BOOKMAKING ALLEGED

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 112, 9 February 1928, Page 12

BOOKMAKING ALLEGED

VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY. By Telegraph.—Press association. Auckland, February 8. The jury failed to convict on a charge of bookmaking preferred in the Supreme Court to-day against Harry Marks. The indictment referred to 'bets allegedly made after accused’s conviction for bookmaking toward the efid of April last. Mr. Justice Blair heard the case.

William Henry Bonner, a tobacconist, said Tie had had several bets which he retailed with accused, and had been paid when he won, with the exception of an occasion in August last when he took a winning “double” at ss. 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’s tobacconist shop and asked him "what he fancied.” Witness had not paid his ss. at the time, but later, and the transaction was then recorded by Marks in a notebook. When witness some time after the races approached accused and asked him when he tias going to “weigh in” Marks had replied “When I please,” but had never paid. Counsel submitted for the defence that Marks had done no bookmaking since his conviction last winter. He had lost his money in an initial venture. Bonner had been an agent for accused’s in his bookmaking days and owed him money It was repayment of part of this which had been mistaken for a betting transaction in August. After a retirement of of an hour the jury returned a verdict of not guilty.