Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-10-05
MANY PROMINENT men INVOLVED
w. X. Vanderbilt Owns Controlling
Interest in coney Island Jockey Club,
One Of Two Organizations Charged
With Conspiracy to Allow Betting
Gloomy Among Turf Followers.
(By Associated Press).


years of agitation against rack track
gambling in this state, marked by
the passage of the drastic anti-betting
bill. generally referred TO as the Hart
Agnew law, it remained for the King
county. Brooklyn. grand jury 10 write
a new chapter in the crusade today
when there were handed up in court
indictments against the two big Kings
county race tracks, three police Off
clals. five private detectives and
twenty-five bookmakers.
The Brighton Beac Racing asco-
citation was similarly involved last
year, but the Gaze failed and act on
has heretofore been mainly ngainrt
bookmakers or bcttors. the defendants
in which proceedings have been gen
orally exonerated by the lower courts
which held that oral betting was no
crime. The first test of these cases
will be made by the court of appeals
this week.
Memory Brokers" Operation.
1t was the increase of "oral bet
ting conducted by the so-calied
memory brokers" that resulted in
this latest evidence of Governor
Hughes continued activity and the in
dictment as corporation CT the
Brooklyn Jockey Club and the Coney
Island Jockey Club. For some time
past it was known that Governor
Hughes was dissatisfied with the ap-
parent increase in oral betting, con-
Quoted on comparatively small scale
during the first part of the racing sea-
son, and fer several days there have
been rumors CT indictment. But 1t
was not until today that 1t became
definitely known who the defendants
were.
Foremost are the Coney Island AMI
Brooklyn Jockey Clubs. charged as
corporations with conspiracy In al
lowing betting to go on. This involves
a number of the most prominent sup
porters of racing in the United States.
Prominent Men in Clubs.
w. X. Vanderbilt owns a controIl-
ing interest in the Coney Island
Jockey Club. of which Schuyler L.
Parsons is presid :nt George Peabody
Wetmore and Mr.. Vanderbilt are vice.
presidents.
The president of the Brooklyn
Jockey Club. which operates the
Gravesend track. is Phillip J. Dwyer.
The police officials, indicted ter
conspiracy on the ground that they
knowingly permitted the Sheershead
Bay race track to be used on August
20 last for betting purposes. are In
spector John J. O'Brien. who is ac-
cused also CT neglecting his duty IN
failing properly to supervise the work
Of his subordinates. SeTgeantS Hugh
Reynolds and Hugh Meyers, Of In
spector O'Brien's personal stan.
The private detectives arrested are
Seymour Butler. who was IN charge
of the race track force and fer years
hassbeen a well known figure 10 fol-
lowers of the sport on Metropolitan
tracks. and four Of his subordinates.
Csvsnsugh Heads the List
john G.. Cavannaugh. who for years
has been the dominating figure in the
bettinb rings Of the metropolitan
tracks. leads the list OF twenty-five
alleged bOOkmakcrs who are indict-
ed.
The three indicted police officials
were arraigncd in the Brooklyn coun-
" court to-day pleaded net guilty and
were released on parole. Warrants
for the arrest q the others were rs
sued sad a search for them was I'M
mediatciy begun. u a. expected that
the case viii an be set FOR trial on
October rs.
There was much gloomy spccuia-
ton amcnE lccal followers Of racing
tonight a. 10 the probable eject ~
tho new crusade arainst gambling.
Tho betting system used has IN
VOWED the three bookmakers In eacn
case q a wager. one taking the money.
the other registers the transaction and
The ether paying the winner the next
day. y wes supposed that this three
corncrcd transaction v7s 80 involved
~ n cvadc the law but for weeks
county detectives have been collect
inK evidence through which the an
,horitlcs hope 10 force prosccution-