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GRAVESEND POLICE HAVE NOTHING TO DO No New Developments in the Betting Situation Other Than Preparing to Test the New Law New York June 15 The police patrolled Graves end in reduced numbers today They had abso ¬ lutely nothing to do and if there was any betting going on they were seemingly unable to detect It Not a single arrest was made The youthful and in ¬ experienced acting district attorney Elder of Kings County admitted that It was practically im possible to suppress speculation on racing as it was conducted on the race course today todayHe He has also receded from his radical stand of last week that there was a possibility of his being able to close up the track as a disorderly place It was patent to him as to everybody else that it was just the reverse of this Therefore he confessed himself helpless to cope with the situation Almost every ¬ one had entertained that idea regarding Mr Elder from the first firstLatest Latest advices are to the effect that his chief District Attorney Clark is journeying here post haste from Italy It was impossible to extract any ¬ thing definite as to the line of policy he intends to pursue from Mr Khlrr KhlrrThe The latter refuses to meet the Jockey Clubs offer of having the law properly construed by the courts bv means of the trio of test cases It is said that Slil Lichtenstein W Diibois and John Walters were the prominent layers who had offered themselves up for sacrifice These individuals only under sanc ¬ tion of the Jockey Club were to have offered ver ¬ bal bets openly at Gravescnd today The plan fell through because Mr Elder believing that he was being led into a trap refused to allow their cases to come to an issue on a point of law accepting in ¬ stead tlie alternative of letting them go The Jock ¬ ey Club will resort to drastic measures to prevent a violation of the AgnewIIart antibetting law The hitherto passive Plnkerton squad in its employ has been ordered to cooperate with the police and county sheriffs to suppress betting bettingWe We will obey the law and will employ all the resources at our command to enforce it snid Phil ¬ lip J Ihvyer today It is already on record that tlie magistrate at Coney Island for lack of evidence dismissed seven of the ten cases of alleged violation of the betting law that came before him last Sat ¬ urday The remaining three were held over for examination imtil June 22 The judge Ield that oral betting between individuals was no crime crimeThe The stewards of the Jockey Club will hold a meet ¬ ing tonight It is confidently expected that a way out of the present position of difficulty and em ¬ barrassment will be found It is thought that the district attorney will be forced to meet the Issue in the test cases proposed wliicli provide for the immediate application for writs of habeas corpus which may permit of racing throughout the present season A general opinion prevails that the courts will construe letting between individuals can be carried on provided no record is made of the wagers without violating the new law lawNo No change will be made in the program as to tlie stakes and purses during the remaining three days of the Gravesend meeting Schuyler Parsons the lead ¬ ing spirit of the Coney Island Jockey Club states that all of the stakes will be run off as scheduled at Sheepshead Bay There is a possibility however of a reduction In the value of the overnight purses Mr Parsons said From every standpoint racing has received a severe blow but that it will survive there is no doubt doubtAt At the present Mr Elders attitude in refusing to contest any case in which questions of the Interpre ¬ tation or constitutionality of the new law are in ¬ volved until next fall when the Appellate Court will be in session is the stumbling block in the way of extricating the racing situation from its present chaotic condition No one knows just what will be done or what can be done It all resolves itself to a question of law as to whether it is a crime to make an oral wager one person with another or not notTlie Tlie law is explicit and distinct on the question of recording a bet The issue can only be settled in court and to that end those interested arc working
