Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-01-29
Lottery Advertisements and Gift En-
terpriSeS.

A correspondent writes us as follows:
One thing think you ought to notice and
give word of warning, that is to save your
patrons from being duped by New York lot
terry and other swindlers. When L COM
menced to take the FREEMAN there was new
advertisement IS The Merchants and Bank
ers Presentation Enterprise. 1t read well,
and some young friends thought, seeing it
in the FREEMAN, the old friend and family
newspaper, there must be something to it,
so they bought tickets in club and paid
their money. After the drawing commenced
they were notified that all prizes valued over
800 would be charged with five per cent,
which must be paid or the prize would be
forfeited. So, out come prize in few
days valued at 5000, five per cent $40 to
be paid, which, with other money, was for
warded in a registered letter, and the prize
came by express at a further cost of 50 cents,
and was not worth us many cents as it cost
dollars. Why not caution the public against
such rascals?
If it was possible for the publisher of
newspaper to know the exact truth of every
statement made by those who purchase space
in its advertising columns to announce their
business, there I'M ght be much reason in our
correspondents complaint. But publisher
who should attempt to verify every state
ment made by an advertiser, before giving it
publicity, would have time for nothing else
Those who were swindled by this % New
York Lottery had precisely the same
means of knowing its genuineness that we
had, as we had nothing but the advertise
ment to judge from, and they had the same.
Merchants frequently announce in our ad-
hot coll in No
greatly below cost-shall we caution our
readers against trusting to such declarations?
or shall we exclude them until we have
examined the merchants bills and his prices
and verified his statements We cannot I'M
dertake to do either of these things, because
if we did we should have no time TODD any,
thing else.
And our readers ought to understand that
we endorse or commend nothing that APP
pears advertisement in our columns
merely by the fact of inserting it nor do
we endorse what are called - reading-matter
notices. Sometimes we commend an ad-
vertiser or his wares to the public being
what they are represented to be, and when
we do this it is from personal knowledge, or
reliable information. As to the rest of the
advertisements the reader must judge for
himself as he would if the advertiser came
to him through any other channel.
Judging. however, from the experience
narrated by our correspondent, and the re-
suits of investments made in similar enter
prises by other parties, we are of the opin-
ion that lotteries, gift enterprises, and the
various schemes which promise to return ten
dollars or one hundred dollars for every dol
lar invested, furnish ready and easy meth
cd for getting rid of surplus cash. The
prizes promised do not come. Then, reader,
we admonish you to let lotteries gift schemes
and all grand presentation enterprises en-
tirely alone, and profit by this example of
the young friends " whose experience our
correspondent has given.