The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-25
UNCERTAINTY SHOWN IN LIGHT BETTING Gamblers Await Developments Before Making WagerS RACE CLOSE IN NEW YORK Many Believe chanIer Will Be Elect ed-Treasurer Riders Cam
 palgn Fund Figures
 Misleading.
RACE CLOSE IN NEW YORK
By sEWELL HAcckRp.

New York October 24-From the stand is not going to be one-sided by any means In fact, the gamblers feel so uncertain that they are not betting yet; they ar, awaiting developments. An agent of 2 stock brokerage house which formerly conducted a sort of betting headquarter. at the Hoffman House, when asked abou the situation, said:
 There may be some tall betting the las- few days before election, but even thu most reckless gamblers would not care | take risks just now. I have never o1 one. It Is a complete mix-up. Whn Taft and Bryan were nominated, 1t looId as if two to one bet on Taft wouldbe a good thing So many remarkable thigs have occurred since the nominations, lw- ever, that I have advised my friend to wait a while before putting up any money"
 This situation is quite different rom that prevailing in previous presidntial campaigns. W. L. Riordan, the vteran political reporter of the Evening Pbt, in telling of the lively part the gaiblers have played in past elections, say;
 ''In former presidential campains in the last quarter of q century, exceI those of 1896 and 1900, real betting bgan a month or more before the election There was little betting of consequent when Bryan made his former fights. His de- feat appeared to be so certain that the only bets made were on the sip Of Me- Kinley's vote in various states and his majority of the electoral vot Book makers offered even money tht McKin- ley would carry New York ste by 2O0,- GOO. There were not many taers. Some of the more venturesome knghts of the race track went further in 1S9@nd offered odds that Mckinley would eve carry New York city A few friends [ Bryan in- vested money in this pr5osition-and they lost.
 "In the presidential camhign of 1880, betting began early. The ods huctuated for time. At first, Garfiel was a strong favorite, but it was even money later, when the democrats devoed themselves to personal attacks on he republican candidate, based on his pnnection with the Credit -Mobilier schemI the De Golzer paving contract and tn salary grab. When the Mercy letter was published, Garfield stock fell lowd. After proofs were given that the lettf was a forgery, Garfield came to the hynt again as the favorite and remainedid that position to the end.
 'In the Cleveland Eaine contest of 1884, there were also maU ups and downs in the betting, which egan soon after the national conventionsadjourned. The out look changed from dy to day and betting quotations at the Hffman House and the Fifth Avenue hotei were something like stock exchange reprts. When it became apparent that grat body of independent republicans wouldhot vote for Blaine, the odds were on Cleyland. Then many Irish American associaions declared in favor of the republicai ticket and quotations were changed turing the campaign all sorts of persona attacks were made on the candidates md the odds either way reflected what the professional betting men believed U be public sentiment. Taken altogethe the odds were in favor of Blaine for tkse reasons: First, Tam many had bolte the convention at which Cleveland had been nominated second, many prominet Tammany men, includ- ing Senator Gady, took the stump for Gen. Benjamii F. Butler, who had "shoe string"nominatio for president from professlnal laboring men. The bookmakers hew that Cleveland would be knifed bya considerable element of Tammany an most of them were pre- pared to offe attractive odds on Blaine towards the md of the campaign. Then the Burchard incident occurred and there was a genera hedging. On the night be- fore electionthe betting was about even. The professonal bettors were wise, as the event sbwed. Cleveland carried New