"A NEW ONE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 114, 15 May 1936, Page 8

"A NEW ONE."

INGENIOUS RUSE. "BOOKIE" DEFRAUDED BACKING AFTER RESULT. INVISIBLE INK USED ? There was a flutter of anxiety in the ofiices of Auckland bookmakers last Friday morning when word was broadcast among the fraternity that a "new one" had been worked on at least two of their number, one of whom had paid out a considerable sum to a clever confidence trickster. Many ingenious ruses have been perpetrated on bookmakers in the past, but the latest is unusual inasmuch as it introduces the use of invisible ink. The method was to write the name of a horse to be backed on a race not yet run, and on the blank space above to write in invisible ink the names of horses which had won races already run. B*- next day the invisible ink had "come up" so that it was as black as the ordinary ink lower down. It was Thursday of last week, the opening day of the Egniont wiutei meeting, when the backer walked into the ollice of the bookmaker and presented a slip of paper on which was written "£2 Le Grand." The time was about 3 p.m., and Le Grand was a runner in the Tawhiti Handicap the concluding event. At the time tne oacker entered the office three races had been decided. There was nothing in the transaction to raise suspicion. Bookmaker's Story. But let the bookmaker now tell the storv. "I get hundreds of slips on a race* day, and I put them all into a tin," lie' said. "The following morning the backer came in to collect. He collected £34 from my clerk, instead of, as I later found out, £S. He had some other bets and was entitled to £b. That morning my clerk informed me that lie had made a terrible mistake and had paid out £34 instead of £8. About this time I received a ring from another bookmaker, who told me that a similar trick had been played on him. This man actually discovered the ink becoming visible. He saw it appearing on the slip in front of him. Yes, it was a good one all right. In this game, you know, one is bound to fall sometimes. But this was uot a 'baddy.

And so a visit was paid to the other bookmaker. "Yes, I know quite a bit about invisible ink," bo saiil with n. smile. "The mail, whom I do not know, made a number of wagers with me on Thursday. Two of them were 'diukum and'the other three were 'crook.' Altogether he put £5 on with me. He came in during the afternoon after three races hail been decided and handed me a slip on which were the words, 20/, Orac.' About 4 p.m., not being very busy, I started to go through my betting slips. I was just going to fire this one" back in the tin when I saw something that startled me for the moment. I could hardly believe my own eyes. Immediately 'above the words, '20/, Orac,' and the man's betting name, I could see ink coming up. My wife and I watched the slip for two hours, and by 6 p.m. the words '20/, Contact, all up Flammarion, funds,' were quite clear. That night we went to the pictures and left the betting slip on the table. Whenwe returned home the writing on the top of the slip was just as blac'c as the words, '20/, Orac,' which were on the slip when it was handed to me. Would Not Pay Out. "The following morning the backer called in for his dividend. I told him I would not pay out on the two horses which had won and which lie considered he had money on. I also told him that he had used invisible ink and that my wife and I had both watched it coming up. He tried to bounce me by telling me he would go to the 'dicks.' I told him he could go to the police if he wished, but I was not going to pay out." " 'But you're a bookmaker, aren't you? Aren't you going to pay out?' he said. " 'Yes, I'm a bookmaker, only I'm an honest one. and I pay out when everything is all right,' I told him. I gave him "back his £5 and out he went. I have not seen him since. I suppose I was a fool even to pay him the £5, but there you are, I did it." Although no one has officially reported to the police the matter of the alleged use of invisible ink, the authorities have heard whispers about it and are watching the position.