[blml] almost TD problem

[Jeff Easterson]

Ahoy blmlers!  This is not a TD or rules problem; rather one of 
behaviour and I'd be interested in a few opinions (punishment? if yes, 
severity thereof).
The story was recounted to me by a lady acquaintance; I wasn't there -- 
but let us assume her story is accurate.
She was playing in a provincial French club near her place of (partial, 
some months of the year) residence.  She plays there occasionally, She 
is a player of discreet playing strength, middle class at most and very 
charming.  She also is reserved and does not like to make waves.  She 
was playing (at table) against the strongest pair in the club (in 
provincial French clubs this does not mean much), two elderly gentleman, 
one of whom was the expresident of the club.  The TD was very inexperienced.
She was first to call and passed.  LHO opened 1 diam. (5 card majors, 
strong NT, everything basically natural), her partner doubled and RHO 
bid 2 spades.  This was weak but that was only ascertained later, is 
however quite normal in the club I think.  The lady (not vul) held a 
4-5-1-3 distribution with Qxxx in spades, Jxxxx in hearts, and Kxx in 
clubs.  The single diam. was a small one.  She passed, not necessarily a 
popular decision I suspect, 3 hearts is surely an alternative.  LHO bid 
3 diam., partner passed as did RHO and she now bid 3 hearts.  Great 
uproar at the table, her partner had hesitated before passing said the 
opponents.  The lady hadn't noticed (I said she was only a discreet 
player).  TD was called. He repeatedly asked the lady if her partner had 
passed and she repeatedly said she didn't know, she had been 
concentrating on her cards, planning possible future action. Okay, as 
corollary to the rule "if it hesitates, shoot it" I think any sensible 
TD assumes there was a hesitation (wouldn't hurt to look at the hand of 
partner, which TD did not do).  If a player claims to not have noticed 
then either he/she was asleep, dead or protecting partner, not wanting 
to "betray" him.  That is my experience at this level.  But, in my 
opinion irrelevant, let us assume there was a hesitation. The question 
is now only if 3 hearts is an almost automatic bid (assuming a pass in 
the previous round) or if there is a logical alternative (pass).  In my 
opinion 3 hearts is automatic but that is not the point of this.  TD 
said to continue play/bidding.  LHO doubled 3 hearts and the lady made 9 
tricks (after it was passed out).  Her partner had something like  AJ10x 
in spades, KQ10 in hearts (or she had the 10)  xxx in diamonds and Q10x 
in clubs.  (Spades were 5-1.)
After play the gentleman LHO who was N or S scored the hand as 3 hearts 
making, -140 for NS. The lady said it had been doubled. The gentleman 
said he knew this but refused to score it as doubled after the 
hesitation.  He was quite adamant about this and refused to call the TD. 
  The lady (who didn't want to make waves and cause any problems as a 
foreigner) did not call either so the score was recorded as 140.
Now we finally get to my question.  Assuming that you, as TD, had been 
called, or was informed in some way of the occurrence, what would you 
do? (I don'tmean about the result, I mean what would you do or say to 
the gentleman who scored it.) Procedural penalty?  How high?  More 
draconic action?  The action of the gentleman is really mind-boggling, 
unheard of.  He refuses to record a result as played at table, willfully 
records a different result (score difference  of (for him) 75% or 0%), 
and does not call the TD.  How do you treat him as TD? Your reactions 
would interest me.  Ciao, JE