The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-09
LAWYER MADE BELMONT WAIT
AND COURT WOUND UP ny MAX.
ING LAWYER WAIT.

ISOLATION Got Out oH Each BOOkmaker
In 1904 ~ Apiece for 81 Tickets
Daily-Lead Pencil CsvanaEb Testlnes.
August Belmont, s~tockholder and direc-
tor Ia the Westohester Racing Association
which IL being sued by Local 50 Of the United
Housesmiths and Bridgemen's Union to
recover 81 ,6s5 that Frederick p. Rasm1s-
sen, former treasurer Of the local, says be
lost betting at the Morris Park track In
May, 1904, was In court yesterday under,
subpoena, and az he IL leaving town to-day
be wanted TO get away early. When he
arrived early in the afternoon Mr.. Nicoll
asked the Court to allow his examination
to be taken up out Of order,
Lawyer Perdue, for the union, objected,
saying that be had other witnesses TO call
before he wanted Mr.. Belmont. and that
he did not propose to have the trial inter-
rupted to suit Mr.. Belmont's immediate
convenience.
Mr.. Nicoll addressed the court again,
saying that the suit was merely another
effort by Peter De Lacy, the poolroom
man, to harass and annoy the racing
associations.
Mr.. Perdue replied that there was abso-
lutsly no foundation for such a statement,
and that he knew nothing Of Mr., De Lacy
or his motives. Justice Amend directed
that the trial proceed and Mr.. Belmont
walked fretfully about the court room.
Presently he came up 10 Mr.. Niooll and
declared that he was going away anyhow,
and didn't care what happened. Mr.. Nicoll
addressed the Court again. Justice Amend
remarked that there were times, and this
waa&p 80 thapa vyhon tho Count yuaa pu,ar
lets to compel the calling of a witness.
Mr.. Belmont. flushed and nervous strobe
UP to Lawyer Perdue at this, and said
loudly:
'You are simply doing this to annoy me.
and I think the least you could do would
be to show me some courtesy. I know
your object and what you are paid for"
Perdue retorted in just as loud a tone:
THAT was not my intention, and / am
just as respectable as o are"
III you had any decency,' replied Bel
mont, you would have told me that / need
not come to-day, or have sent me a note
Perdue was on the point Of making an
angry rejoinder, when Justice Amend
raped his gavel and restored order.
Finally the plaintiffs other witnesses we're
all exhausted and as the Judge continued
che session after 4 O'Clock Perdue mad to
call Belmont.
Mr.. Belmont testified that he never bet
on horse races, that the Westchester Racing
Association had no connection with betting,
and that there was no direct agreement
between the association and the book
makers by which the latter are allowed
to rake in the punters' shekels. There
was a sort of an understanding arrived at
after a great deal of legal and other dis
cussiop In the spring of 1904, as a result o
which the members of the Metropolitan
Turf Association consented Mr, Belmont
would not admit that they we're per :
mittedD to set up their stool encampment
in the enclosure under the grand stand.
This understanding was brought about,
Mr.. Belmont said, by the knowledge, on the
part of the associations officers, hat
without betting the revenues of the assocIa-
ton would be greatly diminished. The book
makers at frs twanted to chip in a certain
amount Of the stake money and purses.
but this was refused on the advice Of ooun-
sci. So was every other proposal which
looked to a direct payment by the book
makers to the association.
Finally some bright mind conceived the
idea that no one could or would prevent
anybody from buying as many tickets Of
admission to the track as he desired, So
the members of the Metropolitan Turf AS
ISOLATION, commonly known as hookmakeTs,
decided to buy ffty-seven tickets apiece, at
81, every day. The Westchester Racing As
ISOLATION had of course no objection, so
this plan went into regular operation.
Why the number was ffty-seven. or how it
happened that other bookies not MEM
bers of the Metropolitan found it convenient
to do the same thing. Mr.. Belmont had no
idea.
"You came to the conclusion when you
took over the Morris Park track that racing
without the assistance of the bookmakers
would not only be Improbable but prac-
tically ~impossibleP'
mo. / did not think so,' he replied.
But you considered that you needed
the revenue they would bring in and the
patronage they would attract when you
permitted them to contribute at the gate2'
'We did not permit Them Mr.. Belmont
answered I'VE did nothing. But had
they not come the stakes and purses YOU
have had to be on an entirely differe mt
scale. AZ a matter of fact, the first year
was an immense loss"
$50 to avoid that loss again you let in the
sNot at all. They wanted to come, and
they came, but we did not give them any
ARRANGEMENT or make any agreement with
them. What they did they did of their
own will
Does not the presence of boohmakers
attract a large number Of persons who would
not come o~therwise?"
'That is very possible replied Mr.. Bel
mont, smilingly.
John G. Cavanagh testified that his
business was that of sellin & Stationery, &c"
TO the racing associations. He said that he
had nothing to do with making any arrange
ments for bookmakers to occupy certain
places In the ring or that he was in any
way connected with the system by which
the layers operated. He declared that as
far as he knew there was nothing to prevent
anybody from going into the ring and laying
odds, without consulting any person.
uV...-tn G-~ntu~I nnnIa NotA