The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-15
FIGHT ON ANTI.GAMBLING BILL
THE REV. MR.. SLICER AND OTHER
MINISTER'S OPPOSE 1T.
They Say IL IL In the Interest Of POOlrOOtn
Gambl bishop DOane Withdraws
His suppOrt-One OF the Strongest
or Hobbies at Work Against the Bill.

GamblerS-Bishop DOane WithdrawS
His supp0rt-One OF the Strongest
or Hobbies at Work Against the Bill.
ALBANY, March I4,-Joseph r. Auerbach,
representing the Jockey Club, to-day en-
deavored to impeach the sincerity Of the
people behind the Cassidy-Lansing bill to
prohibit racetrack gambling. Mr.. Auer-
bach relied on the Rev. Thomas r. Slioer
of New York city to assist him. MIR. Auer.
bach Is the attorney working in the open
for the Jockey Club, but there are others
here doing silent work. Although the
agricultural societies are opposed to the
passage Of the bill they do not rely solely
on their W influence to pre- vent the bill
from he coming q law. One Of the strongest
lobbies that have been sesn here in some
years is trying to kill the bill.
Mr.. Auerbaoh startled the Senate Codes
Committee, which heard the arguments
by presenting a petition drawn and
signed by the Rev. Mr.. Slioer and other
ministers opposing the Cassidy-Lansing
bill. In the petition it Is stated that they
do not approve of gambling and that
through misappreh ension some worthy
people are advocating the passage OF the
Cassidy Lansing bill.
sIt is not, as claimed the petition goes
on to say, aimed at gambling, but derives
It's origin and main support from evil sources
in New York city, and lite passage would be
most injurious, il not disastrous, to public
morals"
The petition also sets forthathat assur-
ances have been received from che Jockey
Club that they will cooperateI not only in
discouraging the spread Of gambling in its
most injurious forms in cities. but also will
do what may lie In their power to restrict
the evils OF betting generally.
Mr.. Auerbaoh also brought to light the
reason why Bishop Doane did not preside
at the mass meeting held by the ministers
at hat time that the Bishop was i'll. To-
day Mr.. Auerbaoh produced a letter from
Mr.. Sllcer addressed to Bishop Doane in
which MIR. Slioer acquainted Bishop Doane
with the fact that the bill vas not Intended
by poolroom gamblers. Mr.. Auerbach then
turned on A. s. Gregg. secretary Of the
International Reform Bureau, and said.
Bishop Doane wrote you a letter; will
you produce it?'
Mr.. Gregg nodded. Later he said he
indorsing the Ca ssidy-Lansipg bill and
strongly condemning gambling, Then he
received another letter from the Bishop
asking him to return his first letter, and in
this last communication the Bishop said
he wal not quite clear as to the situation
he had destroyed the last letter, but had
returned the one asked for by the Bishop.
DR.. W. r. Crafts, president of the Inter-
national Reform Bureau, made an onslaught
on the Jockey Club. He charged that Mr..
Auerbach had had Pinkerton Detectives
II he could be bought of. He also said that
q representative of the Jockey Club had
gone to the Rev. DR.. Cannon in Brooklyn
and had endeavored to get him to sign
the petition, but instead DR.. Cannon had
notified him OF what was doing.
There were a score Of representatives Of
the county agricultural eocities present,
and they demanded that the bill be killed.
County Judge Mccain Of Elmira made the
principal argument against the bill. He
was asked by Senator Elsberg:
Judge, II the Legislature would make
you a direct appropriation for your societies
would you still be opposed to the billH"
mo- he answered, but We want the
money and we don't care where 1t ZONES
from. We have no objections to receiving
tainted money. We are not overscrupulous
about that"
John W. Durkee. representing the State
Agricultural Society, ALSO opposed the bill,
Just what chance the bill has Of passing 10
shown in the following statement from a
member Of the Assembly Codes Committee:
"The Senate Codes Committee will I'M
people behind it have chosen a good time
TO Introduce it-reform times. Now, my
best political friends are interested in a
racetrack. They include the Sheriff, the
president Of q bank, the District Attorney
and other prominent people. They haye
called upon me to, defeat the bill. On the
other hand the churches Of my district
have passed resolutions calling upon me
to support the bill. Whichever way I turn
/ am UP against it. OF course II they try
to beat me for a denomination because !
vote for this bill it will act as a boomerang
in my favor, but | don't like to encourage
the enmity Of nv friendH,H