Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-09-27
CIRCULATION OF The CITY PRESS
GIFT CONOERTs

III this city October 18th at Growers Theater
Ostensioly for the benefit OF the Soldiers and
Sailors Orphans. We have now on hand an
accumulation OF fresh inquiries in regard to
the same matter, indicating that there is con-
siderable distrust Of the proJect in the commu-
nifty. One correspondent writes as follows:
The managers of the lottery scheme to which
the Star n few days ago called attention. ha We
attempted TO defend themselves through their
organ They do not dare, no wever. to con.
tradict the assertion that their s25O,OOO in pres.
ents are not worth more thai slO0,OOU, though
they try 10 shlrk the Issue by saying that YOUR
correspondent has not in yeStigated the matter
How could hel They don't desire an investi-
gatoL, and take good care that there shall be
none. Hence the charity blind by which they
deceived the Commissioner of Internal Reye-
nue., and attempted to gull the public.
The thing won't bear investigation. Their
hrst prize is a house on Ii street, between 9th
and 7sh, which they value at Sls,0OO! Do thew
suppose there is an individual in Washington
who does not know that the house is not worth
more than S5,tOO or S6,OOOl They offer also
grand Steinway piano at Sl,5OOi Where is the
article 50 valuable an instrument, if in ex.
lstenee, Is worthy Of special notice. They
also promise carriage and horses worth 8 zoo
is the handsome span purchased the other day
by one OF the managers for 500 TO be metamor.
phased INTO $1,000 worth, or intended merely to
MAINTAIN the Oh unity and style OF a quarter
master They also promise 7i.i53 prizes 1.-THE
whole number Is 75,OOO,) valued at Sl2aOOO.
CONSISTING OF spoons, engravings, books, but
slonal printing, do not cost m UGH, and but ons
are rather cheap article. Ii the managers
spend Sl25,OOO Tor ~, 453 of them, they are not
as sharp as we take them TO be.
Your correspondent supposed that because
the Soldiers and Sailors Union is a political
organization, and several of the managers are
pioneering job might be the obIectof the con-
Germ There is much more reason to believe IT
purely prlyatespeculation for the indi yidual
beneht OF few adventures a.."-
As 10 the AID they have given nropaSod 70
give TO the Orphans Home, we would be glad
10 know that the Orphans are receiving any
I DenenI rom ~ "A great many thousand dol
lars were contributed by our citizens al the
late Orphans Fair, but we have as vet heard
q 10 orphans being sheltered or provided for
mere are some rumors OF chickering's aud
crlmlnaiions among the managers OF the Fair
That DO not indicate charitable or even disiu.
teTes-ed motives on the part of all connected
win III and we may, hereafter, make some in
qulrles into what became of the money raised:
and why such prominent features of the enter
PRISE as the Soda W alter Founta tain and Military
Table welded, during the whole month the Fair
was keP open, emily the paltry SIMS Of 3 $3.50
and s3i o, respectively. Trading In the wants
OF Soldiers Orphans is a mean business
In the reply 70 our article to which our cor
respondent makes reference. we see that II is
claimed thai the fact that the proceeds of the
sales of tickets in New York and Philadelphia
were 10 be deposited in banking houses in
those cities, afforded ga guaranty that the
ally take place" We confess we cannot 500
the guaranty. Supposing the money to have
been deposited, as alleged, what is 10 prev
The managers from checking IL out at any mo-
ment, as they did their deposits with MIR.
Hutchinson, of the Bank of the Metropolis.
announced by them as their treasurer In this
connection we may say that we learn that the
managers of the concern failed to give Mr..
Hutchinson satisfactory guaranty of the good
latin or their enterprise, and that he declined
10 act as their treasurer, "having too little
knowledge OF the diree: managers OF the af.
fair" Now, if the managers of this Gift Con-
cert concern wish TO make the deposite busi
ness test OF good faith, let them deposit the
money in some bank in this city, subject to the
order (for the charitable objects named) of
Some responsible parties outside of their ring
As the matter stands, the pu bic has no guar
anty tnat this splendid scheme OF prizes will
really De placed among the drawable awards
or mat II 80 placed and drawn that they will
De delivered over TO the fortunate drawers
The public must rest entirely upon the honesty
ana pecuniary responsibility of the persons
VINO advertise the scheme. Nearly all the
persons whose names appear in the advertise
nlent are strangers. except the list of eminent
gehtieInen named as references. These refer
ences. when questioned in regard TO the re-
spOnsIbIIify of the managers. state mat thav
know but 'iitle or nothing Of their financial
ability, but speak of them as gentlemen of
good SOCIAL standing As regards the prizes
onered. we think our correspondents, above,
has estimated them at quite their full yaIue
''Gnt Concert jewelry," and articles of that
class which make up most of the prizes in this
scheme, have no quotaoie value thar we ha va
ever seen, and we therefore dismiss them "a an
much chat. We come next to the real estate
the nSs brick houses, and the s.fine city lots
Oh seventh street NORTH" This property
Iooks Ike something tangible, and we doubt
not has been the principal attraction and
source OF confidence to the purchasers of
tickets The leading prize announced is s.a
three story brick residence on II strset Ia.
tween 9th and eth, SIS, 900" This properly We
find valued on the Assessors books al si.4s9
the LOT being estimated at so62 and the honse Al
s5'SoO. This, IL will be SEEN f. less than ona-
lou1tn tne value assumed for IL in the q N
Soncert scheme. We may assume that the real
Naiue OF the other real estate prizes bears about
the same proportion to the assumed valps in
the sehfme. But we cannot learn tina. thu
managers Of the Gift Concert have arop,rad
the utie TO single inch OF this real estate n
rs remarkable that the City Hall records show
no transfer OF such properly TO them, since
they hold forth the inducements to purchaser.
OF tickets that the deeds, are All raadv g.
transmission TO the lucky drawers
We may add, however, as a drop of comfort
for ticket holders. that we have no douht h,,
that the drawing will come OF, and thar a con-
siderable quantity of buttons &c, will be dis
Pensec IN the way of prizes. According 70 the
representations In behalf OF the Gift Concert
scheme some Of its patrons have had faith
enough IN II 10 buy hundreds Of dollars worth
% aeS individually. Should they fail TO
4lize their bright anticipations Of drawing
big prize-a three-story brick house, $500
piano, OF 81 GO team, &c.,-we can only re.
peat for their benefit the saying Of the wise
man of old concerning the facility with which
persons Of a certain quality Of mind are de-
tached from their pecuniary resources.
MUSTERED OFT