view raw text
, i i i i i ; , , | 1 f ; : ! [ • ■ 1 • J 1 1 • • KENTUCKY BETTING BILL BECOMES LAW. Permits Wagering on Race Tracks and Prohibits It Elsewhere — Its Text. Lexington. Ky.. March 18. — The bill prohibiting the operation of poolrooms in Kentucky and permitting lotting on race tracks Beeased by the state fining commission, was passed in the closing hours of the session of the 1 •gislature last night. ,or rather this morning, and was signed by the governor, Augustus E. Willson, this afternoon. It carried no emergency clause and will be effective from and after June 12, next. This hill was drawn by Senator R. A. Burnatn, for many years chief justice of the Kentucky Court of Appeals. It passed the senate March 4, by a vote of 33 to 4 and from that time until last night the BOSl Interests made every BOSBtble effort to kill it in the house. That they were nearly successful is shown by tlie fact that to bring it to a vote, it was necessary to suspend the rules by a two-thirds vote. When the bill was finally put on its passag • in the house, it was adopted by a vote of 58 to 4. An effort of Representative Simmons to insert a clause prohibiting betting on the race tracks, as well as jioolrooms, was defeated by a similar vote. In this action is a true exemplification of the feeling of tlie people of Kentucky with reference to the sport of racing. The fact that Oovernor Willson gave the bill his approval so soon after its passage, speaks volumes for the consideration that the conditions in this state have had. Everyone knows that the republican convention which nominated Mr. Willson for governor, adopted a plank demanding the repeal of the law creating the State Racing Commission and de-i claration against racing was inserted in the platform, The last campaign demonstrated that the i eople of the state, irrespective of party tiffilliations. are for racing and the stump speakers for the republican party soon ignored the presence of the anti-racing plank in the platform. It is to be expected that there will be from Louis-; ville. Covington and Newport, the poolroom centers of the state, much talk of what the owners and operators of the betting places will do in retaiia-i tion for the passage of the measure, but it shouid not be taken seriously. One already hears that B 1 Alvey of Louisville will follow the tactics of Peter Ielacey in New York, but the probabilities are that when Mr. Alvey. who is a sensible man. sits down to give tlie conditions mature and earnest consideration, he will accept the verdict of the people anil save his money for other purposes than spending it in a fight on race tracks aud racing through which he has been enabled to make his fortune. Tlie breeders and horsemen see in this law a model for other states in the union, and they are of the opinion that after the first year of its operation other legislatures may be willing to pass similar measures. The complete text of the measure which has become law in Kentucky Is as follows: An Act declaring it unlawful and providing penalties for any person to provide, open, control, manage or keep any room, building, float, vessel or premises in this commonwealth wherein any persons may assemble and congregate to bet and wager money upon horse races and other contests run and decided in this state, or any other state or country. or to aid or abet another in so doing; or to assemble or bet or wager therein. Be It Enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Section 1. It shall be unlawful for any person to provide, manage, maintain or keep any room, build-ing, float, vessel -or premises in this state, or to aid and abet others In so doing wherein persons assem- ble and congregate to bet and wager money or other things of value on the result of any horse race, or any other contest between man or beast run or to tie decided in this state, or any other state or country, or advertised, posted or reported as having been run or to lie run; or wherein any such money is l»et or wagered or resetted and deposited to be transmitted elsewhere to another to so bet or wager, or wherein or whereat any money or other things of value shall be received or paid for any ticket, lot, pool or chance on the result of any such horse race or races run or to be run in or out of the commonwealth of Kentucky, or advertised, posted or re ported as having been so run or to be run, and any person or persons who shall violate any provisions of this section shall, on conviction, be fined not less than one thousand ,000i dollars nor more than five thousand ,000 dollars and confined in the county jail not less than six 6 nor more than twelve 12 months for each offense; and each day .such poolroom, building, float, vessel or premises is thus maintained, kept, operated or conducted shall constitute a separate offense. Section 2. It shall be unlawful for any person to act as the agent or employe of any other person or corporation in establishing, setting up, maintaining. keeping, operating or conducting any such room, Continued on second page. 1 f I I 1 l t 1 i I I ! I I i 1 KENTUCKY BETTING BILL BECOMES LAW. Continued from first page. . — _ — building, float, vessel or promises as is defined in Section 1 of this Act: and any person who shall violate anv provision of this section shall, on conviction, be confined in the county jail not less than six 0 months nor more than one 1 year for each offense; and each day any person shall thus aid. abet or assist in maintaining, keeping, operating or conducting such a room, building, float, vessel or premises, or shall act as agent or employe of any person or corporation, firm or association in maintaining, keeping, operating or conducting same, shall constitute a separate offense. Section 3. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, association or corporation, either as owner or agent to let, lease or rent to any other person, linn, association or corporation, any such room, building, float, vessel or premises to be used or occupied for any of the purposes defined in Section 1 of this Act. or as owner or agent to permit to be so used or occupied after receiving notice thereof: and any person, firm, association or corporation that shall violate any of the provisions of this section shall. upon conviction, be fined in any sum not less than one thousand ,000 dollars nor more than five thousand ,000 dollars for each offense, and each day such room, building, float, vessel or premises shall be so used or occupied shall constitute a separate offense. Section 4. It shall be unlawful for any persons to assemble, congregate or meet for any purpose as set out in Section 1 of this Act in any such room, building, float, vessel or premises, and the persons so assembled, congregating or meeting shall be gulltv of an unlawful assembly and, upon conviction." shall be confined in the county jail not less than ten 10 nor more than thirty 30 days. Section 5. It shall be the duty of the sheriff and all other officers vested with police power to suppress all such rooms, buildings, floats, vessels or premises as are defined in Section 1 of this Act. and any sheriff or other officer vested with police powers who shall wilfully fail or refuse to enforce this Act by arresting violators thereof shall, upon conviction, be imprisoned in the county jail not less than six 6 months nor more than one 1 year, and a conviction of any such officer shall forfeit his office and render him ineligible to hold any other office in the gift of the commonwealth. Section 6. The provisions of this Act shall not applv to enclosures wherein horse racing is conducted under license from the State Racing Commission, and it shall not apply to enclosures wherein trotting or pacing races -are being conducted by reg-. ularly organized associations for that purpose.
