The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-04-07
D. E. 'B00K|ES'
DOOMED BY
MD. LAW
Allen Sees Illegal
Race Bets Wiped Out
By State Setup

Maryland virtually will wipe out
the "bookies" now operating in
the Nations Capital.
This opinion was expressed to-
day by District Commissioner
George e. Allen, an ardent turf
fan, who is well informed on the
bookmaking situation both in
Washington and other sections Of
the country. Allen said:
"Here is one thing we seem to
have lost sight Of regarding the
IegalixatiOn of making books in
Maryland. Fully 80 per cent of
the business carried on by book
makers Is done over the tele-
phone.
cit. will be only natural for a
man to place his bets with a
Iegalized bOOkmaker rather than
with one who is operating in
violation Of the law. This is
more certain when you consider
that il will cost no more to bet
with q legalized 'bOOkie' in neigh
boring Prince Georges county
than it will to place q bet in an
Illicit book in Washington. The
telephone rate is the same"
USUALLY COLLECTS
Allen said he was informed that
the bookies operate mainly via
telephone and an agent Of the
bookmaker calls the following day,
either to collect for the lost wager
laid with the book or to pay off
the winnings. He added:
'T am most reliably informed
the agent usually comes to col
lect, not to pay off,"
Allen, who is also a lawyer, ex-
pressed the "curbStone" opinion
that it will be perfectly legal for
a bookmaker operating in Prince
Georges county to receive bets by
telephone and to send an agent
into the District to collector pay
off-the following day.
His opinion was backed up by
Assistant Corporation Counsel Ed
ward w. Thomas, ace of the city's
legal department on police prob.
lens. Thomas pointed out that
in such a transaction as outlined
by Allen, the deal is consumated
in Maryland, where it is perfectly
legal, and nothing could be done
to agents of bookmakers while
making collections or payments
in the District.
Legal Transaction
He said the situation was com
parable to the small loan estab
liShmentS, which do a land office
business with residents of the
District, but which are in Mary
land. Thomas said certain re
strictions prohibit small loan eStab'
lishments from operating in the
District in the same manner as
they do in Maryland. He con
cluded:
81 think it is a shame to legal
ize bOOkmaking in Maryland
and not to do SO in the Dis
trict."
Both Allen and Thomas agreed
Prince Georges County will rear
the benefit in revenue from legal
lied bookmaking mainly through
residents of the District.
The law, adopted by the Mary
land legislature in it's closing
hours, authorizes legalized book
making IN certain counties to raise
funds for relief purposes.
In Prince Georges county, the
nearest to Washington where legal
lied books may be made, the
license fee is set at $4,000 a year
in addition to l per cent Of the
amount of bets taken. In other
counties and in Baltimore City the
license will be $4,000 a year and
per cent Of the bets.
Higher Fee Set Up
The higher fee in Prince
Georges, it was explained, was set
to protect the pari-mutuel betting
at Bowie and Upper Marlboro
race tracks.
The Washington gambling fra
ternity, which has been hard hit
by scores of raids in recent weeks,
was of the opinion that the high
fee would give a virtual monopoly
to Jimmy LaFontaine, whose eS'
tablishment is Just over the Dis
trict line.
An opinion was expressed that
there is nothing in the law to
prevent those wishing to make a
bet to telephone it toNa legalized
bookmaker.