"SILVER BETTORS."

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 16, 24 February 1914, Page 3

"SILVER BETTORS."

RICCARTON BOOKMAKERS. TWO FINED £25 EACH.

At the Magistrate's Court this morning, two poor-looking men were charged with having made bets on the Riccarton racecourse. Neither appearod as prosperous as bookmakers are supposed to be. •

Anthony Watson (Mr M. Donnelly) pleaded not guilty to being a book : maker and having, made bets on the racecourse at Biecarton on February 7. Chief-Detective Bishop conducted the prosecution on behalf of the p\liee.

Detective Regan deposed that on Saturday, February 7, at 3 o 'clock, just before the Midsummer Handicap was run, witness and Acting-Detective 0 'Connor watched accused standing by the scraping shed. Witness saw four men come to accused and hand something to him. On each occasion accused wrote something in a book. Being approached by Sergeant-Detective Cox and racecourse detective Kraetzer, accused ran round the corner, tore a leaf from his book, and-planted it on a rafter, afterwards walking m away. Accused had not seen witness until he took the leaf down. Accused had been attending races at Riccarton for- four years and was known as a "silver bettor,/' that was,, a man who.did, not. bet in pounds, or' other big sums: To Mr Donnelly: Witness could not say that it was money that the men handed accused, fitness could not say what the figures on the leaf of the memorandum book stood for. He had not seen accused's fish-cart on the course, thoughit might have been outside. .*«...-.'

Acting-Detective O'Connor gave corroborative evidence. He produced the leaf hidden by accused. Frank O'Connell, racecourse detective, gave evidence that accused was known as a bookmaker; and had not been allowed on the racecourse for several years. Frank Klibboni Henry Collier, chief jelerk in the C.J.C., stated that the spot described was part of the racecourse proper. Witness produced a letter written to Ae secretary of the C.J.C. some months ago in which Watson stated that he had abandoned bookmaking.

Mr Donnelly, having consulted with his client, said that when instructed he had not been told of the letter to Mr Wanklyn. As against the statements of the detectives he could only put the word of the man hijnself and of a man who was with him. He would point out that the man had a Wife and a number of children, and was'a > *sh hawker about the streets. He wouWl plead that the man should be so dealt with that he should not have to go to gaol. j Accused was fined £25 and allowed four weeks within which to pay.

James Duller pleaded not guilty to having made bets on the Kiecarton racecourse on February 7., The Chief-Detective' again prosecuted, and Mr M. Donnelly appeared for accused.

Detective Began gave similar evidence as in the previous case, save that the alleged betting took place before the Craven Plate, about 4.10. Accused was also in a loose-box with five men, but witness could not say what transpired there.. He knew the name of one man who had made a'bet. His name was Stevens, andvhe was in court now. Two of the others were old men with grey whiskers. Witness had known accused as a small bookmaker, a silver bettor, for the past four years. Acting-Detective O'Connor gave corroborative evidence. . . Frank O'Connell, racecourse detective, deposed that accused was known as a bookmaker, and had been excluded from the racecourse for the last

six or seven years. To Mr Donnelly: Witness -would not swear that he had ever seen accused make a bet. '■„„." Frank Klibborn Henry Collier again o-ave corroborative evidence. ; Detective Began, recalled, to Mr Donnelly: A racebook taken by witness from accused contained no entries. To the Chief Detective: Witness did not search accused, so did not know whether he had another. Mr Donnelly said the man denied the offence, or that he had practised the calling of a bookmaker at any time. He would not call accused to give evidence, as he did not think his Worship would believe him. His Worship complimented Mr Donnelly on being able to see what was at the back of his mind. He certainly Would not have believed accused. Accused would be fined £25 and allowed four weeks within which: to pay.