Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-07-21
fhE .WlLY SO0KMAKER"
AND HIS BETTING CREW.

Races and race tracks without the
willy bookmaker. the layer of odds,
who usually goes off with satchel full:
OF money, would be like the veritable
fish out OF water.
According to q sport who has fol-s
lowed racing the greater part OF his
life, the bookmaker who Is provided
with a good Grew" has occasion to-
pat himself on the back, for, as good
many Of the layers are constantly COM
planning, first class crews are scarcer
than losing / to 10 shots. Speaking to
a reporter, he said:
"Only few of the best known n1em-s
bers Of the Metropolitan Turf associa-s
ton have retained their crews in steady
employment for years at q stretch.
Most OF them are obliged to hunt around
for good men to fill out vacancies In
their crews at the beginning Of every
racing season, and some are In con-
slant hot water throughout the entire
racing season owing to the unsteadiness
Of one or more members OF their crews.
at is not at all matter of COM
potency, for all bookmakers' crews
have to be competent for the performs
ance of even days work in the ring.
1t is matter Of steadiness. The good
crew is the steady crew. It Is COM
posed of men who go to bed at night,
instead Of remaining up to play in faro
and poker fiestas and to indulge in the.
liquid accomplishments thereof, and;
turn up at the track for business with
clear heads and steady hands.
Most Of the men who work for the
bookmakers are those who eventually
lost out after playing the horses for
years from the outside. Finding the
ivirus Of the game 80 strong within
them that they were untitled for less
exciting employments, they sought
their chance to remain on the tracks
by obtaining work as bookmakers'
helpers. -
"The bookmakers crew consists Of q
sheet writer. a cashier, one or two
ward men, or outside men, and occa-
sionally commissioner, although the
commissioner is not strictly a member
OF the crew. and only the layers on the
largest scale employ special commis-
sioners. The men are well paid for
their work. Sheet writer's earn from
SIS to s25 day, cashiers from SO to;
SIS and outside men about the same
as the cashiers.
1.-THE most important member Of the
bookmaker's crew is the sheet writer.
To be top notch at this work he has
to keep his head clear as whistle
from the beginning OF the racing season
to the windup. He is the man who
registers the bets.
~Visitors at the race tracks marvel
at the adeptness of the sheet writer. A
trained and steady sheet writer has the
quickness OF eye Of a weaver, the hear
ing of an Indian and an almost fn-
credible dexterity in handling q pen.S
Gil"
II remember patriarchal crocodile,
however. which once put UP a splendid
fight. He was reputed to be about
thirty feet long and a hundred years
old. and he spread terror for many
months along the banks Of one Of the
Jamaican rivers. carrying off dogs and
goats, soaring the women who washed
clothes in the shadows and even per-
ambulating the streets of riverside vil-s
lagos and driving everybody heller
SHELTER indoors. He was the king Of
the district. At last a party Of EngIfsh-
him after a Homeric fight. He chung
to life with the grimmest tenacity, LASH
ing about his huge tail, swapping with
his enormous jaws at anything within
reach and not giving up the ghost us-
I'll pierced with more than twenty -
let's"