CHARGE OF BOOKMAKING

Taranaki Daily News, 9 February 1928, Page 11

CHARGE OF BOOKMAKING

JURY REFUSES TO CONVICT, TRANSACTIONS OF TOBACCONIST, REPAYMENT OF FORMER DEBT By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The jury failed to convict on a charge of bookmaking preferred in the Supremo Soiirt to-day against Harry Marks. The indictment referred to bets allegedly made after the accused's conviction for bookmaking towards the end of April last. Mr. Justice Blair heard the case. William Henry Bonner, a tobacconist, said he had had several bets which he retailed with accused, and had been paid when he won with the exception of an occasion in August, when he took a winning "double” as to £2O on Beau Cavalier and Wharncliffe in the Grand: National Steeplechase and Hurdles at Christchurch. The “double” had been taken when Marks had come to witness’ tobacconist shop and asked him “what he fancied.” Witness had not paid his 5s at the time but later, and the transaction was then recorded by Marks in a notebook. When witsess some time after the races approached accused and asked him when he was going to “weigh in,” Marks had replied “When I please,” but he had never paid. Counsel submitted for the defence that Marks had done no bookmaking since his conviction last winter. Ho had lost his money in the initial venture. Bonner had been an agent of accused’s in his bookmaking days and owed him money. It was the repayment of part of this which had been mistaken for a betting transaction in August. After a retirement of three-quarters of an hour the jury returned a verdict of not'guilty.