New-York tribune., 1908-06-16
GRAVESEND LID TIGHT
ELDER OPPOSES A TEST.
Police Ordered to Break Up Any
Gathering of Three or More.

Gathering of Three or More.
There was no change in .he order Of things so
| far a. betting was concerned at the Gravesend
racetrack yesterday. and the lid was screwed
down tight IT Friday. when the new
| anti ti-gambling laws went into effect Two hun
dred policemen under Inspector O'Brfen and fifty
detectives in plain clothes stood about from the
paddock to the so-called betting ring but had lit
tie nothing to do as the crowd was an orderly
one and accepted the situation found.
spite of the teemng rain and the edict against
betting between $500 and 400 persons were in at
tendance. to the surprise of even the most opti-
mistic and TO the confounding of those who be-
lieved in the theory that racing without betting
would quickly die a natural death They amused
themselves by clapping their hands as the horses
paraded to the post. by watching the racing with
every show of interest and by cheering the win
ners as II II were quite the natural thing TO do
The cheering and applause were not altogether
spontaneous, but the crowd was quick to follow
the lead and even J.. L Hail. patrol judge. as he
drove by the stand got a hand, which ne grace
fully acknowledged
Inspector O'Bren promulgated order early In
the afternoon to the effect that where three
more men gathered together the police should
interfere and force them 10 on. particularly
IL there was any Indication OF writing pro-
gramme of discussing a bet. This led TO
rather amusing incident between the running OF
the third and fourth races
Assistant District Attorney Elder was standing
deserted except for some fifty policemen and
few of the regulars who had not been able TO get
the habit of going II that particular place
between races. Mr.. Elder was approached by two
newspaper and small crowd gathered to
hear what said
lieutenant Of police quickly hurried up and
taking of the newspaper men by the arm. said
brusquely, Move on, there II don't want 70 ger
arrested"
To whi,h the newspaper man meekly replied.
nv AMI md tal Assist
District Attorney Of Kings County,
The policeman had his orders and promptly re-
piled mo, you cant talk to anybody standing still
AT which Mr.. Elder nterfered and the policeman
walked away.
Rv this time bigger crowd had gathered. and
while Mr.. Elder continued the interview two in
spectors crowded their way through and stood one
at each elbow, If fearing that somebody would
do bodily harm 70 the man whose construction OF
the law has made it impossible even to make a
mouth bet, unless under cover Of the greatest
secrecy.
In speaking OF the three test cases proposed by
those interested in racing Mr.. Elder said:
Il absolutely opposed 10 a test case. as no
end could be served by an arrest and prosecution
under suspension OF sentence that could not oe
accomplished by bona hde arrest and prosecution
There are now fourteen pending for almost
every conceivabl. offence under the new law. and
there Will be a hearing these on June z whlcn
should accomplish the purpose of test case
When asked II It would not be good thing 70
settle the present uncertainty as to what constt-
tuted a violation of the law as quickly as possible
he said: II believe so, and that will be done, IN
all probability
Asked whether he had expressed himself as op-
posed to the cases being carried before any par
ticuar Judge. he replied: mo, have simply said
and now reiterate that opposed 70 the cases
going before any justice who may be in syn1pa-
tbv with the racing interests as I do not TO
have my arguments prejudiced before being heard
Mr. Elder said that it almost impossible TO
enforce any anti-g gambling law on account OF the
difficulty Of getting evidence, but he added, rather
sIyly: Policy and bucket shops are largely th1ns
of the past and look at this betting ring II
doesn't look as If the Agnew-Hart law is being
violated
Mr. Elder explained that two might make
verbal bet with each other, but the man who laid
the price was breaking the law, whereas the other
was not. This was facer for those who deal IN
prices, as it appeared to them to mean that when
a bet was made money neither side was
guilty whereas the who laid 2 to I would
have to suffer the penalty. while the man who ac-
cepted the short end went scot free Mr. Elder
also explained that the marking Of the prices on
programme constituted a violation OF the law
under his Interpretation, and for that reason. if
for no other. prices were openly exhibited yes
terday.
7 D1-ver president of the Brooklyn Jockey
Club repeated the statement he made SatLr-
day that he more than anxious that the law
should be upheld the letter, and that the police
al liberty do what they saw NJ under
their construction Of the statute until such
time as the courts had settled the question He ex-
pressed himself as surprised but pleased with the
attendance yesterday, and added that he had seen
days when there fewer persons there, even
under normal conditions
No special trains were run from the Brooklyn
Bridge to the track yesterday, and those who went
down had TO be satisfied with the regular local
service Two or three specials were run back. how
ever. when the racing was over
Among those who complaining yesterday
over the new order of things were the newsboys
who sell early racing editions of the various after
noon papers One youngster al the entrance OF
the bridge remarked sadly: Say. boss. had 70
cut off three hundred papers this morning
The stewards OF the Jockey Club met in the
Windsor Arcade last night for the first time since
the passage of the Hart-Agnew bills James R.
Keene, vice-chairman OF the club, called the meet
ing and presided. August Belmont being in Europe.
Joseph S. Auerbach, of Davies, Stone & Auer-
bach counsel for the Jockey Club was present.
and said after the meeting that the stewards
had simply talked questions over with him There
may be another meeting OF the stewards at the
Gravesend track to-day.
Those present last night in addition TO Mr.
Keene. Frederick K. Sturgis. H K. Knapp
Herman B. Duryea. Andrew Miller and z. R
Hitchcock