New-York tribune., 1879-11-14
GOVERNMENT NEWS.


GOSSIP.
General Key has issued an order to the
Postmasters at New-York, Louisville and
New-Orleans directing them to return
all postal orders received for certain lottery
concerns, in order that the money may be paid
back to the senders. The Central Pacific
Railroad has supplied to the Government the
full and complete reports required by law.
The report of General NimmO comments on
the facts about American tonnage i'll the
foreign trade with more particularly.
WAR UPON LOTTERY COMPANIES.
THE POSTMASTER GENERAL TAKES ACTION OF A
RADICAL cHARAcrER-rnE MAILS NOT TO BE
MADE USE OF FOR FRAUIgLENT PURPOSES
icy TELEGRAPH To TIE TRIBUSEI
WASHINGTON. Nov. 13.-In one respect, the new
campaign against lotteries promises more than any
previous one to have lasting result. Evidence
has been accumulatng in the Post Office Depart
ment. going to show that the whole lottery system
lii the United States is n swindle For more than q
year. the law officer of the Department has been
conducting an investigation INTO the methods OF
the various lottery companies, and the evidence
obtained j. deemed sufficient TO warrant proceeding
TO eXtremities against the so-called respectable
lottery establishments. The most important por-
Agent Comstock. the substance of which has been
published IN the New-York papers.
The Poslmlstcr-Gencra has directed the
preparation Of orders addressed 10 the postmasters
at New York. Louisville and New-Orleans, direct
inS them 10 return registered letters and to refuse
the payment If money orders addressed TO the fol-
lowing p,rsOns and concerns L. j. Comnerford,
alias Thomas j. Hayes u Co., alias the Common
wealth Distribution Company of Louisville; NJ. A.
Dauphin. Louisiana State Lottery of New-Orleans;
W. X. Porter nd W. G.. Creighton, alias b. II. Por
ter X Co.: Theodore Zsoch, alias B. Nathan n Co..
B. Frank Moore. alias NJ. 4. Dauphin; Williamson
& Co.. alias Royal Havana Lottery Company aud
B. Nathan X Co.
The following is the form OF the order issued:
PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
WAsuINGToN. ID. G.. Nov. 13, Is O. )
n having been represented that Il T. j.
Commeri"rd at Louisville. KY Is engaged tn conduct
ing scheme device for obtaining through the
mails by OF Ia and fraudulent pretences. repre-
seniatons and promises; and being satsfedtrom the
evidence before that the said j. CommcriOrd IA so
po7ilnaster at Louisville XIV, OF any postal money
order drawn to the order OF the said L. j. Com
merlord, secretary of the Commonwealth Distribution
Company. I. j. Commerford and the SAID postmaster
is hereby drected To inform The reniiter oI said postal
dcii. aud that money order Will be re-
applied and obtained under tue regulations of the
ID and upon the same evidence the postmaster
Louisville. Ky aforesaid Is hereby instructed 10 re-
turn all registered letters which shall at his
oice directed To the said T. j. CommerIord. secretary
81 the Commonwealth ID ,triDuOn Company TO the post
masters At fue Offices at wncn they were originally
mailed with the word fraudulent plainly written
stamped upon the outside oi such .etters.
d. ". KEY, Postmaster General.
~ Postmaster Louisr,Hc Ky.
The evidence against many of the persons named
III these orders is deemed sufficient To warrant the
retention and return of ordinary letters, Orders
looking % this end will so be issued at once. The
authority Tor this is found In decision of Attorney
.s a.. th.t na,.ar ant
had the right to frame any regulation to prevent
the pos sa service from being prostItuted to fraud.
In accordance with that decision departmental
regulation was made empowering postmasters to re-
fuse to deliver letters to persons dong business
under fictitious names.
The Postmaster-General is causing reports TO be
prepared 10y several of the pOStmasters OF the cities
where the lottery business flourishes with view
to making recommendation to Congress that more
stringent laws governing the use of the mails for lot
terry purposes be passed. lie intends at the same
time TO lay before Congress detailed evidence to
the character OF the best of the great lottery
Companies.
The Postmaster-General is of the opinion that the
business cannot wholly be broken up so long as
newspapers which advertise lottery schemes are al
lowed free CIRCULATION through tine mails at pound
rates. He will doubtless embOdv this opinion III
some form in his annual report which will be given
to the public next Tuesday
The effect of the recent arrests of lottery dealers in
New York City has been TO close temporarily at least
some of the shops. Anthony Comstock and officers
called at number Of places Thursday 10 serve
warrants issued by United States Commissioner
Shields they found doors closed aud business sus-
pended. For this reason It was found impossible
to make arrests as intended. There are not more
than half dozen of these unserved warrants. c.
L Iinlauer No 80 Mercer-St.. gave bail on Mon
day 10 appear before Commissioner Shields at l
o'clock yesterday afternoon, for examination lie
did not appear at the hour and the bond was or
feitcd Coming in several hours later, he explained
thai he had mistaken the time and was permitted
to give bail in = 900 for appearance in Court.
Eugene Ward. justified as his bondsmen. repre-
sentative of Martinez X Co.. No. 30 Wall-st.. made
arrangements yesterday to give bail and SO avoided
arrest.
AMERICAN TONNAGE.