Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-11-22
THE HAVANA LOTTERY.
How 1t is operated.

y
have been in this city, and many who
have not, know something of the Havana
lottery, but q brief description of the
ntodus operandi may not be amiss. 1t
is an old institution, from which the
government has long derived consider
able revenue. At present the drawings
are held every seventeen days, and the
scheme is as follows For each drawing
there are issued by the government 26,-
600 tickets, at 800 each, amounting in
the aggregate to $500, 900, Of which sum
rs per cent. is distributed in prizes.
The tickets are printed in fractions,
having on them the consecutive numbers
from 20 $4,000 The prizes are-l OF
S1O0, 900, l Of $4,000, l Of 500, 900, l
of $40. 900, 2 of $4,000, "A of $1,000, So
of $500, 102 of s400, and 225 of $3.50.
There are, besides, approximation prizes,
as follows: The SO remaining numbers
of the hundred in which the highest
prize faces are each entitled to $500 (foT
example, if number 1854 gains the
sl0U, 900, the numbers from 1854 to
1850 each gain 5000; in the same
manner there are SO approximation prizes
of $3.50 to the one of $4,000, and SO Of
s100 to the $4,000, and q approxima-
tions Of 5000 each to the remaining
number of the tens in which the prize Of
$40, 900 and the two of $4,000 fall. These
make in all 739 prizes, amounting to
S390,000 The tickets are bought by
the biIIeteros or street vendors from the Of
fee at $40 and retailed at S2l %. A con
siderable number Of men and women,
probably two or three hundred, thus gain
a living in this city, where they are to be
seen in all the principal thoroughfares
cafes, and other places of resort, as also
in all the cities Of the Island. The day
before the drawing they are especially
Unfortunate in their solicitations, -four
ishing their tickets and shouting Justify
LIE jeuga nranana /" Played to-mOr-
row.,
The drawings are held publicly in the
court of the Treasury building, and are
superintended by several officers of the
government. In a large globe (having
a sliding door big CROUCH to admit q
man ARM are placed 20, 600 bits of ivory
of the size of dime, having en- then
the consecutive numbers from l to 26,-
GOO. In smaller globe are placed sim
liar bits of ivory having on them the
various prizes from 800, 900 down. After
the globes have been revolved and the
bits Of ivory well shaken, two small boy:
| (from the orphan asylum perform the
drawing. One boy inserts his hand into
the large globe and takes out number
which ne exhibits to the inspectors anc
then calls out. At the same time th'
other boy draws from the other globe ;
prize, which he also exhibits to the in
spectors, and calls out. A man whC
stands in readiness writes on black
board, placed in view of the spectators
each number and prize as they are called
And so the drawing is continued unit
all the prizes are drawn from the smalle
globe. To physiognOmist it affords nj
| little amusement to watch the crowd o
eager expectants, as the boys themselve
SO mechanically and indiferently draw
and call out numbers and prizes IN thei
shrill tenor. Tres mil dos eientos UteH
teochol pipes one; Cuatro cientos pesos
responds the other; and instantly on th'
black board is written No. 8, ,228-S4OO-
and so on to the end.
l have never heard any fraud charged
and do not think that any exists in th'
management of the lottery. The bes
evidence of this is, that the large prize
often fall to persons who could not b.
any possibility, be in eollusion with th'
managers; and the fact that government
officials, merchants, and others who WoulC
soon detect fraud (if there were any.
constantly buy the tickets.
have heard some curious incident'
related Of the lottery. A Commercial
house of this city had subscribed TO
several years for whole ticket of Ger
tain number. At length they becam'
involved, and having to pay suddenly
about 5000 were unable to command
the amount. The day before the draw
ing the tieket-seller went as usual to thei
counting room with the ticket. One o
the partners told him to go and sell it u
some one else, that they would not tax
it any longer. He did 50; and the mex
morning that ticket drew sl00, 0,OOO-an'
the house failed.
A man bought whole ticket, whicl
he kept for several days bat the da,
before the drawing he met, the man VIII
had sold it to him and requested him T.
give him another for it, as he did no
fancy the number. The vender ex
changed with him, and the first ticke
drew 100000.
A gentleman of my aequaintanc
bought a whole ticket, which he carried
| in his pocket-book for several days, an,
then exchanged three-fourths Of it viii
some of his friends for other numbers
The ticket drew 100000.
| Many strange stories are told of peo
! pie dreaming of certain numbers, AM
thereby gaining prizes. l have know
many persons to dream that certain mum
bers drew prizes-but the dreams neye
came true.
The net amount derived last year fror
this source was 81, ,739, ,2SS; on the whole
the lottery may be regarded as one
the worst means of raising revenue. III
tendency is demoralizing, and is partieu
larly Injurious to the negroes, Chimes
and other poor people. By an easy cal
culation it viii be found that the holde
of ticket, or fraction of one, has bu
lone chance in thirty five Of gaining any
thing. 1t is true that by this means
few are made Independent, but man
poor persons spend all their earnings !
, vain. and are kept in penury by payin
constantly for the bare possibility
gaining fortunes.
The existence of the lottery is, n
doubt. one great cause of the squali
poverty SO common in Havana