Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-16

Pauline Pry,, writing in The Star of
April Is, 1895, had this to say:
THE reorganization Of the Wash
;ngton Jockey Club and the revival OF
racing at Benning. so far from being a
detriment to the moral well-being of the
District, is, in truth, reform move
ment. The Washington Jockey Club
proposes to elevate racing. AS matters
now stand at tracks across the river
and in the District generally, racing
has become vulgar device of gamblers,
and the horse, poor thing, in addition
| to the sorrows he must know in conse-
quence of being left behind in this age
of bicycles and electrical contrivances,
has suffered the indignity OF being re-
duced to q mere wheel in the unlaw-
fully manipulated machine OF poolsell-
ing. The Washington Jockey Club has
therefore been incorporated to rescue
the horse from its wretched fate and
restore the declining days of the equine
species to an honorable connection with
| civilization in general and with the
Four Hundred of civilization in par
| ticular."
Indeed. It is recalled by Washing
! tonians who we're actively interested In
the Benning track in its early days Of
popularity in the nineties that profess
sional boosmakers were not permitted
to practice openly" at the track.
There was betting, of course. for, as
later events proved, horse racing was
not successful without betting of some
proportions. But the "bookies" didn't
compile their books openly and with
gusto. They resorted to what now
might be called "bootlegging" of bets.
Pauline Pry herself records the methods
| followed A "bookie" would mingie
with the lowly and elite in the stands
and in the field and while apparently
not addressing his quiet remarks to
any one would say in the ear of a
prospect. Would you like to be on So
and So?" And if the prospect was in
the betting frame of mind. would make
notation of the bet and depart in
search of another wager.
This system was in sharp contrast 10
other courses in or near the District IN
former and freer days when one of
the professional "bookies" deposited,
say, Sl00 worth of admission tickets IN
the box office as his fee to the pro-
motors, and then openly solicited bets.
This "bootlegging' method, how
ever, grew apace, and in years follow
| ing Benning was reeking with bets.
Famous plungers were attracted there.
and some won huge stakes. The story
is told of one who garnered 100000
on one race "Perambulating" book
makers infested the stands, and other
peripatetlc souls, bent on business
errands. sought out racing fans
throughout the CITY, collecting bets at
poolroons, old-time saloons, drug storei
and hotels.
The practice became so open, in fact
in the absence Of any anti-gambline
1 -. rA,.,z Aws, &lA 4nw
tory outside of the mile limit, beyond
the cities OF Washington and George
town, that crusades later were con-
Quoted by the local district attorney
and eventually even by the District
Commissioners
In later years of the history of tn:
track Ralph Given. at Police Court
won publicity in the columns OF The
Star with prosecution of those rounded
I'D in the campaigns and charged witt
setting up gaming tables.
A famous case in point which wa!
decided by Judge Stafford. checred thu
hearts OF those intent on gambling. II
ruling in the case Of one John Walters
who was indicted for setting up gam
ing table, Judge Stafford decided tina
) the "perambulating" form of gamblinl
in vogue at the Benning race track dit
|
; ing table. which then was under tn
!, ban of law.
Thus. so long as the vendors of mo
!. tips" whether or not they wer
) straight from the stable" did not per
form any act that could be construct
as setting up gaming table," an
did not openly keep books on his bets
: he could freely ply his trade of accept
: ing bets verbally. according to the thel
popular Interpretation of the decision
However, 1t was announced that tn
Commissioners would urge upon Con
l gress passage of a drastic anti-gamblln
: law, and in due course of events TIL
: was done.
5 X X
Al ardent advocate of drastic reforr
e "a appeared in Congress in the forr
e Of Representative Sims of Tennessee
= and numerous bills soon were on tn
t calendar for consideration. Clergyme
. denounced gambling and editorials ap
: peared in public print describing ho'
:. the working folk about town Wer
. spending their limited salaries at TN
# track in hopes of making fortunes
= picking the good thing" at the races.
Y Though more and more members
e Congress swung into line in supportln
the anti-gamblinE measures. there Wet