The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-30
IMMENSE SUMS
IN bR|bE MONEY
New York Legislator Says He
Was Offered $4,000 for
Vote on Turf Bill.
PARI-MUTUEL SYSTEM TO
BE ADOPTED In CANADA
Advocates Say That Practically
ALI Fraud in Racing Would
Be Eliminated.
BY JAMES pocKERALL.

BY Leased Wiro to The Tribune.
NEW YORK. Oct. 29.-The legisa-
tive inquiry into the busting" of
the anti-race track betting bill shows
that high money was paid for votes
against the bill. Congressman o, G..
Foelker of Brooklyn. VINO was senator
at the time and who cast the vote
which carried the bill, testified that he
was offered $4,000 to vote the other
way, Testifying few days ago, ho
said in part:
rt'o On the Monday before the first
vote was taken telephone message
came to my Office to call upon Quaran.
went to his Office. He closed the door
and said he wanted to talk to me-
understand you are going TO vote
for the race track bill, said he. fAnd
| Will make it worth your while not
to do go. L think can give you $45,-
600 for your vote I told him that the
people of my district were in favor of
it,, and that ] could not oppose it. He
said, Well, III give you $4,000 more,
Then he got angry and I went out. No
ono else approached me during the reg
ular session.
The Schroeder he refers to is now in
state prison for. mismanagement Of the
funds of a savings bank of which he
was su officer.
1t is regarded as certain that the pari.
mntuel system of betting will be
adopted on Canadian tracks 1t pre-.
vailed years ago.. but gradually was
put out of commission as the public
was attracted to the bookmakers. The
horsemen also preferred the books, for
1t was through their medium that they
and their friends profted when they
had real good horse which was un.
known to the public. They frequently
booked winning bet at 20 to ! when
there was not as good as 3 to against
the horse at post time. The equal di-
vision in the mutuel would possibly not
have paid moro than to /; hence the
owner of a horse had no advantage by
the mutuel system.
May Eliminate Fraud
Yet it had qualities TO recommend
it. In the first place, it will eliminate
! 9S per c;nt of the alleged crookednes,
ate a class of men who have associated
themselves With bookmakers and WHIT
have been menace to the sport fol
| the last twenty years, meaning the ir
responsible clerks whose loud mouths il
the hotel corridors and bar rooms hav,
! increased the belief that there peve
was anything fair in horse racing. sim
| ply because they want their hearers t.
! believe that they are men of hors
knowle' e,
Sporting men say it will eliminate tb
plungcr to whom crooked horsemal
will go if he is inclined to do anything
| dishonorable. Pari. mutuel betting, i
is contendcd. will close the avenues fo
fr-ud, except the possibility Of layin;
a horse up for race or two to hid
his form and then, when he is fit, t
bet on him at good price, This i
fraud that will easily be detected, i
the stewards are thorough horsemer
AT the opening Of the Woodbine tracI
next year it will not be surprising t
see mutuel boxes instead of bookmake er
attending to the wants Of turf specl
lators,
The pari.mutuel system of Louisvill
has been a pronounced success, accord
ing to the statement of Matthew Lyu1
The question has been put what woul
become of the man who wishes to in
vest large amount on horse1 II
would possibly have as good and may
be better returns for his investmer