New-York tribune., 1908-08-01
RACING MEN INDICTED
{. I. JOCKEY CLUB RIPPED.
Grand Jurg Finds Gambling Could
Haze Been Stopped, but Hasn't.


down long presentment condemning the ofii' ials
OF the Coney Island Jockey Club, well as the
Brighton Beach Association, for failure to stop
gambling their
The three individuals indicted William A
Tneeman. controlling director of the Brighton
Reach Racing Association: Christopher Fl. Fitz-
gerald president Of the association. and John u
Cavanagh. superintendent Nof the betting rlns
These men had it in their power to enforce the
law and stop gambling at tie track the indict-
r,ent declares BUT instead not only failed to DO
This b.t even coanved 1T violations of the law by
Joseph Vendig and Orlando Jones and divers
other evil disposed persons"
Joseph Tendie and Orlando Jones. who are men
toned several times in this indictment were them
selves indicted by the grand jay Tuesday for
accepting bets, Engeman ard Ff1zserald are spe-
cifcally charged in the Indictment against them
selves with having given advance Information on
-he races % these two and others and with hav-
ing allowed them 70 register bets and wagers On
The races within the racetrack inclosure-
POLICE INACTIVE.
The grand jury in its presentment declares thaI
the racing law has been openly violated AT tlle
tracks and that the police for 2 long while InaoS
no real effort 10 stop IT. These facts says '1ie
presentment. were not obtained from VIII :
alone hut committees Of the grand jury "ei' "
-bs track from time 10 time and personalIE Sd"
,,ols+fons Of the law Their inquiry EXTENDED from
J,,v 10 % and included both transactions that
ACQUIRED On the Sheepssead Bay course OF the
Co-ex Island jockey Oluo ana tiS' "i -
,ne course Of :he Brighton Beach Racing AsSooia
ZION The pTesentTlent continues
Tho condition that found were so unusual
NTH respect u the enforcement OF TINS new Id"
,ba. re considered that We ought to can ule at
.s,- ~ This court and Of the public generally
bo- No discovered In the first place, the evi-
aance laid before Us convinced us that notwl'h-
s-,o5in- the fact that this new law went l'''o
,o-ca on the 1lth dav Of June. l9os. Tor some
ss ,,reviors TO the 7th day Of July 1908. TIE ia"
-a77aTE Etssl
to,o,z5 ,,ron md around The grounds Of the
t~onev Island Jockey Club. These grounds are
oo,,-,o-lv known as the Sheepshead Bay race
track
BETT1vG OK \ LARGE SCALE
..o- investigation disclosed that booknaking, re-
cor-ing and registering bets and waSers upon the
-.ces that were being held that course. and
~ ,,+.r,banrA n money there bet and wagered
,are conducted N verv large scale. with little
o- no at-el,nf ST ccncealment whatever. in total
disregard q the provisions Of law We conunueu
o,,r investigations into the conditions that were
rrevaiiins at the Brighton Beach race course The
ra-s that vve-e held here Immediately succeeded
those that had been held on the course Of the
Cone Island Jockey Club.
In discovering the manner in which the new
law was being respected these grounds. fort
1lra+eiv va confined to the evidence that
vas adduco5 before Us. The evidence that was
brought before MS CONVINCED that the same
oren fagrant violation Of law and the same sys-
fpr7afir wholesale gambling that had Deeli lol
some DAYS going the Sheepshead Bi't' course
z-e-e being repeated on the Brighton Beach Rae
ing Associations course at Brighton Beach The
conditions that were revealed by the testimony
disclosed such a serious situation that we con-
Guided ve ought 10 make personal investi-
ton Of what was going the Brighton Beach
race course Accordingly. appointed committees
10 make visits TO the race course and then make
of7c,al reports 20 body This was done on
various occasions. and the personal observations
-1-1,sr
before the grand jury showed us that the condl-
tons described in the evidence were not eHaS-
cerated IN the least but. that the law was being
violated in = wholesale. systematic and open man
ner as have before stated
I.AHGAN AND VAN WAGNER DID WELL.
The police next come in for q large share of the
condemnation bestowed by the grand jury all
persons responsible for gambling conditions 81 the
two tracks 5 declared that they sought every
opportunity n first 10 evade their responsibility.
and that Z; was until special detachment OF
piainclothes men was sent down that proper police
~-ork performed Acting Captain August
Kuhne. with Iieutenants Joseph F LanEan and
Jacob Van Wagner, in charge Of this latter force.
were commended by the grand jury for their en-
e-gv and faithfuness and for ''the marked success
which attended tfeIrl and their in the enforce
men5 Of the law. beginning with July16'
Before this however, the presentment goes on
10 say we discovered that the opportunities for
managers Of the racecourse relied upon attract
crowds the tracks, and We learn that a very
large percentage cf the gate receipts that constitute
the income these racing associations is the re-
suit Of the maintenance Of gambling the race
Of afording 10 the public generally the
opportunity 20 come the tracks and gamble on
the IT not hard, therefore, in the light
Of these circumstances TO discover the reasen why
the officials Of the racecourses were inactive in
their efforts enforce the law and to prevent gam
bling upon the racecourses. II quite clear that
in proportion as gambling reduced on these
racecourses just in that proportion would The gate
receipts and the profits Of the racing associations
be reduced"
ASSOCIATION HARD TO GET AT
In conclusion. the presentment calls attention
10 the privileges allowed racing associations
which make il almost impossible for them to be
brought justice for directly violating the laws
cf state calls the practice of permitting the
associations appoint their own special policemen
& bad one which should be discontinued. The
grand jury asks that its presentment be sent TO
Governor Hughes. that he may take steps 10 rem
edy the which TO it TO still protect race
track gambling
The presentment ends with the significant state
the grand jury had not finished its
deiibe-at.on on evidence relating conditions at
the meeting of the Coney Island Jockey Club.
County Judge Dixie heartily commended the jury
for its efforts and assured the members that they
had well earned their vacation Of two weeks
None OF the three indicted were in court, but
they we're represented by Charles H. Hyde attor
ney for the Brighton Beach Racing Association
Mr HYDE pleaded not guilty for his clients. Judge
Dixie accepted his excuse for their absence and
agreed that they should be paroled in his custody
until bail could be arranged for at the District
Attorneys office
Acting District Attorney Elder would say moth
a-Ss he nsaffn nG