SUGGESTED PROTECTION FOR THE SMALL BETTOR. 283 



in defiance of the law ; nor should any betting-man be allowed 

 to leave until he had paid after every race, nor any one else 

 till all just claims on him had been settled. A small distinctive 

 badge might be worn on the arm to denote that the wearer 

 was a bookmaker, with his name legibly written on it ; and 

 there should be persons appointed to hear any complaints, 

 and the offender should be at once expelled and proclaimed 

 a defaulter, and not allowed again to enter until he had satis- 

 fied all just demands upon him. The fantastic garments now 

 often worn for the sake of attracting the attention of investors 

 should be forbidden. 



Such a provision would put an effectual stop to ready- 

 money betting, which, although proscribed by the law, is 

 still practised to an alarming extent, and winked at by the 

 authorities. A few policemen at each gate, and a small reserve 

 force at command to take into custody offenders against this 

 salutary rule, would soon enforce it. The transgressors, like 

 those of the other ring, should be taken at once before the 

 magistrate and relegated to the police-station until the 

 charge of taking money for bets before the race could 

 conveniently be preferred. A few convictions would soon 

 convince the delinquents that though they might not admire 

 the law, they must, like other people, obey it. The same 

 sharp measure would put an end to the other illegal prac- 

 tices, such as the exhibition of lists, of any structure, an 

 umbrella, stool, or bag to mark a fixed spot ; and the result 

 would be, one and all would be compelled to resort to 

 the appointed spot prepared for their reception and for the 

 protection of others. That pest of the turf, the welsher, 

 would be done away with, and the poor man would be able, 

 as he is entitled to be, to bet his shilling or two with the 

 same amount of protection as the larger bettor who lays 



