The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-08-18

names and phone numbers Of their best customers. Through an un- Snspecting mutual friend, the tout gains the acquaintance Of the in- tended victim. Posing as a horseman who likes to see his friends win bet. the tout primes to get the sucker out Of the red on one of his own horses. After the sucker drops a wad on the tip" which usually finishes last. the tout splits the sgag with the victims book maker.
 .Attractice women are employed in this latest brand of swindle. Last Winter during the Florida meetings. a buxom blonde. wearing a locket around her neck containing the photo of a leading jockey, posed as his sister. Whenever the boy was aboard a good horse. shed pass out th1 tip to various gentlemen friends wi.h whom she brazenly would flirt at Q cafe or track. Each one would place a wager on the horse for her. The jockey rode many winners, adn the blonde cleaned up. When the jockey learned that the imposter was touting his mounts, he put the police on her trail. It was too late. Ste skipped town loaded with kale.
 A New York stockbroker, intro cuced to a sportsman who bred his own horses. was invited for a week end of fishing on the latter's yacht. The party met at the sportsmans hotel suite. where he was oyer- heard making a sl0O00 bet with bookmakers in Chicago. Cincinnati and Los Angeles on his horse which was to run at Belmont the following day. The others in the room in- sisted upon making a wager and a pool vas formed. The stockbroker, after being told that the tyo-yeaT old maiden was the fastest in the land, begged the sportsman to wager s2000 across the board for him, with his out-ot-town commission CTS. The bet was placed. During the fishing trip, the radio revealed that the horse had lost, and an- other of his horses entered the following week. The broker paid eff in cash. Two days later he learned that the yacht was hired
 for the occasion. Those out-of- town phone calls were phony, and he Was taken over by band Of crooks.
 It is surprising how many up- right businessmen acquire taste Tor larceny when it comes to play ing the ponies For them 10 place substantial wager on a horse just because his past record points him out as a winner is almost unheard Of. However, if some greasy little guy with busted shoes and rain, soaked cap whispers in their ears that the horse was given a secret tonic for breakfast, they'll go for the nag, hook, line and sinker.
 All those fantastie stories about prevaFranged killings and crooked laees are originated by the tout, ing organizations themselves, be- cause If the gulllble public didn't be- lieye these yarns, the touts could never eYist. II is true that in mapy races certain horses are not in shape 10 do their best or are oYeFmatehed. However, in all of the seventeen years in which ] have mingled with horsemen trainers and lockers, never have heard Of a race actually being fixed,
 It might be interesting to learn that over fifty per cent of the horse trainers, some representing million aife stables, have a have a list Of client who bet for them, This is not considered unethteal in turf cirr e!es, and heavy bettOrs have been knogn to wages as much as $500 for a trainer if he likes his horses chances real well, This does not mean that trainers solicit bets, but We seldom have heard of one re- fusipg a financial gift,
 To show the extent of the tip- ping racket, g humorous situation presented itself recently during the Jamaica meeting, ! used to stop at the entrance Of the track to watch 2 bedraggled old organ grinder put his pet monkey through a series of stunts while begging for coins, Horse players have no tim etc lgiteT while entering the track, except to purchase q tip sheet which half g dozen guys are peddling, TbeTeS fore business was pretty bad f0T the organ grinder and his money, Plnr ally, through desperation, the old felloW got an idea, DlseaFdiRg his monkey, ne wrote Q few horses 0emes on pieces Of cardboard, sealed nlem D an envelope, and put RI Ngn on his hat which Fead' sEtable- poys Selections, 2s cents" Ills quests now net him over e20 daily,
 Most Of the petty touts have dis, appeared sinee their Taekels have eeen exposed iD newspaper col. eFnns and magazines, The raw. st Of them all vas the throwing Of