The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-01-22
Strong Play to Defeat Race
Gambling
SOME VERY GOOD CARDS
However, Held BY His Opponents Poll
ticians and Papers Against Plans
Sensations Expected and Posi-
bly, Some Scandal.

Albany, N r., Jan. 22--Although he
has won renown for various -crusades,
no single appearance Of District Attor-
ney Jerome III the role Of crusader has
ever been against such odds as that on
which he has now embarked, that
against the track gambling Moreover,
about this measure il likely to center
no small part of the sensational side
of the present session Of the Legisla-
ture. The Jerome measures, introduced
last week by Senator Agnew Of New
York city, aim at abolishing the stu.
alton created BY the notorious Percy
Gray law Of some years ago. Without
delying into the legal phases Of this law
its effect may be described briefly. The
pool room gambling on horse races Is
unlawful, and the pool seller in plying
his trade commits a felony. This stu
alton was not affected by the Percy
Gray law. But prior To the passage of
this act the bookmaker at the race track
was also guilty Of similar offence in
making dis book at the trackside. In
general terms the thing done Is identi.
cal, and the earlier laws made each
offence equally criminal.
The Perey-Gray law, however, provid-
ed that the bookmaker at the track, for
his offence, should be punishable by a
civil suit for twice the amount lost
BY the bettor, and in the language OF
the act this penalty Is designated eek
elusive" BY this simple phraseology,
what is a felony, when done outside of
the fence surrounding race track.
becomes merely actionable for civil
damages inside that same fence. This
i the anomalous situation created bv
verbal bubble that has given rise to
the e-side.of-the fence" discussion
in New York.
The obstacles ia the pathway. how
ever, are far from uncomfortable, even
after the former opposition has been
removed. 1t is fair 10 say that there Is
little effective public sentiment in New
York city against gambling New
York city CANDLES and sees no harm in
it.
Back Of this public sentiment Is
aligned the formidable list of financial
and social magnates who not merely
keep stables and take part III the act
ual racing, but have invested thousands
of dollars in race tracks and in their
stables,
There are other phases Of the same
question. Last year bin was sent
here, which would have accomplished
about the same thing the Jerome bill
IS calculated to do But it was brought
here by Legislators, whose connection
with any reform movement was ludi-
crous. 1t was regarded, from the out
set, as strike bill. The race track
interests sent attorneys here and the
bill was never reported from its com
mittee
Mr.. Jerome has IN his favor the fact
that he has brought straight bill
here. He openly declined the offer Of
some Of the people who supported the
measure to come in with,us.s Against
him, however, will be afrayed the Heen
tlemenT sports, with their tremendous
financial influence and resources. the
politicians, and finally no small part of
the newspaper world, for the best sell
ling feature Of many afternoon news.
papers Is their race-track reports. All
most all Of the afternoon newspapers
print the betting odds and the entries.
Extras with the returns OF all the i'm
portant races sell widely
Mr. Jerome. however. always fights
best in d forlorn hope. He came here
three years ago with the famous Can
field hill, which was in reality a bill to
permit him to compel Reginald Wander
bilt, Mortimer Schif aud various other
young bloodsp who were said to have
lost thousands in The Garfield place.
to testify. Against him we're lined up
ell those powerful interests, which tha
State Legislature did tie bidding Of the
New York Central He passed his
measure, however, but only through
"nuke."