Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-15
Fall Meeting of Washington
Jockey Club Starts Tomorrow.
BETTING TO CONTINUE
Courts Decision Will Not Stop Wagers
at Benning Track
LAYERS TO ABANDON STANDS
Foot Ball Teams on Edge for Satur-
days Big Battles-Good Basket
Ball Games.

tions of Judge Stafford of the District
Supreme Court rendered a decision in the
case of William Davis that was unfavor-
able to the Washington Jockey Club, 1t will
have no effect the Benning meeting,
which begins tomorrow. The meeting will
be run off according to schedule and those
who wish to back horses they fancy will
have ample opportunity to do so.
The Washington Jockey Club, through
Secretary Walton, gave out the following
statement last night which serves to clarity
the atmosphere, which was badly muddled
when the result of the case first became
known.
Mr. Walton said: 1.-The Washington
Jockey Club is an association composed of
law-abiding persons. Certain kinds of bet
ting upon its ground since 1899 have been
carried on upon the authority of decision
of Judge Bradley of the Supreme Court of
the District in the case of United States
Judge Stafford. another judge of the
same court. having taken different view
of the law from that of Judge Bradley,
and having declared that betting as con-
Quoted during the last meeting is in VIC
lation of the law of 1888, such method of
betting will not be allowed pending the APP
peal from Judge Staffords decision"
Meeting Will Be Held.
In reference to the coming meeting Mr..
Walton said: 1.-The meeting of the Wash
ington Jockey Club scheduled to commence
Friday will be carried through according
TO program. While bookmaking has by the
decision of the court been declared illegal,
betting between individuals is not a pun
ishable offense The Washington Jockey
Club will strictly carry out the courts
decision in the matter pending the hearing
of its appeal of the case to the higher
court
The second clause of the latter state
ment outlines the policy of the club for
the meeting, and that is that all betting
shall be of a strictly personal nature. The
statement that betting between individuals
is permissible under the existing laws was
made on the advice of the best legal talent
IN Washington, and makes it plain that
no feature of the racing will be missing
for the coming meeting. but that betting
will be conducted under modified condi
tons.
The just settled hinged entirely on
the fact that the layers under the old bet
ting system occupied fixed place" and
the paraphernalia they used in conducting
their business. This was construed by the
judge to be a violation of the gaming act,
which prohibits the setting up of a table
or other device for betting of any sort.
The act of betting did not in itself enter
into the argument. and there is nothing in
the statutes to prohibit persons wagering
with each other as long as there is no
fixed place for the transaction of such
business. The betting will therefore be a
modified form of the system in vogue on
the English courses.
Will MIX FROM -cuouSly.
Instead of grouping in e Enclosure the
layer and player will mix up promiscuously
in all parts of the main Enclosure. This
may some confusion and inconven-
fence at first but 1t will, it is believed, work
out satisfactorily in the end. There is moth
ing to prohibit the recording of a wager,
In the opinion of counsel. but it is not
probable that the odds will be displayed
so prominently as has been the custom in
the past.
Briefly, the system as now planned Is
that the layers will circulate about in the
crowd and will announce such quotations
are called for. and will book all wagers
In the manner now employed by the club
house commissioners at the New York
tracks The inconvenience for the regular
will be in his inability to compare the quo
tations of several layers quickly. while to
the casual visitor identification of the layer
will be the greatest drawback.
officials Not Discouraged.
The officials of the Washington Jockey
Club do not anticipate any opposition to the
plan outlined and are not at all discour-
aged over the turn affairs have taken 1t
is not believed that the meeting will be seri-
ously affected except perhaps for the first
day or two. and arrangements being
made TO accommodate the usual good crowd
for the running of the Grand Consolation
Saturday the first big day of the meeting.
There has been so much annoyance real
and threatened. in the last few years that
they are glad to get the matter to the Court
of Appeals for final adjudication.
So far as the racing is concerned the
meeting looks like coming fully up to the
fan standard if it does not surpass it,
There will be plenty of material and the
class Will be above the average Quite a
number of horses came in yesterday but
the bulk of them are due today.
Busy Time at Track.
Everything was hustle and hustle at the
Benning track this morning The bleak
rainy weather made matters very uncom-
Portable for Superintendent Strahan and
his assistants, but they paid little attention
to the conditions in their work of looking
out for the numerous horses that came in
this morning. There were fully thirty car
loads of the thoroughbreds on the railroad
siding and many more up the road that will
be showed into the unloading tracks lust
as room is made for them The
trainers, owners. jockeys and stable boys
We're running about and shouting out or
ders and altogether the scene reminding
one of a circus being unloaded. Hundreds
of racing enthusiasts stood around watch
Ing the proceedings and greeted old friends
in the horsemen OF past meetings.
Down at the Office OF the club Secretary
Daingerfield and Handicapped Murphy were
busy getting out the entries for tomorrow
and looking after the details necessary to
the opening of the meeting. The officials
were very raticent when approached for an
opinion on the courts decision to betting
AT bcnnlnS, ana WINE ali QeplOreu the 1act
that the conditions would hurt the meeting
Oh the opening day they felt sure matters
would be In good running order by Satur-
day.
The battle between the Jockey Club and
the pool rooms has finally drifted down to
Washington, and the Pinkertons will have
charge of the telegraph office this fall An
expert telegrapher, to act censor will be
placed in the office, and nothing will be
sent over the wires without his approval
This applies in most part to scratches and
no nd ~ haff So;.~
ers. The scratches will be difficult to get at
as they Will not be posted until few min
utes before each race. and under the pros
pective betting conditions the prices quoted
viii be very unsatisfactory. II not useless
10 the pool rooms even If secured. Alto
gether Ii appears though the New York
pool rooms viii face unsurmountable
handicap during the coming meeting.
The censorship will not apply to the news
papers as the news desired will not be made
public until 1t Is too late to be Of any use
10 the pool rooms.
Every stall at the track Is taken, and
Supt. Strahan has engaged all available