Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-09
Protest Entered by the Superintend-
ent Of Reform Bureau.
ALLEGED VIOLATIONS At BENNIHG
The Attorney General Gives Direc-
tons in the Matter.
JOCKEY CLUBS POSITION

The superintendent of the reform bureau,
Rev. Wilbur F. Crafts, rec entity addressed a
letter to the Attorney General calling his
attention to what Mr.. Crafts claims is an
intention on the part of the management of
the Washington Jockey Club to permit a
violation of the law against gaming at the
coming race meeting of the club at the
Benning track. Mr.. Crafts asserts that the
law has been violated during previous race
meetings Of the club at the track, and that
the form of betting followed there was
merely an attempt to evade the law against
bookmaking
In reply to MI. Crafts communication
the Attorney General wrote as follows:
Il am in receipt of your letter, and in re-
ply I have the honor to advise you that I
have issued instructions to the proper au-
thorities Of the District to take prompt and
stringent proceedings to detect and bring
to punishment any persons guilty of violat-
ing the gambling laws of the District of
Columbia.
I'm addition to this, I should be glad to
consider any prac teal suggestions you have
to make with reference to ways and means
for furthering this object or any informa-
ton which you may give me as to viola
tons of the law
The Contention.
lsh-New York-Benning plan is the very
one the last Congress refused to legalize,
after full consideration in committees of
both houses. 1t is the very brand Of gam
bling that was declared to be illegal under
the present law, in the famous Miller case,
which was confirmed bv the Court of APP
peals, which. as interpreted by the attor-
ney of the United States at that time Mr.
A. A. Birney. was, in substance as follows:
If any one, anywhere lin the District,
by any means, induces another to bet, and
that, too, whether he does or does not
make memorandum of the bet, or in any
other way records it. directly or indirectly,
he is guilty of setting up a gaming table
and is liable for term in the peniten-
tiary."
On behalf of the executive committee of
the Washington Jockey Club, composed of
such well-known citizens as Fred B. Nc
CURE, John A. Baker, Henry May, Sam'l
Ross, Jesse Brown, A. c. Barney. Wood
bury Blair, w. Z. Eustis and others. 1t
Is said That no effort has been spared by
the club management to prevent a viola
ton OF the law against gaming. That bet
ting has been pursued at the race meetings
of the club at the Benning track no one
pretends to deny. Yet, 1t was a form of
betting which is not, according to the opn-
ion OF the clubs legal advisers. in violation
OF the gaming laws of the District, even
under the broad construction Of the law
in the Miller case.
Grand Jury's Action,
District Attorney Davis last fall presented
case to the grand jury, and that body
refused an indictment.
Both Mr.. Davis and his predecessor, Mr.
A. A. Birney, were specially invited to, and
Gid, visit the Benning track, and, upon 8
personal investigation of the method OF
betting pursued, concluded that it did moi
constitute violation of the gaming law
and 50 stated at the times of their visits Re
a reporter of The Star.
The nfnIn0in.I Sn~s.x