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DECISION IS COMING SOON NEW YORK APPORTIONMENT CASE TO BE ARGUED AT ALBANY APRIL 20. Findings Expected to Follow Swiftly, Matter Having Precedence Over Others Reformers to Oppose Repeal of Directors Liability Law. Albany, N. Y., April 10. Chief Justice Jugraham of tho Appellate Division of tlie First Department, Supreme Court, has set Thursday, April 20, as the date to hear tho arguments in tho case of William S. Reynolds and others, to set aside the present :ippovtioument of the state into seuate and assembly districts. As the constitution gives this case precedence over, all other cases on the calendar, owing to its importance, the Chief Justice granted any date suitable to the counsel in the case, and the .earliest date that the papers could be prepared by both sides was April 20. Accordingly, that date was set, and it was auuounced. at the Appellate Division that after hearing the arguments the court would adjourn for ten days. A speedy decision is therefore expected. The ease is of great importance to the racing interests throughout the state on account of its bearing on one of the hills that was passed only through the election of a representative from Niagara County, the illegality of which it is sought to establish. A decision for the plaintiff in the suit would of necessity nullify the Ilart-Agncw law. The hill introduced by Assemblyman William M. Martin of Saratoga repealing the so-called directors liability law. which has forced the big race tracks to close their gates, and which may kill racing at the state anil county fairs this season, will be vigorously opposed by tho New York Civic League, of which Canon Chase of Brooklyn is the president and tho Iter. O. R. Miller is the superintendent. Assemblyman Martin said last week that he had introduced his measure more in the interest of the fair associations than of the race tracks, and that he had the support of the State Grange, in which more than 100,000 fanners are enrolled. When Dr. Miller was asked today what would be the attitude of the Civic League toward the measure ho said: "We will opiwsc the repeal of the liability law and we will probably defeat Assemblyman Martins measure. If, however, tlie Martin hill becomes a law, we will see to it that more titan half the members of the Legislature who vote for it will be repealed by their constituents. We do not believe that -Mi. Martin has the Slate Grange or the fair assoeiufh.ujS; behind him: in fact, we do not believe he has. any" offlQial backing." "Are you opjwsed to horse racing as a sport?" Dr. Miller was asked. "Not a bit." was the reply. "I personally love to see a good horse race. There is no harm in it." "But horse racing with the directors liability law on the statute books is impossible," the reporter remarked. "I cant see it that way," said Dr. Miller. "The reason the race track men are anxious to have the liability law repealed is because they want to reestablish hookmaking and to collect a revenue from it. Even last year they collected money from .the gamblers. I am informed. At least we feel confident that we can prove this assertion to the satis-1 action of any court." "The track owners severed all financial relations with the bookmakers nearly live years ago," said the interviewer, "and they have proof of it." "That is what they say," continued the Civic Leagues superintendent, "but we do not believe it. It was all right so long as the oor book,maker stood, a chance of going to jail for violating the law, but when some of the gentlemen of the Jockey Club found that they were liable to arrest and prosecution they refused to run the risk. I maintain that racing could go on without any form of gambling if tho Jockey Clnh would bar professional bookmakers from the tracks. 1 am sure that Assistant District Attorney- Elder in Kings County, for in-tance. would not try to indict 1. J. Dwycr or Schuyler I. Parsons under those circumstances, even if there happened to he some private betting among individuals." "l!ut Messrs. Dwycr and Iarsons, together with the other track owners, will not run the risk of having even private wagers made on their premises," it was suggested. "Then that is their own affair. We will not stand for anything that will permit them to return to former conditions." , "What about the state and county fairs? Will .vim sec that the law against pwlselling, betting and gambling is enforced V" Dr. Miller was asked. "We expect that the laws against gambling will be enforced iuqmrtially all over the state.", he replied. "We have confidence in the district attorneys and the sheriffs, and as a rule wo do not try to coerce them. But if there is auy laxity on their part we shall call tho attention of Governor Di;c to it. We need money to make an effective crusade against gambling at the fairs, and if we get enough of it we will make tilings interesting for violators of live law, whether they aro directors of the fairs or gamblers." Dr. Miller seemed surprised to learn that the races at the fairs usually prompt poolselling and bcttiug. He asked to be enlightened as to the method of selling pools on the trotting and pacing events at the fairs, and when informed as to the details he declared that his organization would look into the matter. He frankly admitted that he had not considered the fair associations in conducting the crusade against race track betting, and said that he had never seen any gambling at a fair he once visited. He rejoiced in the fact that in advocating Hie passage of the Agnew-Perkins hills last year he hud made such a hard light that the legislators among whose constituents the fairs were held had reluctantly fallen into line in the interests of reform. Dr. Miller, by the way, declared that he alone was responsible for the measures that passed the Legislature last spring. He said that he suggested them to Assistant District Attorney Elder, who furnished hiiVi with the groundwork for the bills. He then sent the bills to Canon Chase for approval, and later thev were passed on to Frank Moss before being introduced by Senator Agnew and Assemhlyman Perkins. "The Civic League lias supplanted the International Reform Bureau lit this state." continued Dr. .Miller. "We have swallowed up Dr. Crafts and Dr. Gregg of the Reform Bureau. They have headquarters in Washington and are busy with national reforms now, while our league is attending exclusively to matters Involving morality in this state. Our only handicap is a lack of money, but we have been aided siiflieiently to defeat the McGrath Sunday baseball bill, which cost us ?1,000 in postage and i publicity. i "We are going to make another fight against Tim Sullivans bill legalizing all kinds of sport on the Sabbath, as it is a vicious measure which will permit Sunday baseball games by the big professional clubs to which the public may nay admission fees. We have introduced a bill prohibiting the publication of nice track odds and tips in newspapers and we are going to do our lest to push it through. In time we hope that Congress will pass a law against the transmission of race track information over the telegraph and telephone wires." "How about cipher messages?" asked the reporter. "Oh we will liud a way to stop thein, too." "Can you prevent poolrooms-from making their own odds?" "I havent looked into that yet." "Do you think there is more betting in poolrooms since the closing of the tracks? "That is a matter of opinion," replied Dr. Miller, and he then concluded: "I am he greatest campaigner in the state, and If it hadnt been for my efforts Senator Agnew never would have succeeded in passing his.bills."
