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AWAITING SHANE DECISION JOCKEY CLUB HAS NO FIXED PLAN FOR LEGISLATION AT ALBANY. Report in Circulation That Governor Sulzer Is Opposed to Any Kind of Race Track Legislation — No Move Until Court Decision Comes. New York, January 20. — Turfmen have become I roused by the annual report of the New York State Racing Commission, .just tiled with the legislature at Albany, in which there is a strong plea for the eii al of the so called director-- liability law. In political circles it, is intimated that Go*. Sulzer in opposed to any kind of race track legislation. Inquiry fails p. develop any tixed plan bv the racing interests to introduce a repeal bill at Albany. It is said thai the Jockey Tub is at present undecided is to what course to pursue. The Shane case, which was disponed of bv Supreme Court Justice 8c adder last fall, has not vet been argued before the Appellate Division. Until the An pellate Division has handed down a decision it is said that the racing interests will not attempt to secure favorable legislation, it is a question in some legal minds whether a contirmalion of the opinion of Justice SVuddor would relieve the directors of racing associations from criminal liability for betting carried on without their knowledge or consent. The Scudder decision has been construed in varioua ways. Shane, a race Hack regular, attended Humecting of the United Hunts at Relmont Park Terminal last June. He stood on the lawn and was inked by Mattie Corhett to lay odds on a certain lorse. Shane quoted ." to 1 and Corhett orally wagered $." . at the same time writing the conditions of the wager on a slip of paper which he banded to Shane just before the latter was arrested by the sberiff ..| Nassau County. Shane was charged with making fiook "with or without writing." He was discharged in habeas corpus proceedings by Justice Scudder, who held that there was 110 evidence to show that the law had lieen violated. It the Appellate Division takes a similar view of the facta, it is argued by friends of the racing interests., that with such speculation going on the the tracks can be reopened without a chance to successfully prosecute the owners and directors. August Rcimolit. chairman of the Jockey Club, placed himself on record long ago that tin- so .•ailed directors" liability law should be repealed by the Legislature simply as an act of justice. Mr. Relmont. who has donated many valuable stallions to the government for the purpose of breeding army [■•mounts, lnis contended ever since the passage of the racing laws at Albany that in time the entiro thoroughbred industry in America would be exterminated -an assertion that is partially borne out by present conditions. Canon Chase, who is bitterly opposed to a resumption of the sport, insists that the race track dins-tors are anxious to restore public Itookmaking from which they may derive a large revenue. The men who have spent thousands of dollars to keep racing alive nay that the present laws are suftiei-entry stringent to prevent a return to the betting ring or bookanaklug, so called, in any form.
