GAMING CHARGES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 49, 26 August 1930, Page 7

GAMING CHARGES

<CWO MEN ACCUSED

RAID BY DETECTIVES

Beau Cleste, Commentor, and Hopwood were horses running at recent' race meetings that appealed to C6n« stable E. E. Trask, and in. the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon h« enumerated alleged bets he had made oi» these and other horses with two me* —August Hjalinar Peterson, 'bootmaker, aged 36, and Thomas Quinj' described as a merchant, aged 35.

Peterson and Quin were jointly; charged with having used a shop at 50, Ghuznee street, as a common gam-ing-house, and there were two charges against Peterson alone of laying tctalisator odds with Constable Trask. Each pleaded not guilty.

Mr. A. B. Sievwright appeared for Quin, and Mr. J. Scott for Peterson. The case was commenced in tha morning, but each counsel asked that his. particular, client should be dealt with separately, and legal argument was h'eaj-d. The Magistrate (Mr. W. H. Woodward) adjourned the Court until- the afternoon to look into the position, and upon resuming announced that .he had come to the conclusion that he should refuse .the applications for severance ri£ the parties. ~- Lengthy evidence was then given for the prosecution, and when the Court adjourned late in. the afternoon until this morning no evidence had beem called for by the defence. CONSTABLE'S EVIDENCE. Constable Ernest Eoyden Trask said that on 26th July last, under instructions, he was doing special plain-clothes duty. About 2.15 p.m. on that date he was in the Terminus Hotel. Bert, the barman, asked him if he was all "set" for his bets, and witness replied that he had a "couple going," but would like another 5s on a horse. Bert indicated Peterson as a man who would "fix him up," and witness said to Peterson that he would have 5s on. Commentor and 5s on Beau Goste. Peterson agreed, and witness gave Peterson his name. Peterson put witness* initials, "E. 8.," on a'day card against the horses he had backed, and witness handed, over 10s. ' It was remarked by Peterson that he "did not come at thi3 much in hotels," and that he did "most of this on the 'phone." Witness asked Peterson if he was "on the square," meaning that if the horses won would he receive his winnings. Peterson said: "We, my partner and I, always pay; cash for cash. Here is my card." A card bearing the . name H. Peterson, with a telephone number typed on the back, was handed to him. Peterson told him that if he won to call round to his office and witness would be paid. Mr. Sievwright raised an objection that none of the evidence that . had 7<een given was evidence against Quin. The Magistrate noted the objection. "HERE'S A 'JOHN HOP.' " Continuing, Constable Trask. said that he was in the bar of the Terminus Hotel on the afternoon of 28th July, when Peterson urged him to have a bet on the "treble" and subsequently the "double" going that day. Witness declined, but said that he would on Thursday. If Peterson were not in the hotel, witness said he would call round to his shop. Peterson said, that that would be all right, and witness said that a day or two later he went to the shop. was behind the counter repairing^ shoes. He beckoned witness through the door at the end of the shop, and led him into a small room in which there were three men sitting at a table, one of whom was Quin. Peterson said "to Quin: "Here's? a 'John Hop' to see you." Witness backed two horses, handing Quin 10s, and Quin noted the bets on a small piece of paper. Peterson was standing alongside witness. As witness was leaving Peterson remarked: "It is better this way—safer than going round hotels." \ Constable Trask also gave evidence of. two other visits he said he paid, .to Peterson's shop on the morning of 2nd August. He said he made bets with Quin of 2s 6d each on two horses oa his first' visit. The second time ha visited the shop that morning he told Peterson he would have 5s on Bxpwood. Peterson came round from be* hind the counter, and speaking quietly; said: "Don't go in; it looks funnyj when there are people in the shop. 11l get it on for you." Witness gave Peterson 10s, and Peterson went through the door at the end of the shop. Subsequently Peterson returned and handed witness 5s change. ' Questioned by Mr.- Sievwright, witness 6aid that when Peterson said "Here's a 'John Hop' to see you-" im, laughed with the rest. Mr. Sievwright: "I suppose ym, laughed because yon thought the jok« was on them,?"—"No; not alt*. gether." ? : > SHOP RAIDED. Detective E. C. Jarrold said that oa 2nd August last, in company with Detective W. B. Murray and Aetiag-De-teetive Waterson, he visited Peterson's shop at 50, Ghuznee street, ■which was known as the "Q.P. Store." The two] defendants were.on the premises. They, were searched, and in Quiu's pocket witness found a betting slip on a treble, on which was marked: "Peterson 2a 6d, part of treble for 7s 6d." Quin, when questioned, had said he had done some betting, but .was more a punter than a bookmaker. Peterson had denied he had done any betting, but when he was searched a double chart was found in his pocket. Witness also gave evidence of betting material, including day cards, double-charts, and "settling" sheets having been found on the premises. There were two telephones, one of which was an extension. Witness said he had compared the writing on the documents with. Quin's handwriting, and he was of the opinion that the bulk of the writing on the documents was Quins. Mr. Sievwright contended it was farcical for a detective to come to Court and say that the signature of one of the accused was similar to the writing found on the documents seized. Counsel also objected to the documents produced being put in as evidence against his client. The Magistrate noted the objections. Detective Murray gave similar cvi-: dence to Detective Jarrold about th« discovery of betting material in the shop and other rooms-in the building occupied by the accused. He said that Quin gave the explanation that the papers found were only private accounts.