The San Francisco call., 1910-07-21
SPEARS MONEY
TALK dies OUT
Jim Neil Chased Politician
Around With S1,500, but
Couldn't Catch Up

That Curry and johnson are even
money favorites in the local public's
estimation of the republican primary
situation is evidenced by the wagers
of nonprofessional bettors made
through the betting commissioners. II
there are any San Franciscans VINO
believe that Anderson, Stanton or
Ellery has a gambling chance at the
republican nomination that behef mas
not been exhibited In association with
any real money.
The public betting through the COM
missioners was opened with Sl,oOo
offer on Johnson, made by K. T. Balnes.
The wager was offered by Johnson
supporter, which may or may not ac-
count for the fact that he did not seek
the odds offered by the book makers
Baines left his money with Tom Cor
hett with instructions to place 1T at
evens It's Immediate acceptance by a
Curry supporter opened the publics
betting bee.
UNPIN THEIR MONEY
Corbett says that the indications are
for unusually brisk public oettlng as
between the admirers of Johnson ana
Curry. The occasional Spectator, VINO
laws bets of from s5 to 800 on election
results. does not put in an appearance
the betting commissioners
about two weeks before the electlon-
That he is getting ready to remove
tha safety pin from his roll, Corbett
saws. is indicated by the inquiries for
bets and by the avidity with which the
Curry supporters seize all oners OF
Johnson money.
The betting methods of the public
are bewildering. The book makers
making round books viii give oods on
the field against any candidate. Several
private wagers have come TO light In
which the Curry enthusiasts have gwen
odds of 2 to L against Johnson, pul
these apparent advantages seem TO
have little or no appeal to the average
casional bettor. He wants to lay his
money through a commissioner. Ordin-
arilv he will not demand odds nor is he
willing to give them He wants 10
hack his choice in much the same way
that he makes political arguments.
The average citizen who contracts the
betting fever either from personal
nrefudice or from what he believes is
an accurate estimate of the political
situation, frames his betting PROPOSE
ton something like this: ''I'll bet that
my man is elected"
THREE CANDIDATES IGNORED
That is the form in which the great
bulk of the money handled by betting
commissioners is offered. The bettor
either does not realize or is not i'm
pressed with the fact that he is betting
against the field; nevertheless that is
exactly what the great majority OF the
men backing either Curry or Johnson
are doing Since there is no money
offered on Anderson, Stanton or Ell
lery the appearance of the betting Is
even money as between Curry and
Johnson. AMI as a matter of fact they
are the only candidates the bettors
have in mind
Jim Neil. the horseman, is in an un-
pleasant frame of mind over his fail
ure to force Charlie Spear of the An
derson campaign mana cement into
real money bet. According to the Neil
version of the sad story, Spear con-
cluded an argument by making noise
about an overpowering desire to bet
$500 that Anderson would beat Curry
Neil made a date with Spear and a
break for the safety deposit box or
hole under the sidewalk where he
caches his cash. He extracted there
from $500 and proceeded to the Pal
ace hotel, where Spear was to meet
him. Neil hung around for time and
then started on hunt for the Ander-
son manager who had talked money
TO him. His-search was fruitless-. and
he packed a load of disappointment
hack across the bay so heavy that his
end of the ferry boat was wholly un-
suited to the accommodation of mixed
traffic.