The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-04-05
POOL SELLING DISCUSSED
BEFORE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE IN
HARTFORD YESTERDAY.


Hearing on the Bill to Almond the ANTI
Pool Law Passed in 1S93--Amcndment
Seeks to LegaIize Pool Selling Mt Race
Tracks Twelve Days In tho Year
Arguments Heard Yesterday.
The bill to permit towns and munich
palities power to authorize pool selling
for not more than twelve days in the
year was scheduled for a hearing be-
fore the judiciary committee in Hart
ford Yesterday. The bill is for an
amendment to the anti-pool law OF 1888,
and was introduced, as it is claimed, IN
the interests of the Charter Oak Racing
park in Hartford The bill was sched-
uled for a hearing a week ago, but was
postponed on account of the illness OF
General Alexander HARRISON, who is its
chief champion. At the time of the
postponement a week ago an attempt
was made to have the reference of the
bill changed to the agricultural COM
mittee, Of which Mr.. Granger, who IN
lFOuuCeQ Inc I'LL, Is CIdlliH"
General HARRISON again managed yes
terday to secure an adjournment OF the
hearing. He said that he had received
notice of the hearing; he had supposed
that 1t was to be upon the motion TO
change reference, and he was not there
fore prepared to submit an argument
on the merits Of the bill. He did, now
ever, speak at some length, saying
"Pool selling is a peculiar question. 10
some men pool selling is crime 10
others it is not. Men high in the chufch'
in the legal profession and in the leg.s-
lature, are in favor of horse trottlns'
There is about 100000 invested in troll
ting parks in Connecticut by trottlng
and agricultural associations. Horse
trotting Is an essential part of agrlcul-
tural shows in Connecticut The people
of the state are honest in their request
for the privilege Of pool seeing under
certain restrictions. One-half OF the
trotting associations of the state are
bankrupt on account of the antl-pool
law
General HARRISON referred to the pa
tronage which horse racing was given
in England from the queen down to her
humblest subject. He said that the trot-
ting and breeding interests of the state,
with which many of the leading citizens
of the state We're connected demanded
legalized pool selling. He went on TO
say that in cutting off altogether the
privilege of pool selling the agricultural
and breeding interests of the state were
being badly damaged. He concluded by
asking that the bill be referred to the
agricultural committee.
Judge Livingston W. Cleaveland of
this city, who strongly opposes the pas
sage of the amendment, was the next
speaker. He spoke as follows:
1T have in my hand letter from ex-
Governor Cooke which in a few words
states the whole case Of those opposed
to this amendment. Before reading it
let me make one or two brief sugges-
lions.
''The law which it is sought to amend
was no accidental enactment, but was
passed by the legislature Of 1898 in re-
Spouse to public demand, the character
of which ID well Indicated by one Of the
most distinguished petitions ever pre-
scented to a committee of the legislature,
a copy of which I will leave with the
committee.
petition was aimed more at the pool
rooms which disgraced New Haven,
Hartford and other large cities than
against pool selling at race tracks, it
cannot be denied that the friends of
pool selling at race tracks were not
asleep in 1898.
IT have copy of their petition TO
that legislature, which I will hand to
the committee. 1t is dated just six
years ago to-day and was freely dis
tributed among the members. 1t shows
that even after their urgent efforts be-
fore the judiciary committee to protect
the interests of pool selling at race
tracks had signally failed, and a vigor-
Gus bill which subsequently became the
anti-pool room law had been favorably
reported by the judiciary committee,
they were still actively aggressive, car
rying the struggle from the committee
room to the floor of the legislature,
there urging an amendment similar in
spirit to the one we are discussing to-
day.
"TJndaunted by their failure with the
legislature of 1898, a similar attempt
was made in 1895 and again in 1897, and
the amendment introduced by Repre-
sentative Granger is q fac-simile of the
amendment unfavorably reported in
1897.
$50 much for the unsuccessful at
tempt of the pool sellers to nullify the
effect Of the anti-pool room law of 1893.
The proposed amendment squarely pre-
sents the issue between those who IA
vor gambling at race tracks and those
opposed to it. Senator Holcomb late in
the session Of 1893 introduced an amend
r1ent which in terms provided that the
anti-pool law should not be so construed
as to prohibit the giving Of purses or
premiums or the charging of entrance
fees to any contestant. That amend
ment became a part of the antl-pool
room law passed by the legislature of
1893 and removes all objection to that
law which might be urged by any one
except those who claim that racing can
not be successfully conducted without
the accompaniment of that form Oh
gambling known as pool selling
Judge Cleaveland then read the tol-
lowing letter from Ex-Governor Cooke:
Winsted, February 25, 1882
Judge Cleaveland:
Dear sir: I regret exceedingly to no.
tice another effort is to be made to in
duce the general assembly to amend
the pool law enacted in 1898 by intro
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