Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-12
N0-BET BILLS SIGNED.
New York Anti-RaCe Measures
Become Law.
FOELKER ILL, BUT VOTES
Gov. Hughes Triumphs in Campaign
Against Gambling.
PLANS OF THE BOOKMAKERS
Betting Will Be Continued by Credit
System-Battle to Be Carried
to Courts.
PLANS OF THE BOOKMAKER

ALBANY. June 12-The vote of Sena-
tor otto Foelker of Kings county. uttered
In go low tone as to be almost inaudible.
brought victory to the governor in his
battle against race track gambling yes
terday. when defeat seemed certain.
The Brooklyn senator was almost liter
ally carried into the crowded senate
chamber SO weak and emaciated was he
bv the illness of which he has not yet
passed the danger stage. AS result OF
his sacrifice the two bills to enforce the
constitutional prohibition against race
track betting are on the statute books
of the state and the special session is at
an end.
Hughes Signs Bills.
Gov Hughes signed the bills at .
! o clock last evening. He announced the
! tact with every manifestation of pleasure
IN the triumph of Law and order over the
gamblers His gratitude to Senator
Foelker for leaving his sick bed and
coming to Albany 10 cast the deciding
vote was expressed in a letter written by
. the governor late in the afternoon while
The senator was in state OF collapse as
:: result OF the reaction from his sensa-
tional and Grammatical experience In the
senate chamber.
pathetic figure of one of the most bit
, terly contested legislative battles fought
in Albany i'll many years. Cntl MS
appearance in the senate chamber, sup
ported by his physician and clergy
man. the bills seemed doomed to defeat
Even after his tOttering feet had been
guided into the chamber the surface
indications did not point TO the passage
OF the measures.
Defeated Leaders Mad.
The opposition leaders, completely cha
grined by their failure to prevent the
passage of the measures, make no secret
of the fact that they had the battle won
when the senate was called to order.
They are vehement in their denuncia-
ton of one republican senator. whom
they characterized as a traitor. ana
who as they state it, developed "a yellow
streak within fifteen minutes OF the roll
call on the test vote which settled the
fate of the measures. Some of the opp0-
nents of the bills even go SO far as to
declare that 1.-The traitor took the money
and ran away when the crisis was
reached.
In counting the cost of their unsuccess-
full fight, which approximates more than
S2J0.OQO of somebody's money, it is dis
creetly admitted that sum almost equal
10 one-half of that amount could have
been pOcketed by the senator courageous
enough to defy public opinion by changing
his vote on the measures.
The passage and signing of the bills
were accomplished in record-breaking
time. The battle in the senate actually
consumed two hours and seven minutes.
Within fifty-five minutes thereafter they
were in the hands of the governor. Aft
er twenty minutes devoted to comparing
and making certain of the absence of
any Joker" the governor signed them.
He said in doing SO:
The passage of the bill was victory
for law and order. the Importance of
which cannot be overestimated."
As the provisions of the bills take eff
feet Immediately the race tracks will be
compelled at once to make some changes
in the system of betting permitted by
them The bills will undoubtedly be at
tackled in the courts, but the governor
does not anticipate any opposition to the
enforcement of their provisions.
The news that the anti-racing bills had
been passed by a vote of 26 TO - caused
Il feeling of momentary depression among
the racing magnates. but as the after
noon wore they became reconciled to
the situation. and instead of showing the
white feather. they put on bold front
and said: