Swindling the Bookmakers.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 106, 14 May 1901, Page 3

Swindling the Bookmakers.

A NICE LITTLE PLOT, The following is the New Zealand Times account of the alleged swindling of a Wellington bookmaker, referred to in our columns on Tuesday : . The English sporting world has been exercised of late over the disclosure of a series of frauds perpetrated on bookmakers by telegraph operators and others. Recent files record a case in which an operator was charged with obtaining money under false pretences from a Liverpool bookmaker named Magnus. It was shown in evidence that. the operator had telegraphed bets on horses which had already won, deceiving the bookmaker by putting on the telegram sheets time records anterior to those fixed for the running of the races. It appears from revelations recently made that a system of a similar class of operations has been discovered in this colony.- The names of a prominent Wellington business man and n Christchurch telegraph operator are being freely mentioned as being connected with the disclosure?.

It is stated that at the last meeting of : the Canterbury Jockey Club at Riccarton, the individuals referred to arranged a system of sending telegrams to a Wellington firm of bookmakers, whose practice it has been to pay out in respect to bets shown by the time stamp on the telegrams to have been telegraphed prior to the time at which each race started. One of the men who is alleged to have been concerned in working the swindle was noticed by a bookmaker’s . clerk- at Riccarton to rush off to the telegraph office immediately after ! after every race, and to despatch a telegram. This young gentleman’s suspicions were aroused, and he informed his employer, who was induced to send the following telegram to his Wellington confreres of the pencil:— “Did you have a bet with so and so on such and such a race ?” The answer came back urgent:— “ Yes ; is there anything crook ?” Answer —“ Yes, don’t pay out-.'” It is understood that the local hookies then laid a complaint with the authorities, who instituted an inquiry into the circumstances. When cross-examined by the officer-in-chargc at Christchurch, the operator is said to have made a clean breast of the whole business. This official, who has for many years held a responsible position in the department, has been suspended, pending legal proceedings. He, with the other person said to be implicated, will be charged at the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (to-day) with conspiring to defraud the , bookmakers mentioned.

The affair has created ‘ quite a stir in local betting circles, in whioh one of the parties was a prominent figure,