspcuous both within and without the ring.
nd that gambling has ceased 10 be an in.
ident o. racing but is too often the chief end Of
re sport The bookmakers and plungers may
lot have succeeded in spelling the great races Of
ne season bat they have narred the enjoyment
I many Of the local meetings by surrendering
hem 10 noisy crowds Of rufiians.and turf specu-
ators They have also shown marked ten
ency during recent years 10 invade other fields
4 sport especially football and cricket What
udlcious patrons II sport are anxious to witness
5 the regulation Of betting rather than its sup
'ressiOn The abolition OF betting Is a result
which IS regarded as outside the range Of posi-
,lities 50 long a human nature remains as II Is.
The most practical method Of disciplining book