Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-28
IS THE LAW V|OLATED2
Problem Which Authorities
Are Striving to Solve.
POOL ROOM TACTICS
APPLICATION FOR WARRANTS
FOR ARREST OF OPERATORS.
Establishment Located Close to District
Boundary and Under Two
Jurisdictions.

Formal application for warrants against
the promoters of the bookmaking establish
ment at the District line was made by the
police today and the tier was taken I'M
der advisement by Assistant District At
torney Mullowny. Lieut.. Swindells and
Precinct Detective Burrows made the ap-
plication Mr.. Mulowny said he desired
to consult District Attorney Beach about
the matter before directing the issuance of
a warrant. What is being done in the D.s-
trict, he said. is gambling pure and simple
but just how the law will apply to the
matter he did not care to say today. In
all probability warrants will be issued next
week and the case will then be taken into
court to have the law construed.
Should this be done, Mr.. Mullowny sad,
attention will be given former decisions
on the question of gambling. The war
rants will have to be issued from the police
court and preliminary hearing had before
the judge holding the United States branch
of the court. Mr.. Mullowny said he an
ticipated no difficulty in making out a
case strong enough to hold the defendants
for the grand jury. Should the case reach
this stage, counsel on both sides will make
an effort to have an early decision rendered
by one of the justices of the Supreme Court
of the District.
Major Sylvester will have an officer on
duty at the pool room every day in order
that when test is made there will be no
difficulty in putting the question properly
before the court.
Officers Take Notes.
The officials representing the District of
Columbia and Montgomery county, Md, re-
spectively, who were at the pool room
yesterday were by no means satisfied
that the operators of the place were
not violating the law. States Attorney
Talbot and Sheriff Collier watched with
interest the manner in which the board in
their Jurisdiction was marked to show the
horses and the odds that We're offered on
them, as well as the names of the riders.
They also observed the manner in which
the money paid on the District of Co.
lumbia side of the division line. The local
authorities were represented by Detectives
Watson and Burrows and several George
town policemen in uniform.
Attorney Thomas NJ. Fields, who it is
said, had been the legal adviser of the book
makers, was on hand to that his in
structions were not violated. He was Ger
tain he had devised a plan whereby the
layers of odds would be safe from the op-
GRAFTON of the law of the two Jurisdictions
Before the place opened he called on Ma or
Sylvester and explained to him how the
business was to be conducted and he also
interviewed the Maryland officials with the
same purpose in view. He said he would
have the responsible persons in court at
any time their presence might be desired
to make a test case.
The legal representative of Montgomery
county expressed no opinion of the legal
aspect of the case, and the local officers at
the resort were merely there for the pur-
pose of getting the information necessary
to make an intelligent report to their su-
perlors' in order that District Attorney
Beach may consider the problem and reach
a conclusion. The officers had been in
structed not to make an arrest yesterday.
Should the matter be given prompt consid-
Grafton by the law office and the latter con-
clude that the law is being violated the
parties Will be taken into court
Outside the Mile Limit.
In reaching the conclusion that the law
could be evaded in the manner in which
the bookies are taking odds Attorney
Fields it is stated, was assisted by Balti-
more and New York lawyers These law
yers, 1t is said, will appear here and as
slst in the defense of the case should there
be prosecution. The Miller and Klein
cases were gone over fully, and the de-
cisions in them, it is stated. We're relied
upon by counsel III reaching the conclu-
SION that the making of hand books out
side the nile limit is not a violation of
law. II Is believed the Montgomery county
Cihclals Will proceed against the man at
tie pIdcKbOard, who is known as a marker
In ms case test may be made by alles-
ing 'liat ne set up a gaming table
mere was an attendance of about one
hundred bettors at the new resort the
opening day, and the betting on the Sara
toea ana western races was lively Track
oddS We're posted, and in some instances
1t is stated, the odds We're even greater
than those on the tracks. This method is
usually followed it is said by all pool
room operators when the rooms are first
opened. 1t is intended as a drawing card.
Long before the hour for opening the
time set for the first race at Saratoga the
people who wanted to wager money on the
ponies, as well as some who were merely
prompted by curiosity, began to gather in
front OF the boards. a few of the hun-
dFed in attendance Were people living in
tiie surrounding country, and the sight to
them was d novel one. Most of them how
ever We're people whose faces are familiar
on the local race track and at the poo,
room across the river. Between the races
many of the patrons longed for something
TO quench their thirst and a number of
them visited place in the neighborhood
where the sign of fishing club is posted
Ifere was no evidence of fish about the
premises, but there was evidence of some
thing else. Games We're in operation. and
there were stacks of bottles about the lit
Tie frame structure, enough to indicate
that wholesale business had been trans