Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-27
BETS MADE OPENLY
Race PooIroom at KeniIWorth
Running Full Blast.
CLAIMED TO BE LAWFUL
Maryland Club Managers Say They
Only Take Commissions
POOR DAY FOR THE TALENT"
Two Hundred "Pikers" on Hand in
Futile Effort to Guess Winners
on New York Track.
POOR DAY FOR THE TALENT"

How long Will this one laSt?' the peo
pie of Kenilworth are asking about the
poolroom of the Maryland Club, that was
opened Monday on the premises where
d similar establishment was conducted
several years ago.
Residents of that suburb are able to
recall the long fight they waged against
the former establishment, which resulted
in trials at Upper Marlboro, the county
seat of Prince George county, and they
are now wondering if they are to again
be put to that trouble. The present sher-
if, Samuel Sweeney, was not sheriff at
the time the place was in operation be-
FORE and the people are ANXIOUS to learn
just what he intends to do.
With a poolroom at Kenilworth and
big race meet on the track at Upper
Marlboro this fall, the Prince George peo-
pie will have their hands full, and the
sheriff, his deputies and constableS will
probably find that additional men will
have to be sworn in to render assistance.
1t is probably not definitely settled that
there is to be race meet at Upper MARI
boro this fall, although the New York
contingent, it is thought, expects to land
there if Gov. Hughes succeeds in driving
it from that state.
Tame Crowd on Hand.
There was tame crowd of sports at
the poolroom yesterday. No liquor is
sold on the premises, nor were any dead
soldiers in evidence about the grounds
The weather, as hot as it was, did not
interfere with the attendance. Nearly 200
persons were beneath the shed, where
= lib
horses in the New York races, and it is
thought that about 800 bets were made
during the afternoon.
There was very little time for the pa
irons of the place to get down their
money, the man behind the counter hav-
ing to call CLOSED" while there were
still number of men in line with money
in their hands Track information is re-
celved over the ongdistance telephone
on the Maryland line, and it is rather
slow work, the time between the receipt
Of the opening and closing prices not be-
ing enough for the small force to get in
all the money that is ready to be put
down. The telephone is in the main
building on the property of the club,
while the betting is done in the pavilion
Pikers awaiting the receipt of the in
formation watch the door of the club
house as closely as a cat watches hole
for rat to appear, and when the first
or opening prices are announced there is
mad rush made for the counter, some
awaiting the receipt of the second or
closing prices. The crowd at the pool
room yesterday was an orderly one. the
absence of rum probably accounting for
the lack Of evidences OF convivialty,
while the losing of cash also probably
had something to do with the downcast
feelings
Efforts were made by the cheap sports
to hit long shots That just suited those
who were backing the game, for it was
such money that made them sure win
ners and sent home the "pikers'' feeling
that 1t is still impossible to beat a man
at his own game. In the gathering at the
poolroom yesterday were many faces that
are to be seen at places where it is
possible to lay money on the races.
Poolroom Wide Open.
The poolroom is wide open. not the
slightest effort being made to conceal the
alleged unlawful conduct of those in front
and behind the counter. There was a
mysterious move made by several occu-
pants of a big touring car, who paid a
short visit to the outside of the place.
The party came over the road from the
direction of Bladensburg, the machine
was stopped, and one of the men ran to
the fence, looked through a crack and
remarked: They are running full blast"
Then he ran back to the automobile and
the dig venice MADE dash In the dl-
rection Of the city. Persons who witnessed
the incident thought the men composed a
raiding party. but the result of the sixth
race was announced without any raid
having been made.
John c. Nelson. who has been so promi-
nently identified with sporting circles here
and in Alexandria county, Va, for a num-
Der of years, is in charge of the betting
room. He moved about the place yester-
day welcoming some of his old friends
and seeing that there was no friction
Eyes, he told Star reporter I'VE are
doing commission business. The bust
ness is being conducted by the Maryland
Club and we think in a legitimate man
her. The club did not open until it had
good legal advice. That advice is that
the manner in which we receive money
and pay the winners is legitimate and is
not conducted in a way that renders the
club LIABLE
Manager Nelson explained that no secret
is made of the fact that bets are taken
on the races, although his language was
couched in terms to make it appear that
only a commission business was being
done. Persons who make bets are given
a card with each bet, the card containing
the number of the bet and the series. For
instance, a card given a man who made
a bet was numbered "1O7 Al No names
of horses are written upon them. 1t is
said that most Of those who paid their
cash yesterday and were given cards
failed to cash any of them so that the