The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-08-27
RACE BETTING
IS WIDE OPEN
AT FRANKLIN
Legion Runs Contributions
System at Track in
Nearby City.
GAMING is UNMOLESTED
WagerS May Be Made Each
Night as ThudS of Horses
HoofS Are Heard.
BY JAMES DOSS
Times STAFF Writer

FRANKLIN, Ind, Aug. 27.-"You
pays your money and you takes your
choice!"
This staid and placid little Indi-
ana college city nightly is the scene
OF wide open horse betting conducted
by the Franklin post of the Amer
lean legion, and thlnly disguised I'M
der the miSnomer, contributions to
the Hoosier Jockey Club program"
Nightly. the johnson county fair
ground echoes to the thudding hoofs
OF the "bangtails, and the raucous
admonitions of the legionnaire bet
ting cashiers.
And all within twenty miles of the
capital of Indiana, the Governor of
which only recently pocket vetoed a
pari-mutuel bill.
The betting is unmolested, and is
open and above board, on a mutuel
plan which dispenses with machine
calculators, and returns to the bet
er his wager, and the amount of his
winning on each race, less a 10 per
cent take" for the Legion.
Betting Shed Provided
One-half of the grandstand, un-
derneath, has been made into a long
betting shed with seven wicketS.
At the first, programs and in
formation are dispensed. The sec
ond bears card, donations, first
horse"
There are two other wickets for
The place and show horses. Three
other wickets are lab, led refunds,
first, second and tilird horses"
The shed faces the paddock. At
one SIDE is huge blackboard with
names of the entries. A clerk
posts the ODDS under the title of
approximate refunds" There's a
rundown on the betting called
first, second and third readings"
There's no mention Of betting by
the betting cashiers. They con-
tent themselves with cryptic cries
of, its your last chance, folks!
They're going to the post Only
two minutes left and only two more
races tonight
You pick your horse and hand
your money IN at the proper win
dow. You receive back a ticket
that is facsimile of mutuel tickets
issued at any track on the Ken
lucky Jockey Club circuit.
Typical Crowd of Turf
Then, If you win, you turn back
your ticket after the race and get
back 1920 or $40 or, if you're I'M
usually lucky, the $1720, which was
the longest shot price Friday night.
There's typical turf crowd there.
Well dressed women rub elbows
with Negro swipes and stable boys.
One elderly matron who looked as
if she would have been more at
home pouring tea at the Wednesday
afternoon meeting of the Friday
Afternoon Club, was deIiciously
aghsSt at her temerity in visiting
such bold, wicked place.
Il think I'll bet on that one, she
mumured to her companion. II
like the way he sticks up his ears"
One Indianapolis girl bemoaned
the fact that she couldn't find that
state policeman who was here last
night. He gave me hot tip on
every race"
City Gamblers Are There
The Indianapolis gambling fra
ternity was there in force. Faces
always seen at every sporting event
Of consequence were conspicuous.
Also there was that immaculate
and now grazing gambler, whose
activities at one time engaged the
attention of austere board of con-
rol which supervises the conduction
of the annual Indiana high school
basketball tournaments.
He was one of those who didn't
like the odds fluctuation on the
first race when Noirette, opening
at to l, was backed down to 3
to at the close and returned only
s240 for 81 win ticket and 1920
for a place bet He had bet $40
to place, and won only So.
The wise ones said it was the
proverbial boat race one run for
the benefit of owners, trainers and
jockeys
The Legion. however, obviously is
making an effort to supervise the
track. Two jockeys we're ruled off
Thursday night and one Friday
night
Big Crowd Seen Tonight
A feature in the betting attract
ing a lot of play is the daily
double" and shouts of glee went up
Friday night from the lucky ones
wnen Marquisetto and Medium,
winners in the third and fourth
races, paid S4720 for coupled bet.
Hint of impending rain kept
many away from the track Friday
night, but about $50 Of the faith
full turned out. A larger crowd is
anticipated tonight with the run
ming of the American Legion Derby
and the American Legion Speed
Handicap scheduled. The latter
event was postponed Friday night.