BOOKMAKING CHARGE FAILS

Evening Star, Issue 19786, 9 February 1928, Page 10

BOOKMAKING CHARGE FAILS

[Per United Press Association,] AUCKLAND, February 8. The jury.failed to convict on,a charge of hookmaking preferred in the Supreme Court to-day against Harry Marks, The indictment referred to.bets alleged to have been made after the accused’s conviction for hookmaking towards the end of April last. Mr Justice Blair heard the case. William Henry Homier, tobacconist, said he had had several bets with the cased, and had been paid when he won with the exception of an occasion in August Inst, when he took a winning “double” at 5s to £2O on Bean Cavalier and Wharncliffc in The Grand National Steeplechase and - Hurdles at Christchurch. The “double” had been taken when Marks bad come to witness’s simp and asked him “what be fancied.” Witness bad not paid bis 5s at the time, but. later, and the transaction was then recorded by Marks in a notebook. When witness, some time after the races, approached the. accused and asked him when he was going to “weigh in” Marks had replied; "When 1 please”; but he bad never paid. Counsel submitted for the dclcncc that Marks had done no bookmaking since bis conviction last winter. Ho had lost his money in his initial venture. Bonnet had been an agent of the accused’s in his bookmaking days, and owed him money. It was repayment of part of this money which had been mistaken for the betting transaction in August. After a retirement of three-quarters of an hour the jury returned a verdict of not guilty.