view raw text
TEST CASE IN NEW YORK LAYER OF ODDS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AT HUNT CLUB MEETING Prosecution of Case Probably Will Lead to Interpre ¬ tation of AntiBetting Laws by Highest Court of the Empire State Particulars of Hatter i Xew York June 8 A test of the law prohibiting bookuiaking without writing probably will result from the arrest of a man named Paul Shane at Bel mont Park Terminal Thursday after the fifth race run under the auspices of the United Hunts Racing Association Shane was taken into custody by Deputy Sheriff Michael Williams of Nassau county charged with violating the antibookmakiug law and was taken to Hempstead L I where he was ar raigned before Justice of the Peace Charles F Gittens Shane engaged Surrogate John J Grahnm as counsel and entered a plea of not guilty The prisoner was paroled in Mr Grahams custody with ¬ out bail until next Tuesday when a hearing will be held heldIt It was said that Shanes counsel would apply for a writ of habeas corpus in order to carry the mat ¬ er to the Court of Appeals as soon as possible he arrest was the lirst made at a race track in this state since the Jockey Club closed the gates of its tracks in September 110 It was effected so Uiietly that few of those present knew anything aliout it Shane is well known on the local race ¬ courses He went to the course early prepared to wager privately with his friends believing that la would not be accused of violating the law In the face of a Court of Appeals decision last year to the effect that betting was not illegal except wbeu lay ¬ ers of odds accepted and recorded wagers Shane wagersShane accepted some bets on the first race with out making a memorandum Among those wlu wagered with him was Matt Corbett it was report ed Corbett it was said backed Rock Abbey a 10 0 1 shot that was disqualified after finishing iu front but he collected his winnings so the gossips asserted before the change iu the placing was mad by the stewards Deputy Sheriff Williams did not arrest Shane until after the fifth race had been run ecause as he explained he wanted to secure con ¬ clusive evidence Williams declared that he sav 1 Shane post odds on his program accept and pay out wagers in cash and in other ways violate the law But said Williams he did not see the prisoner re ¬ cord the various transactions transactionsSheriff Sheriff Charles De Mott of Nassau county did not earn of Shanes arrest until he arrived at his houiu n Garden City De Mott attended the races with numerous deputies who he declared were ordered to enforce letterI the law to the letter I made a personal inspection of the conditions said Sheriff De Mott and I did not see any open bookuiaking It is true that some persons made wagers privately but there was no evidence upon which arrests could be made I left tlKf track right after the fifth race and a few minutes later Wil ¬ liams caught Shane with the goods I have no idea just what kind of evidence Williams secured It securedIt was rumored long before the first race that trouble was brewing Sheriff De Motts deputies many of them in uniform policed the track They had charge of the gates and swarmed under the grandstand where oral bettors usually congregate Allan Pinkerton with Capt Thornhill and several plain clothes men was there too The Pinkerton men did not appear at the recent oneday meeting of the Meadow Brook Steeplechase Association and it was said that they had not been engaged because the sheriffs men declared they did not require thelc assistance Mr Pinkerton said Thursday that he was there at the request of Sheriff De Mott to help enforce the law lawAl Al Ben tier representing another detective agency was on the ground acting independently of the sheriff and the Pinkertons while four unknown sleuths said to have been hired by the New York State Civic League were extremely busy in seach of law breaking With this array of talent ready to make arrests it wasnt a bit strange that professional betting men were afraid to back their opinions William opinionsWilliam J Connor a veteran pricelaye wns amoug the first to be warned by the Pinkertons He was supposed to have taken a few oral wagers when Thornhill told him to quit or get out of the en ¬ closure Thornhill called attention to signs posted in conspicuous places stating that each purchaser of n badge had agreed to live up to the printed condi ¬ tions thereon which read as follows The followsThe holder of this ticket agrees not to violate any provision of any statute prohibitiug poolselling hookmaking or gambling and also agrees to be ex ¬ pelled from the grounds without the return of his money guiltyHalf if found guilty Half u dozen men who declined to heed similar Warnings were led to the gates and practically ejected As a result of this vigilance there was little or no betting although haudicappers furnished the newspapers with a set of prices before the run ¬ ning of each race raceAugust August Belmout chairman of the Jockey Club was present but lie said that he knew nothing about the existing conditions except that the directors of the association had issued orders to suppress specula ¬ tion possibleSeveral as far as possible Several individuals who at former amateur raeo meetings on Long Island were accused of shaking down alleged professional bettors were not at the track and it was reported that the sheriffs men had been instructed to arrest anybody that might be charged with attempted blackmail The presence of the Pinkertons was taken as proof that the asso ¬ ciation was determined to obey the directors lia ¬ bility law and when the races were over the official of the track said they were well satisfied with the wav things had been handled
