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BELMONT DEFINES BETTING SAYS NO SECRECY IS NECESSARY IN ORAL WAGERING. OR MARKING ODDS. Frte Field to Be Re-Opened at Belmont Park — Sheepshead Bay Stakes Receiving Liberal Lists of Entries. Htm York. Miiv 21. — "I have been impressed since tin meeting lit Belmont began bjr the tinnditv shown In the patrons in Hie inaiter of making mi anoran.la of the market limitations or betting o.hls on their programs opposite the names of the MMM starting in the different races as a matter of fad nayone who goes to the race track! lias a legal light to write the |.riees or .shls offered or iliat he is willing to lav against any particular starter in anv race run on his or her program. There is until-inu in the Hart Agu.-w ant i hotting law that prohibits a man tram writing the market prices quoted .ihoiit i liorse on liis program or any other iiiece of paper available." . . Mr. Helm. .lit said this with positiveness an. I em paanlii to a number of newspaper m.jn assembled at his office t.,.lav. •The hill originally ai ling siction 17 of 11-•■ Percy Jiav law read: "Anv person who. mioii an. race coarse autboriaed by or entitleil to the beaeflt* ot tills ail. shall make er record anv Pet or wager upon anv cutest of skill, speed, etc.- Alter the hearing, during which former anstraar W. 1. Black. made his memorable apt era exposing the unusual prohihiti.il against tl aking of a bet. the hill was amende. I an.l. ns it passed, it read: Am per simi who. upon anv race course authorized bv .i entitled to the bem-tits of tl is act. shaii record aai t.et or wager, etc." The warfla make ami "or wv.-c eliminated Therefore, it is only Illegal lo record or make a memorandum of a liet The actual con summation of a wa«er or betting Itself is not a crime under the law. "I was also surprised to see that patrons we- afraid to conduct their belting operations except in whispers and with secrecy. There is now no need i such iireeautions. The courts have decided that liersoiis may make oral wafers to any extent the. please and compare odds exhibited on their respe. I-ive programs with one another with iinpiinitv. I iiave troipienth marked tnv program, and have daw so lieeanse the courts have decided that it is in. violation of the betting laws. I recorded these •imitations simply as a part of the necessary ted tnrra of racing. They are ituxiliarv to the spoil. While .ii:i.:n mav niter his wusris orally in BUT ton.- of voice he elects ti use. after perusing the quotations on his or any other mans progr.ni. h. musr not hold it forth, or ostentatiously display it as if inviting wafers from others, as that action would constitute bookmaking and he would he guilty of violating the law as construed by the courts. Hy this 1 mean that the old order of displaying • aids on small slates would probably be considered as coming under the head of using paraphernalia Im liookmaking purposes and therefore a violation of the law. "But a man has a perfect right to mark his pro gram and to hold it in his hand or display it with out ostentation. ••The racing associations have no intention ot violating the anti betting laws, nor will they tolerate any such actions on the pari of their patrons. But they intend to absolutely live up to the interprcta tioti of said law as contained in the decisions handed down by the various courts of the state." Now that this aotat is settled rnce-gaara may feci certain that they will have the protection of tin* Jockey Club should the police authorities hanip. r them while in the enjoyment of their rights and privileges. It has practically been decided to open the field stand to the public an Decoration Day. Mr. lie! moil! is in favor of doing so to those who are will lag to pay a dollar admission and will live tip to the reipiircmeiits of the betting laws .luring their presence in the enclosure. Horsemen have entered liberally in the Sheepshead Bay stakes. The Commonwealth Handicap has than far received 24 entries. Long Island. 35, Sheepshi a I Bay. i:.. Suburban. 20, Double F.vent. 40. and the two sreeplecl use stakes IS each. The Brooklyn Handicap lias received four addi tional entries this week.
