The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-18
A LOTTERY WAR.
Benjamin Wood and John MOrrissey at Swsrds'
POints-A Magnificent ExpOsure-SOme ebody's
Building Must Come Down.

BENJAMIN Wood and John MOrrIssey mt Swerds'
POints-A Magnificent ExpOsure-SOm eb body's
Building Must Come Down.
war Of no mean magnitude has Just been iIfau-
gurated among the lottery policy dealers OF New
York, which promises some spicy revelations as to
the extent Of the business the amount OF money
voved in 1t, the persons engaged in the enterprise
and the particulars OF the In which IL is con-
Quoted. 1t has been for a long time known that
John Morrlssey, Ben Wood, Zachariah A. Simmons
CHARLES ii. Murray, John Anderson, and other
wealthy men were engaged in the business but 1t is
only recently that the connection OF a number of
Wall street lights has been definitely determined as
being identified with the scheme.
On December 6 a suit was instituted in the Su-
preme Court, Judge Cardozo, on the complaint OF
John horrissey, against zachariah L. Simmons and
others.
Application was then made to Judge Cardozo for
an Injunction and the appointment OF receiver in
the matter of the property and trusts held by the
defendants, and after argument by counsel being
heard in behalf OF the plaintn, Morrissey, and
two OF the defendants Wood and Anderson, 1t
was ordered by Judge Cardozo that Benjamin
Wood, of the city OF New York, be and he is
hereby appointed receiver Of the property, assets
credits, and effects Of the business mentioned
In the complaint and OF the grants franchises,
porate privileges property OF any nature held in
trust or claimed to be held In trust by Charles H.
Murray, Zacharah Z. Simmons and Lewis DAVIS for
the use and benent OF themselves and the other de-
PENDANTS in this action or any OF them, and OF all
the property or rights OF property held, owned, or
controlled by the firm known as c. II. Murray x
Co. :" and that "said receiver execute bond in the
sum OF S0,000 with sufficient securities, to be ap-
proved by justice Of this court conditioned for the
faithful performance OF this trust"
The lottery business in New York alone ia esti-
mated to involve the circulation OF at least 900
annually; and when 1t is considered that the men
named above plaintiff and defendants are the head
and front OF the traffic throughout the country some
idea OF its colossal proportions may be inferred.
Conclusive figures onhis score have never yet Deen
given to the public, but there is no doubt that it will
be unearthed in the course OF the struggle nsu
gurated, and which has just received a double In
centive to desperate contest for the mastery.
The effect of Judge Cardozos order would, in at
least one sense be the placing of immense power in
the hands OF Wood by giving him as receiver the alb
solute control, pendente lite, OF the whole lobby
business, and the appointment OF receiver may in
all likelihood have been about all the ''relief prayed
Tor" in the plaintiffs heart, although OF course,
other 'relief" was "prayed for on the paper. And
here was precisely where the "tug of war; came In.
HorIssey Is believed to have been about as largely
interested in the scheme Wood, and the appoint
was something at least very singular If not wholly
unprecedented. 1t was more than the defendant
the doce and tractable John Morrissey-could
stand, and he accordingly cleared the decks for
action.
A counter-suit was at once commenced In his in
terest Zacharlah f. Simmons being the plaintiff
against Benjamin Wood and others defendants,
and an application was made TO Judge Barnard for
an injunction and the appointment of a receiver.
The suit beyond doubt was engineered by Morris
sey, will be seen when 1t is stated that the result
of the application was, first, the vacation OF Judge
Card0ZOs order appointing Wood receiver, and the
granting Of an order by Judge Barnard appointing
Morrissey receiver, and an injunction restraining all
other parties from in any way interfering with him
in the exercise OF his functions as received, the
terms being similar in substance to the order granted
by Judge Cardozo.
Judge Barnards order was granted on Wednesday
last, and has raised howl OF indignation with dire
threats from the Wood clique, with promises OF
startling disclosures all around of fraud, corruption
and other malfeasances What it will end In is at
cedes from his position, on side or the other it
will "make the fur n.y."