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Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1973, 8 January 1907, Page 1

An interesting combat has been going on between the police and the betting fraternity in New York, writes a correspondent, in connection with the endeavor on the part of the authorities to prevent what is known as pool-room betting. The pool-room men, prevented from telephoning or telegraphing the results from the racecourse, erected an iron tower outside the course from which the results were signalled to a teleplioner, who transmitted them to the pool-rooms in the city. There was nothing illegal in erecting a tower, and the police wore at first nonplussed. Some blue-coating genius, however, devised the plan of placing high screens on supporting poles in front of the tower, by which sight of the running horses was shut off- The answering move to this on the part of the pool-room men was the erection of an additional storey to their tower. Then the police raised their screens by attaching them to kites. Five kites, strung together in a row, were flown across the end of the course nearest tbo tower. This was very disconcerting to the gamblers, but was not altogether effective, because the kites were sometimes blown put of position by the wind. So the officers scratched their heads and evolved a piece of strategy that, at any rate on sunny days, puts the agents of the poolrooms completely out of the business. This latest device consists of the use of mirrors, with which the policemen flash sunlight in the faces of the watchers on the tower, just as the races arc being run. The next ruse on the part of the pool-room crowd is being awaited with interest.