The Lake County star., 1877-06-14
The Kentucky Public Library
Lottery. t

Kentucky some years ago wanted q
public library, and to procure 1t with
out cost the State Legislature author
lied lottery to be run for q certain
number Of years The results were, OF
course, pernicious, not only In Ken
lucky, but throughout the country,
where the tickets were sold-Ken-
lucky through her agents, carrying on
q demoralizing traffic in defiance of
the laws of nearly all the other States.
The profits Of the lottery were great,
but only q small part Of them found
their way into the treasury of the
library, much larger sums being di-
vided among the managers, and these
managers have never made satisfac-
tory financial statement. The trustees
of the library, though men heretofore
esteemed; appear to have been de-
moralized by seeing these great sums
gathered and dissipated in irregular
ways. They wanted 4 share of the
spoils, and seem to have secured It. At
any rate, the resources of the library
have been squandered, the number of
books appears to be much smaller than
was represented, the building is un-
suitable for Its purpose, there are no
funds to pay insurance or other neces-
sary expenses, but some of the trustees
have had suspiciously large incomes.
A suit has lately been brought on be-
half of all the creditors Of the library
to compel the partners In the manage
ment Of the lottery to pay back the
profits they received. in fraud, 1t Is
claimed, oft he public as benefioihries
Of the charity, OF the corporation itself
and ofthe ticket holders. Some Of the
ticket holders are among the creditors
who bring the suit, and their represen-
tative and counsel is Mr.. Blant0n Dun
can. "ir,-i f.a ,..f,uft aa
The most interesting development
of the suit so far Is long affidavit OF
DIR. G. Q. Duncan, Q gentleman more
than ninety years Of age, who has been
trustee Of the library from the be-
ginning, but is not at ali satisfied with
the way its afiAirs have been managed.
Herspresents that the library building,
which has cost $3l0, 900, Is dark, damp
and rr1alarious, the books are ruined by
dampness and mold, the librarian is
afraid to stay In his rooms.on account
Of their unhealthiness, and several Of
the persons employed have contracted
serious illness there. The trustees
bought an old law library from Colonel
DuIIctsy V00 Il Kc8luont OI Inc bO8TOs
which was of little real value and
many Of the books 50 worthless that
they were torn nupandsen to the paper
mill. The trustees paid "a, 400 for q
manuscript catalogue which was never
made, and DR.. Graham says never
will be, as IL would expose the charac-
ter Of the books In the library and An
ally destroy All public confidence in
IL. He says that ]2, 400 was paid to the
law partner of the President Of the
Board Of Trustees ~ 4 general retainer
for several months, during which there
was no litigation nor any legal service
of any. kind to be done. One Of the
clerks was paid IS, 900 In addition TO
his salary, rs q compliment. Other
large sums were paid FOR lobbying In
the Legislature and for editorial writ
ing In the city newspapers. Twenty
two thousand dollars were sunk In
establishing o Newspaper In order TO
placate one of the trustees who had
been turned out through the influence
Of the President Of the Board. Other
persons confirm some Of statements,
and one gentleman afiirms that when
the lottery drawings were all over and
several hundred thousand dollars were
on hand to be divided between the
library and the lottery managers, the
latter divided it all among themselves,
leaving the library nothing. Thus we