Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-14
HANDBOOK BETTING
CHANCE FOR aAMBLERs To
WAGER ON RACES.
Law Said to Be Violated Every Day In
Washington-How
IS, Scheme Works

new scheme has been evolved In local
race-horse circles to separate the more
sportive residents from their money. and
Notwithstanding the fact that this scheme
is said to be in direct violation of the laws
Of the District. it is believed to be flourish
ing in many hooks and corners to the great
advantage. financially. Of its promoters. 1t
was the late P. T. Barnum who said 1.-THE
American people love to be humbugged,
and indicat tons are continually bearing out
the wisdom of the old patriarch Of the
circus. When it is announced on the pub
lie board that horse races are to be held at
the Benning track the great majority OF
those in the District who have weakness
for the ponies" lay aside all their spare coin
in order to indulge their sportive tendency and
gamble on private tips, sure things and
the like. This semi-annual visit Of the real
horses to the vicinity of the national cap
ital usually drains the town of loose change
for the time being. and weeks and months
sometimes are necessary before racing
debts are paid. Many local butchers ard
bakers and candlestick makers. who have
been furnishing the family of the erstwhile
sport with the wherewithal of life, must
extend his credit and trust to luck for their
money. Everybody. including the sport"
himself. used to be thankful that the races
came only twice year." but now a new
evil has appeared. which. although still in
Its swaddling clothes has assumed the
proportions of a giant, and which places
the temptation of a perpetual gamble upon
the Threshold of every home and Office in
Washington.
The name Of tho new giant evil Is Hand
of these hand-books, it was necessary for
prospective bettois to journey all the way
across the river to st. Asaphs pool rooms,
and there place the lets upon the ponies
running at InuISvillq Lexington NaW Or
leans, Oakland, Ingleside, or any other
track in the country. This was not too great
task for the confirmed sports and after
Office hours, many delegations of from two
to ten Of the faithful" can be seen plodding
their weary way along. But the average
"piker," who followed the straight and mar
row path, and took his salary home to the
family on all occasions except when the
ponies came to Benning, weakened when
he found it necessary to travel many miles
to Virginia pool room, in order to place
lets on horses racing in some distant city.
AS a consequence the great majority of
those who are in the habit of f1ocking to the
Benni1g carnival, steered clear of the pool
room proposition. And as the laws prohibit
the establishment of pool rooms for betting
in the District of Columbia, the average
clerk and employee were kept comparative
ly free from perpetual temptation. But
Eow that the handbook has put in its
appearar ce, the butcher, the baker and can
dlesticK maker ere wearing anxious faces,
and the little family a. home sees less and
less of the 'piker's' salary.
How Hand Book Works.
According to the story, these handbooks
are given out daily to agents. who are reg
ularly employed in the departments of the
federal government, the local govern
.nent or in large business houses. The
agents are said to be also in the reg
ular employ of the st. Asaph pool
room proprietors, and the agent and prin-
cipal are in telephone communication with
each other several times during the day, in
order that the odds on the horses may be
kept az near correct as possible. These
agents work quietly, on commission basis.
They know their respective fields, and know
who Of their fellow employees they can APP
proach without fear of being betrayed. BY
this method 1t is claimed that thousands
upon thousands of dollars are being wager
ed daily by the small-salaried people of the
District, simply because the book is brought
right to their desk, and it is 80 easy to
risk dollar or two good thing" If
these ''pkers" or small bettors had to make
the pilgrimage to st. Asaph's in order to
place their dollar bet, st. Asaphs would
never see the ''piker' or the dollar, and the
butcher, the baker and the candlestick-
maker would wear happier faces because of
the payment of "a little bit on account"
Such is the giant evil of the handbook,
nourishing in spite of the laws and the peo-
pie.
For the past week The Star has conduct
of the local and federal governments, in
one large business house, and in one rail-
road office which employs hundreds of
young men and women. With only a sin
gle exception, there were evidences of the
handbook evil, and a reporter for The Star
had half dozen opportunities to place
small bets with these courageous agents
The agents are most in evidence during the
luncheon hour, when they flock the corner
cigar stores. the Quick-lunch rooms and
the street corners In the vicinity of their
respective places of business.
Easy to Get Acquainted.
1t does not take any great detective work
to walk into an assemblage of this sort.
get acquainted" participate in the horse
conversation" Presently some shrewd-
looking individual will single you out, and
put out his hand, saying:
why, how are you, how are you?
haven't seen you. since the Benning meet,
Are you following the ponies nowadays?"
Continuing the hypothetical case. the
"piker" replies:
well, don't get time to run over across
the river every day, and consequently 1
have sort o, lost track of the way the
ponies are travelling. I'll get after 'em
when the next Benning meet opens"
Evidently you are not on to the new
scheme, responded the agent. You see,
one of the bookmakers at st. Asaph's is a
good friend of mine, and he calls me up
several times every day, giving me the
prevailing odds on the horses, so / can take
advantage of good bet. and let my friends
In on the tip. Consequently / keep a little
book with me, and when my friends want
me to take a dollar or two over to ST.
Asaph's for them, why am glad to do So"
The ptker feels the disease coming on and
he half nervously puts his hand on his in
side pocket to make sure his two weeks
salary is safe. The horse talk continues,
specific races are mentioned, and before the
piker Is aware of his interest, he is asking:
hot fl,D< n A.
second race at New Orleans?"
Ten to one," quickly answers the agent,
seeing the ready money In the question
Are you going over to st. Asaph's this
afternoon"
Yes, sir go over every day."
well, will you take a couple of dollars
over for me today, and put it on Flash
light"
Sure" says the agent, and the little
book Is produced, the amount of the bet
put down. at the odds of 10 to /. 1t is
claimed that the agent does not go over to
the track more than once week, if at all.
He merely puts the money in his pocket