The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-18
TRUTH ABOUT THE BETTING.
wheelock Says He Cannot Got
Van Wyck Money Even.

Bookmaker Wheelock says He Cannot Got
Van Wyck Money Even.
One OF the heaviest bettors In this country
Is the bookmaker George A. Wheelock. For
years he was Lucky Baldwin's representa-
tive in the betting ring OF the race tracks SOUTH
East and West. Then he decided to make q
book himself, and Baldwin backed him. He
relied on his wn Judgment In laying odds. bet
heavily. and was successful. For the past four
or five years he has been his own hacker. ana
he is still making money. In speaking OF this
years election betting with q Bun reporter az
the Hoffman yesterday Mr.. Wheelock furnished
the following interesting information:
"As q rule 1 do not think It wise. or even ex-
pedient, for q professional bettor to discuss his
business in the newspapers. In my opinion
the less printed about betting Of any kind the
better it is for the people. especially the young
people. However. since you have asked me q
point blank question. l will answer 1t. What
1 shall say will. at least. have the merit OF bs-
ing reliable and unbiased by personal or politi-
cal prejudice.
80 far in this campaign there have been
comparatively few bona, fde bets made; The
Democratic money has been furnished largely
by the Democratic State Committee, The Re-
publican end Of the bets has been taken large
can State Committees money. IL there is any
IN 0 pem6cr pttitpm9s anae gers had raised 500:
600 by assessment on city ofi1ceholderS When
they saw that the odds u up ne natural ALEC Gondiz
one. two or three sources. were against Van
Wyck. they, decided to spend some Of their
even money on Van Wyck.- g.,
John Maloney. Robert I: Rose. who owned
dig were selected to handle the. money; They
have placed some bets. but no bona-tide ones,
Is5 thj16' 4 The s{ Sest %dGdhsf I could ! aa see f sS $ s25 go SS5
placed at I to 5. In all cases l have taken the
done So, / would like to bet $4,000 more on
b beosece5ttii an money n0 VIII t sacc sas IN Tedaein HI
the odds for genuine bets. In making bets, l
A. not s sm ;eo n s%TIs5Gpeti o to 4 Icy p as 8 f Sad .
cation Of the odds on Van Wy Skd imPP5ov ing
iobb sS = is s' Jake p Fields Is y He Sf Is a large SsS Operator IF
has IN w abo ssre s56 s6S = th hat" he e h wants 9G to bet 81 on
Roosevelt. He finds that. to place It now. he
viii have etc to q So odds + land and ~ he sK is hoping %dnsv he b
en-" OF the bets2'SS asked the reporter.
t t6siFv Sanq Wyef: The fHdstsF Rsfo yqte Wifi %ff
ikndependents hold, the balance Of power
Therefore Roosevelt must be elected by a fair,
but not necessarily Overwhelming, majority
"At least, that is the way | figure 1t. and
back my own Judgment; l have found that
he opinion Of other people in reference to poll
ties is not OF much value to a betting man. / &c
to Mr.. Croker and he tells me Van Wyck viii
win sure. / go to, Mr.. Plat and he tells me
that 1t Is impossible for Roosevelt to lose
Others give opinions according to the way they
vote. Therefore. what's the use of Q betting
man whose chief interest in the campaign is t.
make money asking what other folks think?
Thus far l have been fairly successful ir
backing my own Judgment, backed Harri
he beat Harrison, and Morton when he bea
Hill. | won $4,000 on Van Wyck when HI
ran for MAYOR. The only time l have made al
error in political betting in several years va
when / bet that Tracy would beat Low. and los
$4,000. That was q grave error; / hope t.
Low are this year, to a very large extent. witt
Roosevelt. / think | have answered you
questions. Take what, i have told you 70
whatever you may think IL worth"
T.. Il. Talcott reports that he bet SlO.OOO o
the Tammany purse even on Van WICK yes
terday with q man whose name was not given
$4,000 with 4. A. Housman & Co. 81 ,0OQ. witt
j. S. Bache \ Co. and $500 with NJ. B. Mend
ham and $4,000 in scattering. bets. On tn
Van Wyck. John J. Judge bet 81 900 even oil
Van WICK with ]. H. Eagle OF 80 Cedar street