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BETLESS MEETING AT MAIS0NNEUVE Attendance Small in Comparison to Crowds Usually Present When Betting Was Permitted. Montreal, Que., August 22. The Montreal racing public was given its first taste of what has been advertised as betless racing, when a meeting was opened at the Maisorineuve course last Saturday. The attendance for the first day was small in comparison with the crowds which usually flocked to the races on Saturday afternoon, when betting was allowed, it being generally estimated that about 800 people were at the course. Most of those in attendance were the regulars at local race tracks. As betting has been illegal since August 1, the meeting which opened Saturday, was void of the usual features at race courses. There were no bookmakers on hand with their slates, nor were there any mutuel machines. Instead of these two former factors, the handbook men were present in numbers. There was little, if any, of the friendly betting done. Most of the patrons had the odds for the various races at their disposal and if oiu. wished to make a bet and did not know what price was being laid against a horse, it was easy to go over to. one of the handbook men and get the odds. As a result, after the races were all over, the public were well aware that two favorites, Al Court anil River King, had won and that the other races were won by two second choices and one outsider. Little Trouble Placing a Bet. Government inspectors and plain clothes men were on hand to see that the law was not broken, and two or three men were ejected from the course. One of the government inspectors also took the names of some of the men who operated a handbook. The public, which at first seemed to ha wary of this, new system of betting, gradually became educated to the method and towards the close of the afternoon anybody who wished could place a bet without difficulty. It was not an uncommon sight to see about twenty-five or more men gathered in front of the grandstand, where one of the alleged bookmakers was operating. The racing itself on Saturday was far below the class seen at the various half-mile tracks in Montreal this summer. The fields were small and the jockeys of a much inferior order. Notwithstanding close finishes Svere iii order, Al Court winning the second race by a nose, while in the fourth race Resistible, Varda. B. and Bunice arrived at the wire noses apart.
