The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-07-20
NUS NOT PLAY RACES
Employees of Large New York Con-
Germs Warned Against Practice.
Insurance and Commercial Companies
Threaten to Discharge Clerks Who
Bet on the Horses.

New York City.-A vigorous crusade
against betting on horse races and
gambling in general has been started
Jby a number of the largest business
houses in New York. Warning was
served on employees in several cases
that if they continued patronizing pool.
rooms or visiting the ace tracks their
designations would be requested.
The fight is the most far-reaching
ever carried out in this city. In a let.
ter directed to its army of employees
the Equitable Life Assurance Society
declares in no unmistakable language
that if any of the men working for the
society have anything whatever to do
with the races they will be discharged.
The New York and Mutual Life insur-
ance companieS have likewise begun q
war on gambling.
Several of the big dry goods houses
have joined in the anti-betting crusade.
chief among these being Mays and
Saks & Co. Nathan Straus, of Macy's,
said:
II am glad to see this question agi'
tated. I consider the growing tenden.
cy to make wagers on horse races N
of the greatest evils that threaten our
young men of to-day. and employers OF
young men owe it to themselves, as
we'll as to their employees. to do what
is possible to stamp it out.
"a young man who CANDLES is not
q good employe, and l am frank to
say that if I knew of a person in my
employ f%reQuenting the race track or
poolrooms 1 would discharge him or
her.
"Gambling is the most insidious of
vices, and its increase in recent years
is really alarming. Of the many forms
%horse-race gambling is the most dan
gerous, because the most accessible,
and combines sport with speculation.
and a concerted effort among large EN-.
ployers to put an end to speculation
among employees who cannot afford 1t
and no man can afford to gamble
should be productive Of much good"
Secretary Come, of Saks & 20. said:
First I would warn the young mar
and then if he continued to use the
track or poolroom for betting purposes
I would take steps to dismiss him from
the employ Of the company"
The letter sent BY the Equitable So
ciety is as follows:
Dear Sir-For reasons that seem
proper to the officials Of the society,
you are hereby notified that your pres
ence on a rae track, in a poolroom or
in future to be seen in company with
persons whose business Is to place
bets on horse races, will be counted
sufficient excuse to which to request
your resignation from the affairs OF
the society.
ITO make certain that the excuse OF
not having been duly notified as to this
new ruling of the society, and for
future reference, you will kindly place
your proper signature on this COM
munication and return to the office OF
the general manager"
Every one of the army of men en-
ployed by the Equitable Life Assur-
ance Society has received a copy OF
the above letter. The communication
was not signed. but as one Of the en-
ployes said. st didn't have to be-"
In the office of the New York Life
Insurance Company it was said that so
many unpleasant incidents had arisen,
due to betting on the races, that the
heads of the departments held a meet
ing to consider means of putting a stop
to the evil.
There were several summary dismis.
sails from the clerical force Of the Mu.
tual Life Insurance Company recently
because the men paid too much atten-
ton to the racing news.
The general manager of a depart
ment store discovered that every day
at moor q handbook man appeared at
a certain corner of the store and took
bets from statesmen, saleswomen, cash
boys and cash girls. Commissions as
low as ten cents were taken. The EN-.
ployes Of this store were warned that
any one who bet on the races during
business hours would be dismissed.
Similar notices have been posted IN
several houses in the wholesale dis
trict. s&ll