Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-16
BETTING At BENN|NG
Any One Who Wished Could Lay
Wager.
AN announcement SYSTEM
But It Was Voted Better Than None
at All.
DETECTIVES ON THE ALERT
It is Said That They Will Test New
Methods of the Book
N announcement SYSTEM
DETECTIVES ON THE ALERT

down at Benning today, when the fall meet
Ing of the Washington Jockey Club opened.
The conviction of Bookmaker Davis knock
ed the bookfes off their stools, but so far as
today's indications are concerned 1t left
them free to wander around the ring and
snap up all the bets that were offered. The
usual number of policemen were on hand,
but they had no instructions
Four detectives from police headquarters
were|at the track for the purpose of ascer-
tanning how the betting was DONE and to
obtain evidence against some of the men
who are known as bookmakers. 1t is stated
that money was given them to put on the
ponies, and the result of thefr visit will be
communicated to Assistant United States
Attorney Given tomorrow morning after
they have reported to Inspector Boardman.
Should the attorney decide that the method
pursued by the bookmakers constitutes a
violation of the law, it is believed a war
rant will be issued for one of the alleged
offenders and another test case will be
made.
Big Crowd at the Track.
There was big crowd at the track by
half past !, and everybody was interested
in the way things in the betting ring had
been figured out. 1t didn't take anybody
very long to find out that save for the
stools, and some Inconvenience. the ring
was much as usual.
The bookmakers were on the grounds as
early as 1880, many taking luncheon at
the track, and they were closely watched
by the Pinkerton force and numerous blue
coats. All the prominent layers adopted
the system Of taking bets which prevailed
formerly at Benning. The bookies worked
from the floor instead of from stools and
moved about instead of remaining station.
airy. They had the names of the horses
jockeys and prices on card and when ap-
preached by a bettor pulled the card ont
OF their pocket. 1t a bet were taken Il
was called on in a moderate tone 800
makers assistant registered the bet on
pad.
Many of the more cautious bookies used
the numbers of horses ON the program in
stead of the horses name, so that there
was nothing to show that bet had been
made on the runners.
Up to the starting Of the first race no
arrests had been made The betting ring
mass as the bookies moved about and were
chased by anxious bettors.
Iuconvenient to Bettors.
"Bookmaking on the jump" was voted a
whole lot better than no betting at all, but
to the man with the horse bug who Is anx-
ious to get his money down at the best
price, 1t is likely to prove an unmitigated
nuisance. 1t borders on the inconvenient
to chase a wandering bookmaker around
the ring, to say nothing of the difficulty
in getting the best price. Then the lucky
ones, at the end of each race, have to play
hide and seek before cashing ill., The new
arrangement had its effect on the odds, too,
most of the NETS on the line showing
more caution than usual. There weren't
the usual bunch of long prices that mark
the ordinary opening day.
The Racing.
Weather conditions of the favorable sort
prevailed. The wind of last night ana this
morning dried out the track very consid-
erably, but the going will be hard for the
thoroughbreds, as the mud is of the holding
sort.
Good-sized fields are entered in five Of
the six events but numerous scratches are
expected and "mudders'' of known ability
will start IN all of them.
The first race, selling, for three-year-olds
and upward, six and one-half furlongs,
was won by Niblick (AIller), ev,.l and
Toscan NieberD. to 3, third.
The Cure, Society Bud, Monte Carlo,
Sacandaga, Monterey, The SaraceR, Duke
of Kendall and Castor also ran.
Nfblick was off first and led all the way
winning by a length. Time, 1.23 10.
The second race, steeplechase, for maiden
three-year-olds, about two miles, was won
Colonel &C. s. WILSON,, 2 and out, second;
Acolyte (Slaughter). and out, third. Judge
Parker fell. Souvigny led from start to
finish by twenty lengths. Time. 40.