The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1908-06-17
GAMBLING BILL
Signed by the Governor Shortly
After 1t Passed the Senate.
Bookmakers Arrested-Millers War on
Health Foods-Acquitted In Capitol
Graft Trial - Gould Deserts Pitts
burg - Vanderbilt's Colt Won the
Grand Prix de Paris.

burg - Vanderbilt's Colt Won the
Grand Prix de Paris.
After a bitter struggle the precise
like of which no man in or about
the legislature has ever seen, or
expects to see again, the famous
Agnew-Hart anti-racetrack gambling
bills are now laws of the state of New
York. Governor Hughes by his sig
nature affixed to each of the bills
crowned legislative victory, the bril-
liancy of which, equaled only by its
uneXpectedness, is conceded even by
those who fought him in this matter
to the last ditch and beyond.
A few minutes before 2 p. m. Thurs
day the truly extraordinary session of
the legislature of 1908 adjourned with
out day.
The decisive votes which passed the
bills were cast by Senator Otto G.
Foelker of the Fourth district OF
Brooklyn, who crawled from a sick
bed and made a sixty mile railroad
journey to do it, so weak and distress
ed in mind and body that he seemed
on the verge Of utter collapse, and by
new senator, William C. Wallace Of
Niagara Falls, who was elected at a
special election, in the campaign pre-
ceding which the governor himself
toured the district speaking in behalf
Of his election.
The bills which now constitute
chapters 500 and 507 of the laws OF
1908 in no way affect, so far as their
face provisions go, the state racing
commission in particular or horse rae
ing in general. They relate solely to
the penalties for gambling, pool SELL
Ing and book making, which as before
are declared by the law to be ~ public
nuisance" Chapter SOC amends the
racing law by repeating that provision
under which an exclusive penalty of
simply recovering at civil suit the
amount wagered, which has applied to
gambling within a racetrack enclos-
ure, thus eXempting such gambling
from the penalties operative elsewhere
in the state, and it also provides that
this general penalty shall be "impris-
onment In the county Jail or peniten-
tiary for period of not more than one
year" without alternative of fine.
Chapter 507 amends the penal code
In like manner and in addition changes
the grade Of the crime from that Of
felony, which any gambling was until
now. to that of misdemeanor, thus
bringing the offense within the juris.
diction of the minor criminal courts.
Nine Bookmakers Arrested.
Between $4,000 and 10000 persons,
bumper throng for a Friday, went
down to the Gravesend racetrack from
New York to see the horses run
and, if possible, to make wagers on
their favorites. Hundreds of gaily
dressed women were in the crowds in
the grandstand and the fieldstand.
Six races were run according to the
schedule and six favorites won. There
was betting, too, on every race, not
withstanding the new Agnew-Hart
anti-gambling law was in force and
Notwithstanding John Cavanaugh, the
master of the betting ring, announced
that no speculation should be indulged
In.
Nine persons were taken into GUS
tody by the police authorities, who in
uniform and plain clothes circulated
In large numbers among the crowds
In the betting pavilion. The prisoners
were charged with violating the new
anti-gamblng law and each man was
held in 5000 bail for hearing.
Orlando Jones, one of the leading
members of the Metropolitan Turf as
sociation-the big bookmakers' club
was the most prominent of the book
makers arrested. A rumor to the eff
feet that Jones would invite arrest to
test the constitutionality of the new
law was current, and when he was led
from the betting ring and taken to the
Coney Island police station no denial
of prearranged plan was forthcoming.