The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-08-10
Something ,Lar Interest. More Than

SomethiuR tnHt Ahperesis 'A
One.
Mr.. William S. HuLchins, formerly
produce commission merchant ID oen-
tire WHEELING, was yesterday arralgneu
before Justice Johnston on charge OF
holding lottery or rattle, for the dis-
posal of two watches and horse, the
affair taking place some time IN July
last. The gentleman asserts that be-
fore entering into the speculation he
took counsel of several individuals, ana
was Informed that the like was very
common occurrence in our city, ana
that it was no violation of law. Ana IL
was also asserted-with perfect truth
that the same lottery business had been
carried on by different churches at tes-
rivals which had been held within
few weeks past, and no complaint had
been raised against it.
Mr.. Hutchins plead guilty to the
charge that had been preferred against
him. The Justice was compelled to hoId
him to bail for his appearance at Court,
which he did in the sum of six hundred
dellars. The cause of the complaint
made arises from the fact that said
Hutchins drew one watch aud the horse,
which gave the impression to the CON-
plainants that the drawing had not been
honestly conducted. But nothing went
to show that any ehicanery had been
practiced.
For the enlightenment of our readers
we append the statute relating to lot
teries, hoping that all will read it:
'If free person shall sit up or pro-
mote, or be concerned in managing a
lottery or rattle, for money or other
thing of value, or knowingly permit
such lottery in any house under his con-
troll, OF knowingly permit money or
other property to be rallied for in such
house, or to be won therein, by throw
ing or using dice, or by any other game
of chance, or knowingly permit the sale
in such house of any chance or ticket
in, or share of ticket in lottery, or
any writing certificate, bill, taken or
other device purporting or intended to
guarantee or assure to any person, or
entitle him to a prize or share of or in
terest in a prize to be drawn in a lottery
or shall, for himself or another person,
by sell or transfer, or have in his pos
session for the purpose OF sale, or with
interest to exchange, negotiate or trans
fer, or shall aid in selling, exchanging,
negotiating or transferring a chance or
ticket in or share of ticket in a lottery
or any such writing, certificate, bill,
token or device. he shall be confined IN
Jail not more than one year, and fined
not exceeding five hundred dollars"
1t will be observed that, by this law,
any person buying lottery ticket, or
any person selling the same, is liable to
prosecution, fine and imprisonment. We
commend the above statute to the
prayerful consideration of people hold
ing festivals, for whatever purpose, un-
der the sun or over it.
We have ever thought, and think 1t
now pertinent to remark, that the lot
terry OF chance plan entered into by
church festivals for the purpose of rails
ing money, is wrong in itself, an
christian, and has very bad influence
upon the community. If the church
has right to enter into this business,
an outside individual certainly is EN-
titled to the same privilege. And if a
church is allowed to indulge in the mat
ter, an individual is surely justified in
the same undertaking. If one is pun
ished. the other should be punished
also.