The Washington herald., 1908-06-26

and the race tracks resumed their war
fare against the poolrooms to-day in
earnest. A censor was placed in charge
OF the Western Union Telegraph wires
inside Of the Sheepshead Bay track. and
nothing but newspaper reports. delayed,
was sent out during the afternoon.
The wires will not be removed. after
all. but the censorship will be so strict,
1t is said. ;hat even private messages
will be held up. BY this arrangement 1t
was impossible to send any information
whatsoever TO the city poolrooms, which
have been getting almost perfect service
ever since the new betting law went into
effect.
But this was not the only hostile move
against the rooms by the Pinkertons and
the race-track owners. For several days
the Plnkertons have been watching
cottage just behind the back stretch at
the Bay. believing that poolroom men
were sending information. including a
full description OF the races. 70 this city
and to Western points
Detective Taps the Wire.
Capt. Duhain, Of the Pinkertons. worked
on the case all day Wednesday. and dis
covered to-day that a telegraph wire
from the regular Western Union line led
into the top floor Of the cottage Duhain
traced the wire TO a point between
sheepshead Bay and Brighton Beach. and
at . o'clock in the afternoon he succeeded
in tapping IL. An expert operator himself.
Duhaln soon got what he was looking
FOR. His instrument began 10 click of
these words:
Paterson. n. J.-starters in first race,
R0seben lNotter Timber (Dugan). Jubi
lee lMllerI. Coquet Cshrt ye).
Duhain says he sent back a reassuriug
reply. and that in a few minutes a set Of
prices was sent over the wire. When the
race was started there was a complete
description Of it.
In a few minutes later Duhaln says he
got the starters and Jockeys for the sec
ond race. also a description Of it. and the
results.
tion on the third race and then decided
to act He hurried back to the race
track and informed Deputy Commissioner
Baker. inspectors Flood and O'Brien, and
Capt Kelly that the poolroom men were
busy in the house with the green
gables"
Surround the House.
Commissioner Bakers automobile was
| pressed into service. while word was tele-
phoned 20 the Sheapshead Bay police sta
| tion for a patrol wagon and dozen blue
coats Just before the horses went 10
/ the post for the fourth race the police
men surrounded the cottage. said 10 be
owned by man named Edwards. and de-
manded admission.
I'VE want TO arrest some men who are
/ I'm the employ Of the pOolrOoms and are
on the top floor" said Inspector Flood as
the door was opened cautiously. The
police were admitted and they rushed
upstairs at top speed.
! door was broken open and two men
were quickly grabbed. One of them was
/ operating a telephone wire, while the
other was at the business end Of huge
telescope which was leveled at the mid
/ die OF the grand stand a half mile dis
tant.
Two telephones were also seized and a
policeman answering a call said 736 Cort-
landt was on the other end Of the wire.
But when an attempt was made 10 hold
a conversation with that number the con-
nection was quickly cut off. Inspector
Flood took a peek through the telescope
and threw up his hands in astonishmenJ.
Possible to Read Signal.
why" he exclaimed, you can see a
man pick up a pin" 1t was readily seen
that by the use Of the telescope It was
possible to read signals made by con-
federates in the grand stand and also make
out the numbers on the saddle cloths. "a
say nothing of the colors worn by the
Jockeys. The telescope was so powerful
that every move made by the horses was
as plain as day.
The police said that the two men ar.
rested were old offenders. They gave
the names OF AL Opperman and Ed Dur.
gan. Both men were taken to the
Sheepshead Bay Station, together with
the telescope and telephones, and were
held for trial. charged with aiding and
abetting gambling. telegraph operator
at the Bay, after the raid, said to re-
porter:
They had no right TO tap this wire
and. for that matter, no information was
being sent to the city poolrooms at all
1t was being wired to Patterson, n. J..
for distribution through the Western
cities. The New York poorooms have
been getting their information over tn,
regular race track wires from agents in
side the inclosure."
Beginning tomorrow. the telegraph
wires inside of the track will be barred
TO the poolroOm men, while the Pinker
tons and police will keep a sharp watcf
on the cottages in the neighborhood
The canvas screens will go up ono,
more. and the Jockey Club will agair
show how effectively betting in the city
can be suppressed. 1t viii be n fight L
a finish
The attendance at the track to-da,
showed a marked increase. At least ZOO
persons were in the grand stand and OF
the field.