The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-09
BEAT TENDERLOIN HANDB0OKS
PROSPEROUS SCHEMERS VINO BE-
CAVE roo BOLD ARE NiBBED.
Results Telephoned From Outside the
Racetrack 50 That Bets Can BE
Registered Before the Ticker Tape"
Gets IN Its Work something New.

Several slick young fellows have been
going around the city lately working
game by which they have not only beaten
he races, but also have f'eeced unsuspect-
ing gamblers making hardbooks in saloons.
The story Of successful wiretappers has
been told over and over again. but the
story Of this gang Of handbook beaters Is
absolut ely new. The scheme never would
have come 10 lghr probably if it had not
been for a long delay at the post az Aque-
duct one day last week. The scheme is the
perscrifCa'ion OF ingenuity and simplicity
In the Tendnrloin district. whore there
are moro handbook operators than pool
room keeper. the gang has been working
succes sfuily for months Nobody knows
how much money th"y have won by means
of hoOdwinking the handbook men. but
that their winning, have footed well up
into fiv" fig Tres Is the general belief.
il was in on. Of Droadway's largest and
finest barroulns that the scheme came 10
smash. Flushed with winnings and chock
full Of confidence IN. or@rators OF the
scheme became boldar Than usu.' and da-
cid - PICK out thi, Broadway resort
for slaughter because the play in the hand
book was tascinatinEy high. The hand
book operator here was an organizing
house keeper Of gentcel appearance. who,
il il said. had the backing of one Of the
biggest politicians in town II was his
custom 10 stand in this parroon where the
walls were ornamcned with oil paintings
and antiques. and accept and pay bets on
the race at ticker odds, or in accordance
with the prices published next day in a pro-
10 Hp HpnepHpl
tlrelv upon the ticker" for his information
a. to weights. jockeys, starters, condition
of track and other necersaries. hut NOR"
o. r acially he settled his bets a the prices
sent out over the "tape" from the tele-
graph operators al The track. In word
this handbook operator was no different
from ANY other of his kind except that
he had l.enty of backing and consequently
was ablesto do a larger business than ms
rivals in Sixth and Seventh avenue saloons.
The gang. after months of careful work,
had so perfected their scheme that they
believed it was impossible to I've detected.
They had been operating on one lin" ana
they saw no reason in dcvia'" from u.
There were thre" in the crowd. On" ot
them Opcrated exclusively a. the track.
Perchcd Up on "A telepho: - pole just outside
Of the Aqucduct track vherc he could so"
he horses a. they ran down IT." stretch
TO he Judges stand. IL w. an easy matter
for Operat or No. ,n know the winner as
soon "a apybuGv. Having meet teie-
phuuic roInmUnica' ion with lis Curi"ierd' g.
i'm New York, u wa also easy To send on the
nam" of the winner 10y means at secrS'
code This information was conveyed
over tho wire to another of the gang VINO
had called the track man up from phon"
that was in an adjoining building TO th"
saloon Catching the number of III" win
ming horse. Operator No, had been in the
habit Of entering the plac" where the hand
book man was, and ct showing to Operat or
No 5 by means OF a card in The palm OF hls
hand the number of the horse that had just
won, in accordance with the code. Opera
tor No. 3 was quiet, unassuming chap
who had been in the saloon all the afternoon,
betting now and then, and with the
right cue i'll hie possession could get bet
down with the handbook man even after
the horses had gone 20 the post as an
nounccd by the ticker
In order 10 ties, things the plotters Sc
lnrtcd last Monday - feel out the handbook
man in the Broadway resort. Operator
No. / occupied his usual place on the tele-
phone pole In plain light Of tho finish.
Armed with programme and secret
code of numher- he could not get things
mixed Operator No. = got "a direct CON
nection over the wire with the man at tn"
track the former being located not twenty
five yards away from h" Broadway -aloon's
door, Operator No. 3 sat in big leather
covered arm chair. where he had been doI-
ing for an hour or more, apparently showing
no interest in his surrounding. II was