The Washington herald., 1908-01-30

That there viii be no dates assigned to
the Benning track by the powers that
be is the belief of racing people IN Wash
ington. after the introduction in the
House yesterday OF a bin aimed directly
at the bookmaking at the local track by
Representative Acheson, Of Pennsylvania
With case against boolzmakers pend
ing In the local courts and the agitation
that has been made against the contnu-
ance o. the present methods of laying
wegers on the outcome Of horse races at
the local track, it is believed. that the
racing association VIII take no chances
on having losing game played in Wash
ington when the time comes for the
spring meet
Mr.. Acheson's bill strikes at the root
Of all bOOkmaking at race tracks in the
District OF Columbia It obviates the
necessity for long drawn out lawsuits IN
the courts, where the questions are final
" resolved into mere clubbing over
technicalities.
The bin is aimed directly at the root
OF all the gambling that is done on the
ponies in the Distric-. and is so framed
that If passed. viii forever abolish any
form OF gambling on the speed of horses,
or for that matter, any question of a
similar nature, within the limit of the
ten miles square" prescribed by the Con-
stitutiOn Of the United States
Owners Held Responsible.
Mr.. Acheson's bin provides that not the
men who make the bets. but the men
who own the premises on which the bets
are made. shall be amenable TO the law
The title of the bin is TO amend an act
entitled an act 70 establish a code of
laws IN the District of Columbia relative
20 gambling. pool-selling. betting, and
bOOlmaking in the District Of COlumbia. "
The amendment is to section 500 Of the
District Code. and it provides that any
corporation or company that owns any
premises i'm the District OF Columbia shall
be- ameHa6Ie 10 the law. IL makes no
difference. under the Acheson bill. wheth-
er memorandum OF the bet or wager is
made The bill says specifically that
whether or not any note OF the bet Is
made, 10 shall be a form OF gambling or
5oo6making, and the corporation upon
whose premises such a break occurs shall
Big Fine Imposed.
Furthermore. q fine of from 500 10 $1,000
for each and every such offense IS di- /
rected az such violations. with a term of
Imprisonment Of from thirty TO ninety
days in prison for the responsible officials /
of the corporation.
If such a bin is passed. IL Will put an
end 70 the travesty that now permits the
bookmakers TO accept vagers providing
they are not equipped with a stand. a
stool, aud a blackboard upon which the
odds are posted.
Under the present law they make books
unmolested, provided they have some of
the paraphenalia of the boOltmaker' /
business. AS a result they display their
odds upon q programme. and no tickets /.
are issued 20 those who make bets. In /
stead the number Of their entrance ticket I
is recorded with the bet by the clerk 10 I
the bOOkmaker, and al that IS necessary !
is for the man who makes the bet 10 find I
the bOokmaker with whom he placed his I
wager This, under the present system, !
is not hard 10 do. because the book 4
makers do not change their locations.
They Keep Moving.
uuEI llc law WHICH permits WaEeTS I
between friends they are supposed TO /
keep moving They do not violate that 1
provision of the law by simply moving /
back and forward "a step or two. and the /
man with a winning horse can get his bet !
cashed with as little trouble as though /
each bool1maker had all the conveniences
attached TO the usual style OF such gam /
bling
The bin was referred TO the House Com I
mittee on the District OF Columbia, and
il is pretty certain that il VIII ind sup
port there. although the members Of the /
committee did not care 10 discuss II until /
they have read the bin and its provisions. /
This is the second bin that has been
introduced aimed az the present style Of /
recording wagers at the local track
Air. AchesOn introduced another bin yes
terday that viii find considerable support
In the House. That was for the suppress
sion Of the sale Of liquor in the Canal
zone. This bin provides for the IMPOSE
ton OF a fine of from 500 10 $1,000 and
d jail sentence Of from thirty DAYS TO
one wear for each conviction