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ODD FEATUBE OF FBENCH LAW When the parimutuels were first introduced in France in 1891 owners were allowed to bet with one another but no one was allowed to make a book One consequence was that several big bookmakers immediately qualified as owners by buying a race horse or two and running them But the state soon recognized that it was losing the eight per cent it takes from all Iiets made through the parimutucl on bets thus made and that these bets were always in large sums The period of toleration was there ¬ fore ended in 1900 after several owners had l een summoned for bookmaking and acquitted as owners Then came a new law forbidding any habitual betting except through the parimutuel More sum ¬ monses followed resulting generally in acquittals on the ground that the bettors were not habitual bettors bettorsM M Thiebaux watching the Prix Iaiizim at Au teuil recently turned to another owner by his side a M Bally and said I think my horse will win M Bally said I dont believe It will willIll Ill lay you 2 to 1 it does doesDone Done Forty to twenty twentyAt At this moment a man behind the two tapped them on the shoulders informed them that lie was a de ¬ tective and that they had broken the betting law They were taken to the police station and told they would be summoned This incident created the more Indignation among the owners because the bet was made as the race was being run and after the pari mntuel lxxths were closed for that race raceThe The first Intention of tup owners was to take a drastic revenge An article of the betting law says that the money laid at the parimutuel booths will be repaid without deduction when all the horses in a race belong to the tame owner It was decided therefore that one owner should lease all the horses at a meeting for a nominal price and so as nil the horses would be running in his name there could be no public hotting The owners afterward could share the prizes prizesHowever However different counsels prevailed and the owners contented themselves with rending a depu ¬ tation of some of their leading nioiulxrs comprising James Hennessey CunIIIe Blnne Jacipies Stern and others to the premier B Brialid and to the minis ¬ ter of agriculture whose department governs horse races to ask what exactly are owners rights under the betting laws and that a little more tact anil moderation be exercised in carrying out the law The result is likely to be the adoption of a bill proposed by M Triarieux by which Utna tide owners will be allowed to bet witli one another A special enclosure will be reserved for them on each ract course A treasury agent will keep an account of all bets and four per cent will be collected from each layer three per cent for the state and one per cent for expenses A
