Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-18
ARRESTS PROBABLE
The Makers of Handbooks to
Be Prosecuted.
A CONFERENCE HELD
THE POLICE GIVEN INsTRUc-
TIoNs TO PROCEED.
Defendants Will Be Taken Into Court
and Required to Answer
to Charges.

to Charges.
The wave of reform in the matter OF
putting a stop to gamblings including the
betting of money on the races, has reacheo
this city and a number of arrests may be
expected Both the police and united
States attorney are Interested in the mat
ter and the former have been directed 10
make a move in the matter OF arrestlhs
those who are interested in the making OF
handbooks. There are many such persons
In the city, it is declared, and thousands
of dollars are gathered in by them IN tne
course of a few weeks. An effort was mace
to have such persons tried In the Ponce
Court some time ago, and Detective wal
son, who has charge of the gambling prose-
cutions. made a number of arrests. frose-
cutting Attorney Mullowny endeavored 10
get the cases in shape to be preseh.eo
to the court, but did not succeed. owing
To the refusal of parties to give testimony.
The result was that the charges had to
he nolIe pressed and the defendants set at
liberty. .
At that time the witnesses for the prose-
cutien, those who had wagered their money
on the horses refused to make any state
ment for the information of the jury. rms
was done by advice of counsel for the oe-
tense upon the grounds that the witnesses
were protected by statute and that any
alta tement they made might lncr1mlnate
them and be used against them In prose.
cutions 1t is stated that they may not
be able to- avail themselves OF sucn PRIV
ilege any longer, as decision OF the Su-
preme Court Is said to have modified a
former decision upon the subject to such
an extent that the witnesses may be COM
PEELED to testify.
Authority for Arrests.
Assistant District Attorney Mullowny
conferred with the police today and gave
instructions to the latter to arrest as
many of the persons engaged in the hand.
book business as they can find None OF
the cases will be nolle pressed this tlme,
says the prosecutor, and the defendants
will be compelled to appear in court ana
stand trial The prosecuting attorney
says he will also call to the stand all the
witnesses whose names are furnished ana
they will be questioned respecting the
matter of placing bets. Should they oe-
cline to answer it will have to be done In
public and the court will have the legal
question to pass upon. 1t is SAID the pet
ting is done in different ways, and each
case will have to be determined upon its
own merits.
It is said that the layers of the odds
have done everything in their power to
handle their business in manner which
will not constitute violation of the law.
Some of them claim they merely act as
agents for the pool room at st. Asaph
and that they get commission on the
business they get for the pool room oper-
ators. In other instances the layers of
the bets agree to pay the odds printed in
a sporting paper the day after the races
are run. 1t is realized by the prose-
cutting officer that some difficulty will be
encountered in the matter of obtaining
the necessary proof in the cases, and the
drag-net method will have to be resorted
to in order to get it.
Diffidence of Witnesses.
Those who play the races, as rule, are
as anxious to avoid publicity as the layers
of the odds are to keep out of the hands of
the police. None of them, perhaps is will
ing to appear in court and testify, and
many of them will be surprised when the
police have them summoned to court.
This is not the only move that Is contem-
plated by the police. 1t Is known that
many Of the handbook operators have their
headquarters in saloons, where money can
be left for them. In some cases the player
does not know upon whom he is playing,
or he may not see the hacker or commission
man once in a week He simply leaves his
money, with slip of paper on which is
written the name OF the horse and how he
wants the bet placed and If successful, he
goes the next morning and "cashes in"
The proprietor of the saloon or the bar
tender will accommodate him, and fire.
Quently, 1t is stated, the man who wagers
transaction. All this, 1t Is said, may be in
the nature of violation Of the provisions
OF the excise regulations. It is the inten-
ton to report such cases to the excise
board, and trouble about the renewal of
licenses may follow. 1t is possible that
some of the saloon keepers will be taken
into court and charged with permitting
gaming upon their premises. There is a
section of the law covering such an offense
The charge against those who make
hand-books will be for setting up gaming
device, and in such cases the Police Court
is without jurisdiction. Such cases will
hearing, as the penalty provided is impris-
onment in the penitentiary for a period of
not more than five years
What the Police Believe.
While the police morally certain that
very little of the money wagered here goes
over the river to the st. Asaph pool room,
most of those in the business make the
claim that they take 1t there and receive a
commission. Heretofore, 1t has been claim
ed, the operators of the st. Asaph pool room
have been behind prosecutions in cases
where their competitors have been involved,
and they may be appealed to by the local
police now. If the claim that the money is
sent there Is made for the purpose of evad-
ing the law the promoters of the pool room
1t is believed will be glad to assist In
crushing their rivals and put them out of
business or in prison. The men engaged in
the handbook business have been looking
for trouble since the fight against gam
blers was started in Virginia by Common
wealth's Attorney Mackey, and have been
more careful about identifying their Gus
toners.
In some of the saloons where the bookies
make their headquarters every stranger is
scrutinized, and it is not an uncommon
thing, 1t is stated, to see the man behind
the bar or the hacker of the game in front
of 1t give questioning nod or wink to as
certain something about the stranger Most
or the so-called sports who are interested
in the game know the police are after them.
and are doing the best they can to evade
the law or conduct their business in a man.
ner which will mean an acquttal for them
when they get into court.