Evening star., 1898-11-18
Jockey Club officials and Benning
Bookmakers Under Charges.
HEARING IN POLICE COURffOMORROW
Other Associations Alleged to Be
interested in Prosecutions.
MR.. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


the legality of the mode of betting at the
| Benning track. Late yesterday afternoon
warrants were issued by Justice of the
| Peace O'Neal against Messrs S. S. How
| land, the president of the club: Jesse
| Brown and Samuel Ross members of the
executive committee, and the stewards of
| the meeting, Clarence Mcdowell. the pre-
| siding judge; H. G. Crickmore the clerk of
| the course; w. s. Vosburg, the handicap
| per; Mars Cassidy, the starter; W. H. Bar
| retto, the timer, and c. u. McCoy the pa-
! troll judge, charging them with permitting
| gaming on the track; also against the fol-
| lowing bookmakers, who are charged with
| setting up a gaming device on the course:
| Joe Vendig, G. Walbaum, George Whee-
lock, William Snow, G. Klein, w. ]. Con-
| nor, G.. NJ. Gaines, Sol Lichtenstein Charles
| Emerson and M. Looram.
Issued by Justice O'NeaI.
The warrants are said to have been is
sued by Justice O'Neal on an affidavit
| sworn to by Charles Stunt, who is repre-
| sented TO be private detective in the en-
ploy of one of the principal stockholders of
| the Pimlico race track, near Baltimore
! The officials of the local club claim that
| the parties instigating the proceedings are
| not actuated by any moral considerations
| BUT simply by spite, it being contended by
| President Howand that some of the parti. s
back of the proceedings are financially in
tarested in the Pimlico track which ira ok
| was this fall refused. by the Jockey Club
| the governing turf organization in the east
a license to conduct race meeting, and by
| parties financially interested in a pool
room in the vicinity of Alexandria.
The AIexandria Parties.
These parties, it is stated, are represented
by Attorneys ]. X. NJ. Norton and c. c.
'lrlir, IF Iri1 -Io
trict Attorney Davis and presented drafts
of affidavts. which they said would ue
sworn to by a reputable person, charging
gambling by bookmakers at Renning and
the unlawful permission of the SANE ty the
officials of the Washington Jockey Club
Mr.. Davis, it is understood, declined to
order warrants to be issued immeIataly,
when the parties went before Justice
O'Neal with the result stated above.
The warrants were placed in the hands of
Maj. Sylvester, the chief of police, who
will today serve them. Il
District Attorneys Statement.
Complaint was made to me few days
ago.. said District Attorney Davis today,
that the law against gaming was being
violated at the Bennipg track and l was
asked to take the initiative in instituting
proceedings against the persons who, it
was alleged, were violating the law This
l declined to do for the reason that from a
time long prior to my accession to office
racing under exactly similar conditions had
been permitted without interruption by the
authorities, and that the president of the
Jockey Club whom | at once notified of the
complaints, informed me that the relations
OF the association to the alleged bookmak-
ers was such that under the advice of emf
nent counsel in New York the association
could not be held to be violating the law.
Il told the president of the association
that whether the association was violating
the law was "a question for our courts to
decide, and | SO instructed my assistant,
Mr.. Mullowny, whom L told to issue war
rants against all the participants in the
meeting, provided that they We're brought
within the law. But, / told him further,
tEat in view of the fact that the racing
bad been permitted for SO long a time. and
in view of the well-known high character
and standing of the gentlemen in control
Of the association 1 did not wish him to
Issue any warrant except upon a response
Bile affidavit or afiidavits showing facts
which in my judgment indicated violation
of the law.
Gives Notice.
"Wednesday I was waited upon by gem
tlemen who presented to me drafts of am-
davits which they said would be made by
certain persons, and demanded of me the
issue of warrants accordingly.
Although the affidavits were not in fact
signed, l went Immediately to the race
track and informed the president of the
association that unless the races We're
stopped forthwith / would authorize the
issue of warrants which would be served
today After a conference with certain of
his associates and the counsel of the Jockey
Club, the president informed me that the
races would continue, and that the asso.
citation would stand the threatened prose-
cution
Accordingly, I yesterday instructed Mr..
Mulowny to issue the warrants for all
the officers of the Jockey Club and all the
alleged bookmakers, and at the request
OF Mr.. Maddox, the attorney of the Jockey
Club, whose absence in New York in pur-
suance of an engagement made some days
ago, will prevent his being in court until
Saturday morning, the warrants Will not
be returnable until then. OF course, l do
not mean to have the gentlemen concerned
arrested bodily and brought into court,
but following the practice in cases in which
persons of similar repute are involved
have directed that they simply be served
with the warrants formally and notified
to appear in court, which l have Mr.. How
lands promise they will all do"
Will Meet the Issue.
Mr.. Howland, the president of the local
club, said today that the association is
fully prepared to meet the question, and
with the attorney of the club will be as
sociated ex-District Attorney A. "A. Birney.
Mr.. Rowland stated that the meeting now
in progress at Benning will positively con-
tinue to the end; the races which nave been
advertised to be run will take place, and
the horsemen n W no have brought their horses
on to take part in the meeting will be paid
the purses which are Won by them. This
will be done, he declared. even If 1t becomes
necessary TO throw open the gates of the
race course to the public. If an effort Is
made to stop the racing thematter Will be
fought in the courts to- the end.
I'VE do not believe.p said Mr.. Rowland,
1--WE are violating the law.'vIf we did we
would close the gates at once but we do not
propose to submit toApersecutlon on the
part OF any one. Before the washington
Jockey Club was reo1Eanized we consulted
Col Enoch Totten, at one time district at
torney, in order to determine whether 1t
would be a violation Of the<aaw to conduct
racing. He assured US lit would not be- We
then went to Mr.. Birney. then the district
attorney, and advised him what we pro-
posed to do. and he also assured us that
racing was not illegaEs We raced two sea-
sons without interfereffee. When Mr.. Davis
was appointed district attorney we volun-
tarily offered him every facility to bring the
case before the grand Curry, IN order to set
tie finally whether in conducting the meet
ing we were acting contrary to law. Mr..
Davis brought the case before the grand
jury and 1t failed to in1iet us. We are con-
fldent wa 1yiO