Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-12
PUTS BAN ON RACE
TIPS AND CHARTS
C0UNClLMEN RAP PURvEY0RS
OF GOOD THINGS"
Proposed Ordinance Would Even Pre-
vent Expression Of Opinion as to
Which Is Best Horse--Amend-
ment viii Be Made
TO the alfalfa with We, touts.

TO the alfalfa with ye, touts.
The city council rode a driving finish
yesterday with the purveyors of good
things" and cant lose" information
and. only because of an erroneous and
innocent appearing phrase, would have
won in a gallop.
The Los Angeles Jockey club has
driven the touts and race track crooks
from the grounds and denies this ag-
gregation admittance to the grounds.
Some of them may have strayed into
the downtown district and handed a
good thing" that failed, to council
man. Anyway, an ordinance was sub
mitted yesterday for passage and ap-
proval wherein It Is sought to make
the distribution, sale of gift of form
charts or tips on the races a rnisde-
meanor punishable by fine of 500 or
a term In the city Jail. In the dis
erection of the judge, both fine and
imprisonment may be meted out to the
walking gazetteer as to all things per-
tanning to the bangtails.
Makes Sweeping Order
In seeking to eradicate from the
equable cline of Los Angeles the pes
tiferous and puissant tout the council
overlooked the technical effect of the
sweeping prescriptions in the ordinance.
BY it's terms the newspapers were
81
selling or giving away form charts and
selections of the proable winners ana
individuals were prohibited from even
whispering to an inquiring friend the
degree of faith which he held in the
ability of any horse to defeat another.
Upon legal advice called at the elev-
enth hour it was ascertained that the
inadvertent phrase established a CEN
sorship upon the press and wiped out
In al f,P
paper.
1t was also ascertained that any at
tempt at restricting free speech was n
violation of the federal constitution.
AS 1t was not the intention Of the city
council to abridge the freedom Of
speech or the liberty of the press, the
sweepstakes nature of the ordinance
appeared in a new light and it was sent
back to the legal department with in
structions to amend the bill in such a
manner that these technical mistakes
will be overcome.
When the ordinance is amended in
accordance with the wishes of the coun-
Gil and is made applicable to all per-
sons, firms and corporal tions engaged
in the sale, distribution or gift of form
charts and tips and does not clash with
the federal constitution in the abridge
ment of vested rights, Il will be passed,
as would have resulted yesterday had
not the constitutional phrases been dis
covered
The ordinance is aimed at the touts
and incidentally crooks who make a
living not by the sweat of their brow or
the activity of their brain, but by prey
ing upon the unsuspecting person.
In this effort at Kidding the city of an
undesirable class of visitors the council
will be supported by the citizenship of
Los Angeles. regardless of difference
of opinion regarding the sport of racing
The tout and the crook have been
mercilessy slain by the Los Angeles
Jockey club in so far as depredations at
the track are concerned.
Detectives on Guard
A large force of Pinkerton detec-
tives are in the employ of the Jockey
club to police the grounds during the
hours when the gates are open to the
public and the local police department.
is cooperating with the Plnkertons IN
protecting the race going public from
this class Of crooks.
Pool buyers have been barred from
operating at the track and women have
been barred from betting on the races
Touts crooks, criminals and suspected
persons are stopped at the gate and
turned back toward the city.
The result is, say local racing Off
cials, that Ascot is freer today from
these influences than is the average
race track and is conducted upon the
same basis that has elevated the sport
In the east