Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-06-03
From the New York Atlas.
The Georgia Lotteries OF 8. Swan T. Co

From the New York Atlas.
The Georgia Lotteries OF 8. Swan 4 Co.
Considerable excitement has been created dur.
ing the past two days, by the announcement that
Mayor Tiemann had succeeded in obtaining the in!
dictment Of Benjamin Wood, Of our city by q
special jury, at Augusta, Georgia, as one Of the
owners Of the Sparta Academy Lottery"
the 'fSparts Academy Lottery" as it exists In
Georgia, we don't propose to NEEDLE; but when
one Of our rather prominent citizens is indicted for
a CRIMINAL ~offense, we, as public journalists, deem
it our duty to lay such facts or allegations as bear
upon this case, before our readers.
From statements made to us. and of the cor
rectness Of which we are satisfied, it appears that
the State Of Georgia granted to the "spartaAca
envy" in the year 1925, the right to raise Ave
thousand dollsrs by lottery, for educational pur-
poses. This grant lay for many years inert and
useless for the purpose Intended, in consequence
of the inability Of its corporators to carry out the
object contemplated.
Some time ago Mr.. Wood, in connection With
parties in Georgia, purchased from the existing
trustees the privilege Of drawing this lottery, and,
contracted to pay the Sparta Academy. the O.
mount designated by the act, in certain equal an
nual installments. These instruments have been
punctually paid and it is further. stated that s;l
Of the prizes which were drawn by any purchasers
Of tickets, from time to time, have been promptly
met, and the parties concerned as owners and
managers are entirely responsible. Thus much Of.
our information.
Aperusal Of the act Of incorporation certainly
shows that the 'trustees, " or their successors Ii
Office had o right to- raise the sum Of FIVE thou-g
sand dollars by lottery, and the. question as to
uhofhar a aukaanuauf ahou0a ~ the akaka Honok{-E
tuition, declaring alliotteries Illegal, could destroy
q vested right, Is one which the Courts alone. can
decide. 1t certainly seems to US, that our worthy
Mayor is adopting the .largest liberty" idea, in
extending his investigation of Statutory and Con.
stituionsl provisions into other bailiwioksthan his
own. We are prepared to Cooperate heartily with
him In all home reforms which he may attempt,
if they be stopages Of lecks at the bung rather
than the spiggot; but wa honestly think be hassil
he can do here, in supervising the vice which Ia
SO rife in our midst, without going to Georgia I'd.
reform its abuses.
There's o deal Of humbug In this world hidden
under the mask Of reform, and we are sometimes,
inclined TO think that even lottery schemes are no
worse than stock brokering, or any one OF the
thousand speculations into which men enter for
the chances of making money.
We learn that this "Sparta Academy Lottery,
Is still drawing, notwithstanding the Indictment,
and that itslegality is to be tested before the
courts. Instead ofbreaking up thelottery con.
Germ, we think the measures taken to effect that
object, will only serve to increase the sale Of tick.
cts and we doubt If $4,000 invested in the
advertising, would have conduced so much TO the
interest fthe managers as the publicity which
has been given to the fact Of their Indictment
People Who spend their money in lotterytickes.
dom much care whether the. game is legalzed or
| orkIowad All 0oD,hIson so sIiocol ond uk Gan,
bling is o passion that will seek qualification In
defiance Of all laws. The attention ofths whole
"sporting" worlds nov DIRECTED to awap y Goa
lotteries, through the free advertising which they
have obtained from the movements Of Mayor
Tiemann to suppress them.
From what we have read, there certainly sp-
pear to be two, sides to the matter, which will give
rise to nice questions of law, Notwithstanding the
summary action ofthe Georgia jury.
Mr.. Wood has published o card which We insert
in justice to him, that he may have the benefit Of
his own version of the matter.
ACARp.-Mya~ attention has been called to o cor
respondence between Mayor Tiemsnn, Howell
Cobb, and the authorities of Georgia, upon the
subject of the Sparta AcademyLottery. My name
is mentioned as one of the owners Of the Lottery.
lam one of the owners, have paid tAs franchise,
and the Lottery has been created and sanctioned
W tue AiBioatofo VI 0eoFBUa, ouu 10 legal. All
my transactions with reference to the said Lottery
are consequently legitimate, and the money has
been promptly paid to the trustees Of the Sparta
Academy, who are well.knowp, honorsblemen. The
Mayor Of this city, 10 his mistaken zeal to reform
the morals of the people of Georgia, and inform
them that they do not know what laws are binding
and in force in their State, despatched as his agent
for that purpose, aconvicted thief, who had been
on the tread,mill in England. and;as his associate.
In the embassy, o man who refused to answer tue
question as to whether he had been accused of
crime in Boston and by giving them the sanction
Of his name, the Mayor has introduced these
characters into the society Of gentlemen. One Of
these men receives 5000 per month from an 7oppo.
sition lottery concern to protect their interest In
New York, and to destroy rival concerns. This
fact is known to Mayor Tiemann. This attempt
is made to ipjure me politically, as we'll as to sd-
vance the interests of q member Of Congress from
my district. The facts Of this case, snda full ex-
pose of the motives and the reasons which induced
Mr.. Cobb to mix himself up with the matter, will
hereafter DO explained, and the public satisfied
that the Sparta Academy Lottery Is neither ille-
gal nor the Managers irresponsible hut that the
object Of the attack is purely 0 political onei else
why not take measures against the lotteries Of
Delaware and Maryland
New York, May 81, 1863. s5
Correspondence OF the Chsrleston Courier.