FRAUDULENT BETTING

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 57, 9 March 1922, Page 7

FRAUDULENT BETTING

CASE AGAINST THE PEELS

A DRAMATIC SURPRISE,

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHTS

(AUSTRALIAN - HBW ZEALAND CABI.B ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, 7th March.

At the trial at the Old Bailey of Captain. Owen Peel and his wife on the charge of fraudulent betting by telegraph, Peel pleaded guilty, and his wife not guilty. Mr. Justice Darling refused Peel bail, but released the wiie on her own recognisances. The hearing was adjourned.

The trial produced a dramatic surprise. The husband's plea of guilty, astonished a great a/rray of fashionable people present in the Court. The wife firmly pleaded not guilty, and argument followed as to whether the, wife could b e tried,.because it must be presumed she had acted under her husband's influence. Mr. Justice Darling declared that the wife must be tried, and adjourned the ease until 9th March.

[Captain Peel, who is the son-iw-law of Sir Robert Jardine, created a sensation in racing circles at the end.of December by refunding £3500 to various bookmakers. This action followed inquiries on the part of a number of bookmakers regarding the despatch of telegrams backing Paragon for the Duke of York Stakes. Captain Peel explained his action by saying : "No one can afford to have his honour in doubt, and since the race, I have, thought a lot about the closeness of the time of the despatch of the telegrams and the start of the race. I have been by no means content. ' Finally I felt that if the money were repaid there could be no further question in the matter." Peel and his wife, however, were charged with fraudulent betting by "telegraph. The prosecution stated that the Peels ascertained by telephone that the horse had won before they presented the telegram at a '-country-side post office. Some of the bookmakers paid out on the bets, but others questioned the time of lodgment, and, asked that inquiries should be made. It was further stated that Peel induced the postmaster to enter a false time of receipt on the messages. Counsel stressed the point that, the Postmaster-General was prosecuting the accused because the bookmakers were reluctant to do so, as the Peels were able to introduce business to bookmakers.]