The evening times., 1899-03-15
WON uouI C;rc;rnat; n o
Uaatir in
RACE TRACK BETTING.
English House of Lords Decides IL
L. Not Ordinary Gambling.


London, March 15.-The question started
by the Anti-Gambling League three years
ago as TO whether betting was permissible
on English race tracks was decided yes
terday by the House of Lords in the affir-
native. The particular case in which
decision was given was that of Powell
against the Kempton Park Race Course
Company. II was a friendly action brought
for the definite purpose of deciding whether
or not reserved enclosure on the grounds
of race course TO which bookmakers re-
sort was place within the meaning of the
gambling act prohibiting the use of houses,
, Offices and other places for betting. The
decision of the lord chief justice was that
il vas within the act, but the court of
appeals reversed his judgment and the
court of appeals was upheld by the House
OF Lords by vote of TO 2.
New York. March 15.-When the atten-
tion of racing men was called to the above
decision those who follow racing for sport
as well as the poolroom contingent were
deeply interested.
AT Peter De Lacys pool room in Park
| Row a representative of the proprietor
! said that of course the conditions under
which the decision was given are very
different from those existing here. Here
/ offices. and other places" whether at The
| racetrack or elsewhere. is forbidden by d
! constitutional amendment voted by the
J people. The law covering the ground was
/ so sweeping that such distinction as
/ that made in England would be impossibl
! here.
/ The weak point OF the amendment in
I this State he said. was the fact that a
| provision was made providing for the
! recovery of money lost at a racetrack
/ by civil procedure, while the punishment
| for bookmakers, pool room keepers, betting
! on races elsewhere was made imprison-
ment alone, or imprisonment and fine
both.
! This allotting two penalties for the same
b, offence was against the constitution said
! the pool room representative, and il is
| possible for a room to do business as long
| as the point of the law which says no
| memoranda of bets must be given, was
strictly observed. That business on this
! basis is safe. he said, was apparent from
the number of prosecutions without a SIN
.gle conviction.
! Therefore" he added. while We are
not Immediately interested in the English
/ decision, We shall be glad if il calls the
! attention of our Legislators here to the
| ridiculous conditions existing and brings
about some radical change Of our laws on
betting on horse races which will at least
! allow betting at the track
AT the Coney Island Jockey Club, at No.
| lI3 Fifth Avenue of which Lawrence Kip
is president, representative of the Off
| GERS of the club said: Naturally that
| won't help the betting men here, and we
can only hope that the moral effect of such
an eminent authority as the Lord High
Chancellor of England deciding in favor
OF betting at the racetrack may influence
public opinion in the right direction here. -
Ral lT,1n ic cha II
! Sturgis is secretary of the Jockey Club. in
| the same building There the same inter-
est was shown In the cabled decision but
1t was thought that beyond the moral ef-
feet of betting at rscetracks in England
having been approved by the House OF
| Lords and the highest authorities there.
the ruling could have no special effect
| here