The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1875-12-25
A sOO-PoUNDER.
The Grand Jury's Report on the Louisiana
Lottery, Yesterday.

To the Honorable Hiram H. Steele, Judge of thu
Superior Criminal Court. for the Parish ol
Orleans.
The Grand Jury Of this parish beg
leave to submit the following report OF
their proceedings during the term now
closed:
This Grand Jury was duly empanncl-
ed and sworn on the fourth day OF
October, A. y. 1876, and entered imme-
diately upon tho disc barge of their
duties, and have, since that time, exam
ined more than fifty criminal cases,
including various charges which we
classify rs follows, viz:
Murder, . manslaugh burglary,
>; arson, 4 rape. 2, embezzlement, 3 +,
perjury, 8 forgery, 4 carrying conceal
cd weapons. II conspiracy, A. kidnap-
ping. 8; shooting, with intent to kill, 1
false imprisonment, 3; assault and bat
terry by police, 3. OF these we have
found true bills as follows:
Murder, 4 manslaughter, 9 burglary,
3 arson. 4; rape, q ;cmbezzlement. i;
perjury, 4 forgery. 4 false imprIson
ment. I.
The inquiry into these cases involved
the examination Of more than two hun
dred witnesses. besides ~ very large
mass Of written evidence from the sew
eral Municipal Courts Of this parish
We regret that our efforts have been
f,ttt1 f., t,t,ip,, m, napItfr,, ,t
any Of the keepers Of gambling houses,
which are well known TO abound In this
city. We believe that the cause Of this
arises mainly from the fact that those
who are the victims Of this system Of
robbery are prompted by shame to con
ceal their misfortunes from the officers
of the law, and to refrain from permit
ting their grievances TO become exposed
by an effort to bring the guilty parties
to justice.
In this connection we would submit
the suggestion that our statutes against
might be made far moro effec-
tive by their application to those who
frequent gambling houses. as well as
those who keep them. In the eyes of
The law, he who offers, aud he who nc
cepts q bribe, are equally guilty. Why
should not The same principle be APP
piled to gambling? We believe that
Dur police force would diligently take
to break up and eradicate this
great and growing evil IL they were en-
by more wholesome. energetic
md stringent statutes bearing against
his crime. They complain, ard we be-
ieve with justice, that the great mum
Der Of persons arrested for. this crime
ire released without punishment We
rust that the General Assembly, which
will soon meet. may be induced to make
sn earnest effort to relieve us Of the
,dium of fostering perhaps . larger
lumber Of these gambling hells, than
my other city Of equal population on
he continent.
The vagrant laws Of the State are ap-
,licable to this class of persons, and |
hould be rigidly enforced. II these
are aptly described us
gambling hells," and wG certainly |
hink they are, where shall we find ap-
,ropriate terms to characterize the
,reat gambling institution known as the
Louisiana State Lottery" We are
ware that former Grand Juries have
drawn attention to this lille
al corporation. How could they avoid
and reconcile the omission to their
onsciences? We feel that il we have
al ~,
hould at least exercise that right. We
% solemnly protest that In our opinion
exerts far greater influence for evil
han all the gambling houses and gam
lers by profession combined. 1t can
ot be denied that thousands and tens
I thousands who would otherwise be
onest laborers turn from their legiti-
late occupations and pursuits, lured
y the ostentatious advertisements and
romises of golden prizes" held out
y this most shameful deception, and
lvest their small pittance in its tick
is to wait In idleness for the great day
drawing" under the foolish delu
ion that they may suddenly become
ch. Even worse, how many clerks,
ashiers, servants and others of all
lasses OF society, entrusted with funds
7 their employers, are daily yielding to
ne temptation to invest greater or
,ss sum Of money as opportunity may
ford, for the enrichment Of this com
any, in the anticipation that they
ill be able to replace such
mounts so purloined. The result is
sappointment-then the sequel-an
lcreased incentive-they double the
mount SO they may be able to cover up
le first defalcation before being de-
,cted. The recital OF these occurrences
ave become SO familiar as to be stale.
ur object in referring to this subject
/, that the attention Of the Attorney
eneral may be drawn to it, and its
aims to legal existence be subjected
, judicial investigation, without COM
lent upon the character OF u Legisla
Ire that would give life to creature
, repugnant to..civilization. We would
limit can such privileges, as are
aimed by this company, be conferred
nder our laws? It does seem strange
us that the same laws should seek to
ippress gambling and also create and
tfampt tn 1aoalize a. hinge gambling