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B00KMAKING COULD NOT BE PRACTICED. Under Fair Grounds Betting System, Say Witness for State in Trial at New Orleans. "I dont believe layers at the Fair Grounds could make an average in the BBVOSSpa system of betting." said Walter S. Veale. star witness for the state, who testified Friday afternoon before Judge Baker and Chretien during the trial of the officers and directors of the Business Mens Racing Association, who are charged in an information filed by District Attorney Luzenberg. with violating the Locke law during tba, 1917 meeting at the Fair Grounds. In further explanation of bis declaration. Veale said his statement meant bsokasBkhng could not be practiced under the system of betting at the Fair Orouuds. "A layer is a man who Ik ts against the public." said Veale, when being quizzed on definition of words used among racehorse men. "The layer lvts B horse will lose, or that a horse will not Ranah 1-2-3. The layer lays odds against every horse in the race. The men 1 saw laying odds at the track, did not walk about the Palm Garden, but stood near a stakeholder at a post. Anybody could bet against the public, and I dont know if the men who did bet against the public paid for that privilege. Cannot Make Percentage Book. j "While I was employed as a stakeholder at the Fair Crounds during the first week of the past season. I saw men who stood in the hack of the layers write something efl a small piece of paper after every bet was made, but I do not know what they wrote, as I did not see it. I do not believe, however, that even if a record of the bets were made that the layer could figure before the race just what be stood to win no matter what boras won. Canter the old system of bookmaking. the sheetwriter employed by the bookmaker knew at the end of every bet just how much the book stood to win, irrespective of what horse finished first, second or third. "The question of percentage is the basis of book-making, and in my opinion, figuring percentage is impossible under the system of betting at the Fair U rounds race track." Veale was interrogated by District Attornty Luzenberg regarding the system of betting known as "markers." This system he explained, was where one man would bet against another on credit: that is. no money was passed at the time the bet was made, but would be settled later. "There is no recording of a marker." said Veale. "It is a tin Btory bet. and only indulged in between men who know each other well." The former stallholder corroborated the testimony given earlier in the day by Robert B. Eddy. seen blty of the Business M- ns Racing Association, regarding the manner in which stakeholders were, distributed about the Palm Garden. "Numbers were drawn every mill II lag Two m ii got the same number. While one stakeholder was accepting bets on a race, the other was paying off on the previous race." Not Opposed to Individual Betting. "I am not prejudiced against racing; I bclelve la racing for purses, but no betting. I am not Opposed to individual lilting." slid William M. Railey. under cross-examination by attorney John P. Sullivan. The stateBseata made by Mr. Railey during direct examination as facts srere only conclusions, he admitted under cross-examination. During direct examination by District Attorney Luzenberg. Mr. Railey slid: "I stent oat t. the Fair Crounds Febrnandry lt. taking with nie John E. Laashsg, cm-ployed in my office. We met Veale there by appointment l gave Veale .*." to bet for ate. I saw Veale give the money to a layer, but the money was not put into an envelope: the man seemed to know Veale. I remained in the Palm OaiaVa two hours, and elo.ely observes: the system of betting. The layera stood by posts and did net move around. They bet against the pofotte and were attended by ■takenohtfia. I roaM t- 11 they were layers because I saw them accept the money bets, and some of them had wallets in then* hands. After a race wis run the layers renudaed at the same posts. "The layers had other assistants besides tin-stakeholders. While the liy r gave odds, a man sle d behind him and made a record of the bets j taken. The layer didnt sign his name to the ea-Vetope. The odds on various batata fluctuated as the layers received taformatfoa from niessengeis. Ofl one occasion a layer changed the odds oa a horse after talking to the .aan with the writing pad." When asked by Attorney Sullivan, during the I ores- examination, if be knew that the man with the pad mane a record of the bets tak"ii by the j layer. Mr. Railey replied he only drew that COO-j elusion, as he did not see the writing, but did not imagine the BUM was m.-.king a scotch of Die Fair Grounds. He also said he did not know what the man he railed a messenger said to the alleged layer, because he could not hear what was said. Mr. Railey also admitted he could not swear the man who wrote on the pad was employed by tie- layer, nor could he swear that tin- layer did not alga the envelope. He was reminded by .Mr. Sullivan that l.e had .-o sw iru. Has No Faith in the Police. Mr. Railey coacloded his testunoay by saying the layer had no paraphernalia aad hmned no tickets. as was done under the old system of bookmaking. In answer to a query put by Mr. Sullivan. Mr. I Railey replied: "I did not inform the officers of I the Bastnesa Mens Raciag Association of the vio I lations of the law because I believed they were a j party to it. and did net tell the police of the vio- i lations bet a nee I had no faith in the poUce." District Attorney Luzenberg sought to prove j through Robert Eddy, secretary of tin- Business j Ileas Pacing Association, that the layers in the I Palm Garden paid for tlie privilege of operating by purchasing bib and box seats from the Bnoi- j BeSS Mens Racfasg Association. Mr. Eddy denied having any knowledge of this, saying he was only ! the nominal secretary of tie- association, and seldom looked at the books or records. He said James 1.. Lemarie had charge of the books and Mr. Lem.irie is out of the city. Mr. Luzenberg showed the secretary the cash book of the association, which showed that on February 11 the sum of S5.:!i;il appeared under the club ticket entry, while only . 37 showed under the box seat entry. It was then that Mr. Eddy said be was only the nominal secretary, and was not familiar with the books. After describing the system of betting at the Fair Jrounds. Mr. Eddy said he did not know what a layer was unless it was a man who bet a hors" would net win. He also said the association had caused to be posted in all parts of the Fair Crounds large posters warning patrons not to violate the I.oeke law, and he knew of no deviation from this rule. "At a meeting of the board of directors of the association." said Mr. Eddy, "we agreed that we would visit the race track as often as possible, and bend all of our energies to preventing violations of the law." The hearing was adjourned until 10:30 a. m., Monday. — New Orleans Times Picayune.
