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Officials Dispute Easterners Story Washington Park Lists Facts In Gomez Incident Relative To Place Wagering in Derby WASHINGTON PARK, Homewood, 111., Aug. 29. In a detailed statement issued here today, the Washington Park Jockey Club disputed the story given by Joseph M. de Gomez to Joe Williams, Scripps-Howard sports columnist, yilliams, in a series of two articles, related charges made by Gomez that he was the victim of a conspiracy by Washington Park which prevented him from wagering 0,000 to place on Native Dancer in the American Derby last Saturday. The Gomez referred to in the Washing-, ton Jockey Clubs statement is obviously the same person who gave his story to Joe Williams. The track, in its statement, declared that the checking of large bills was being done at the request of the Treasury Department, particularly since Gomez was unknown to any officials at Washington Park. The track also revealed that Gomez had lost the currency at the track, which was found and later returned to him. Except for the Gomez story, no charges against the track relative to the jamming of machines have been received from other sources. Wagering 0,000 on Dancer Gomez, who identified himself as a New York broker, complained to Williams that the management shuttled him around the track until the windows closed, and "this was the trickery they used to escape a minus pool." Gomez added that he had been wagering sums in the neighborhood of 0,000 on Native Dancer to place or show "because has was an excellent investment" ever since the colt appeared headed for greatness midway of 1952. According to Gomez, he was told when he presented his money at the 0 place window in the grandstand, that the bills would have to be checked. After receiving the okay from an official, whom Gomez could not identify, he returned to the window, only to be told that the mutuel machine had jammed and no further sales could be made. Gomez said he was advised to go to the clubhouse 00 place window, but was informed that no clubhouse admittance tickets would be sold until after the Native Dancer race was run. Gomez told Williams he finally bought- a clubhouse return check from a fan for and rushed to the window, where he again was told the money would have to be checked. Gomez said he convinced the mutuel seller the bills already had been approved, but by the time the clerk had finished counting the money, the race was off. Washington Park Statement The Washington Park statement follows: Washington Park Jockey Club know only of one incident last Saturday concerning a 0,000 wager, and the facts are listed below. Washington Park Jockey Club does not know whether the New York complainant and the subject of this incident are the same. The Washington Park Jockey Club in the following release listed the f acts-in the case as follows: Immediately after the seventh race American Derby last Saturday, a highly-excited man, about five feet, eight inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds, flashily dressed, swarthy and speaking with a foreign accent, reported in heated tones that he wasnt able to get 0,000 which he waved on Native Dancer, to Peter Brandsness, Washington Park administrative manager. He made his complaint, went out and said he would return to say more after he had made a wager on a horse in the eighth race Prairie State. He did return, but this time he was more excited than ever, saying his pocket had been picked of the 0,000. Brandsness immediately notified Washington Parks pickpocket detail of detectives, and Tom Brown, of the track police department, took the mans report. He identified himself as J. M. Degomez, care Colombian, S. A., Consulate, New York City, and alleged himself as an employe of a hotel, New York. Evasive as to Whose Money It Was During the interrogation, Brown reported, Gomez was evasive about whose money it was, and refused to give other information. To complete the report, Brown took Gomez to the track police office to sign the report. While there, another man came in to see Mr. Brandsness. He said he had been at the 0 window in the grandstand and had found two packets of moneys-one ,000 in 0 bills, the other ,000 in 00 bills on the ledge alongside. He identified himself as P. A. Blichert, of 1244 North Continued on Page Thirty-Eight Officials Dispute . Easterners Story Washington Park Lists Facts In Gomez Incident Relative To Place Wagering in Derby Continued from Page Three Shore Avenue phone Hollycourt 5-3642. Said he was a Chicago businessman who just couldnt bring himself to keep the money, therefore turned it in. Brandsness immediately called the police office, reported the find and told Brown to bring Gomez back. Gomez came back, took the money, and started out. He was asked if he wasnt going to give Blichert some kind of reward. He then peeled off one of the 100s and gave it to Blichert, who said, "Thank you, and do you think you can spare it?" Gomez asked him what he was kicking about, that he "knew a man who found 00,000 in New York and got 0 for it I" He then walked out after flashing a heavy pack of win tickets on the Prairie State Stakes. Concerning his claim that he was unable to get a wager down on Native Dancer, the following is the sequence of events as told by David P. Stevens, Washington Park mutuels manager, and other parties in the department. Wayes Packs of Money Gomez first appeared at the 0 place window in the" grandstand as wagering started for the American Derby. It was a long, slow-moving line, and Gomez became impatient. He got out of line, waving his two packages of money 0,000 and yelled to the mutuel clerk that he had 0,-000 to bet and wanted it down at once. He was informed that nobody knew him, and that he would have to first get clearance for validity of the 0 and 00 bills. He was referred to Stevens, the mutuels manager, who informed Gomez that the TJ. S. Treasury Department had requested Washington Park to check all 0 and 00 bills a letter is displayed at the information booths for public perusal , particularly those presented by persons unknown to the clerks. Stevens advised Gomez to go right to the grandstand information window, then hurry to the clubhouse 0 windows where he was more likely to get through. Gomez got his bills cleared, then attempted to get into the clubhouse. He had no clubhouse admission ticket and the guard refused to accept a bribe of to pass him through. Gomez became more excited than ever, finally starting asking other patrons who would... accept the for a clubhouse pass-out check. One finally did, and Gomez got through just as the windows closed. Stevens said that if Gomez had been cool and patient and hadnt tried to bull his way at the grandstand 0 window he would have made it easy, but that in any event, the 0 and 00 bills would have had to be cleared before going into the machines. "I met him," Stevens said, "as he was just trying to get into the clubhouse and he gave me a terrific argument. I told him" no matter what he did, he first- would have to get clearance on the big bills because we were cooperating with the U. S. Treasury Department on it, and nobody knew him. He identified himself with a chauffeurs license, residence Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, but before he could get to any window the race was off." "There was absolutely no attempt to refuse his wager," Stevens said. "He lost jhis head, thats all."
