The Washington herald., 1908-06-13


New York. June 12.-Fourteen alleged
bookmakers were arrested by the police
at the Gravesend race track this after
noon charged with violating the new
anti-betting law. They were admitted to
bail in the sum Of $1,000 each by Magis-
trate James G. Tighe in the Adams street
police cour.. Brooklyn, and their cases
Will come up for a hearing tomorrow
morning
The first arrest. that Of John Richard
Weldon. Of 1856 wiloughby street Brook
lyn. which occurred just before the first
race. caused a smau-sized riot Weldon
was talking with a number Of men at
the entrance 10 the betting ring. when
one Of them handed him a ten-dollar bill.
Weldon had a programme in his hand
with no prices marked upon it, and was
in the act Of putting the money in his
pocket. when Detectives Core and Miller.
OF the Couey Island station. grabbed
hun and proceeded 10 rush him toward
the track gates.
Rough House Follows.
A crowd of 200 men surrounded the
officers. and an oId-fashioncd rough house
| ensued. Other cops in plain clothes
rushed to the assistance Of Miller and
/ Core. and in the mix-up a Manhattan
cop punched a Brooklyn bluecoat in the
/ jaw.
The latter drew back as if TO retaliate.
when a lieutenant in full uniform struck
him over the head with a blackjack.
/ Another blow was about 10 be delivered.
when the staggering sleuth showed his
shield Detective Core meanwhile had
/ received a number Of wallops on the
head. when Allan Pinkerton jumped into
the middle OF the crowd and stopped
the rumpus by saying;
Make no disturbance; let this be a
test case"
/ Weldon was taken 10 the Coney Island
/ station, where the lieutenant in charge
refused 10 accept bail offered by William
| II. Dubois. on the ground that Weldon
was charged with a felony instead Of a
m!sdemeanor whereupon the alleged
bookmaker was taken to Magistrate
Tighe's court in a patrol wagon.
Deny He Took Bets.
WeIdon's friends said that he was not
a bookmaker. that he was simply en-
ployed as a runner for a book, and that
the SO bill he received represented his
wages for work done at the track on
Thursday
This arrest plainly indicated that the
/ authorities were determined 70 prevent
any kind Of betting If possible.
Philip J. Dwyer. president Of the Brook
lyn Jockey Club. after a long conference
with Lawyer Joseph s. Auerbach, noti-
fed the bookmal1ers that under no cir
cumstances would betting be tolerated in
the ring or elsewhere.
Many bookmakers decided not 70 do
business at all pending the result Of the
test cases in the court, while others dis
played prices on their programmes. and
were said 10 have accepted wagers by
word Of mouth with a settlement 10 be
made away from the track. II any money
passed IL was kept so we'll under cover
that the detectives who swarmed through
the betting ring and on the lawn were
unable 10 discover the fact.
No Uniform Set Of Prices
There was no uniform set or prices. as
used to be the case when open betting
was carried on. but several leading lay
ers including Tom Shaw, of New Or
leans. always had a set of quotations
for the inspection Of the crowd
Orlando Jones, one of the best-known
members OF the Metropolitan Turf Asso-
citation. was arrested just before the
fifth race by a Central Office man. He
had been doing business on the credit
system, 1t is said. on the previous races,
but only with acquaintances. An un-
known man approached him. and placing
a ten-dollar bill on the back OF Jones
hand. said ne wanted TO bet on Queen
Marguerite. Jones protested ne did not
want any bet from him, but. neverthe-
less. Jones was arrested.
Charles Carlin. OF Brooklyn, was ar
rested or the lawn in front OF the bet
ting ring. where he had been seen whis-
pering with a man who handed him some
cash. it is alleged Among the others
arrested were Alexander Gorley and
Louis Beuinger.
1t was the opinion Of several lawyers
who are in touch with racing affairs that
under the existing conditions the au-
thorities would find it a difficult matter
to prove the charges lodged against the
men arrested. The layers to-day. upon
advice Of counsel. decided 70 run the risk
Of doing business on the English credit
system.
Adopt the English System.
The result was that layers who adopted
this method OF conducting business re-
b fused to have any dealings with stran-
gers or with known patrons whose credit
was under suspicion. A layer operating
under the English system simply held
an ordinary programme with the prices
marked and persons who knew him whis-
pered in his ear what they wanted As
Continued on Page .. Column ,.
. I