THE CURSE OF BETTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12856, 3 May 1905, Page 6

THE CURSE OF BETTING.

AN INTERESTING CASE

'London, March 24, Detective-Inspector "McCarthy was dismissed from the Metropolitan Police Force last year, and sought to recover his lost reputation by bringing a slander action against .Mr. David Curtis, a bookmaker, who had accused him of accenting bribes. After a: four days' hearing;, the jury came to the conclusion yesterday that Mr. Curtis' statement' was true, and returned a verdict for tin; defendant.

[The most interesting evidence of the day was that of Mr. Henry, the Commissioner of l'olico. He explained that Mr. McCarthy Was dismissed from the force because of the mass of evidence against him. "1 had all the mutters fully before me," hfi said. " J had to weigh the probabilities of a man of his service behaving in this way. 1 considered every incident, and I considered the fact that ho had reported there was no evidence against the Westbourne Club, and that afterwards there was a convjciion against it, and that he reported that the Central Sports Club was closed, and that it was successfully raided shortly after. "1 considered all the betting incidents, and came to the conclusion, that ii was. clearly demonstrated that this man must lu.vc been tiding from corrupt motives in submitting the reports that he did to headquarters." ."Is the detection of gaining houses and of betting one of tho more important duties of a police officer in Mr. .McCarthy's position?" asked Mr. .Justice Darling. "Yes; it, is a very important duty," replied the Commissioner of Police. , "111 the metropolitan district area under your jurisdiction is this gaming and betting a grave public evil?" "In my opinion it is the very gravest evil." " Do you find that the habit of gambling leads people to the commission of many other crimes''" the judge further asked. " 1 believe it is responsible, probably, for almost as much crime as drink," said Mr. Henry. "You have seen letters written by women saying that their homes have been broken up because their husband's money had been all spent in gaining clubs or paid to betting men in the streets. In your opinion are these women's statements overdrawn?" "Not at all. 1 believe them to be true." ';Yon think," continued the judge, "that the existence of this practice does lead to all the evils described in such letters?" "1 believe so, and that existing legislation is quite ineffective," was Mr. Henry's reply. "Do you think it would be good to prohibit, the publication in newspapers of the odds about, horse's?" "That is a somewhat difficult question to answer. There are football matches and all sorts of things the public can bet upon." Then Mr. .Justice Darling asked: "Would you prohibit the publication of betting odds so that people could not get hold of racing information'.' Would that do any good?" "I think that public feeling in this country is not altogether opposed to betting," the Commissioner replied. The judge's last question was: "If public feeling were in favour of such an heroic measure, would that stop it?" " It is probable that the public would find some other means.'' said Mr. Henry. "At present many people come to me and say the police are evidently bribed, as the same betting men are seen standing in the street at the same spot continually. .Sometime-; they have given me the name of a man, and I have replied :.' Do you know that man has been convicted eight or ten times in the year'/ Therefore. Ik* charitable in regard to the police.' At present the-facilities provided by the law are quite ineffectual to stop street, betting." "When you catch one of these clubs or betting-houses the penalty there may be a real deterrent?" " Quite so." Mr. Justice Darling, in summing up, said the case was not an action against Scotland , Yard, but one could not help seeing that the inquiry held did in some shape come into question'. The only point in the case was whether the jury were satisfied that Mr. Curtis did bribe Mr. McCarthy or not. If they found.for Mr. McCarthy it meant that 1 Mr. Curtis had been guilty of perjury. The' jury, after"deliberating for fifteen minutes, 'returned a verdict for Mr. Curtis.