Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-01-16
Lottery sWINDIES.

calling themselves lottery companies have
been coming money out of the credulous
public by this means. Most OF these ras-
Gals proceed very simply. They send out
flaming circulars all over the country, and
every night they divide the money sent to
them for the purchase Of tickets. The re-
ceipts of one of these companies is said to
have been 100000. Bogus land compa-
MES employ the same methods, and reap
large returns from the unwary. But it is
necessary to emphasize the fact that all
these and multitude of lesser swindles
derive their influence from the existence of
one or two honestly conducted lotteries, or
lotteries which are under State supervis-
ion. These few fair enterprises have been
the parents of swarm of frauds, and the
fact shows that the legalization Of lotteries
under any circumstances is against public
policy Few people have any idea of the
ramihcations of the lottery swindling busi-
ness, and therefore it may be useful to
discuss it little. 1t is not only such
swindles as the Postmaster General calls
attention to that are plundering the public.
They are merely the apex of an inverted
pyramid, and they support and give lite to
a myried minor frauds, all of which are
comprised under the generic head OF
"Bunko Games" These bunko games
are pursued by legion of petty thieves and
swindlers, who bestow more patient care
and adroitness upon their preparations than
would suffice to earn them their living in
an honest occupation. The basis of all
these frauds is pretended lottery. a
room is prepared, and hung round with cir
culars and placards of all the current lotter-
les, and this is the trap into which victims
are steered "by the cappers of the games.
The tricks resorted to for the purpose of
Cabling the intended dupe have
been described so frequently that
it might be thought impossible to
find anyone unacquainted with them.
Yet experience proves that the
victims of bunko thieves are drawn
from all classes, and that not only verdant
countrymen but shrewd and veteran
lawyers and business men not seldom fall
into the trap, and are plucked. The bunko
thieves are students of human nature, and
rely strongly upon the Discrimination of
those they have robbed to confess their
greenness by appearing to prosecute.
When people find how simply they have
been cheated they are usually SO ashamed
of their own stupidity that they will
rather bear the loss than go into Court
As the thieves always endeavor to trap
strangers in preference to residents, more
over, the dupes are reluctant to stay in the
place long enough to prosecute, and there
fore can usually be induced, as last re-
sort, to 60 away, by returning part of
the plumber to them.
1t is evident that the bunko business rests
almost entirely upon the lottery business,
and that if the lotteries were Suppressed
those who fleece the public in this way
would be compelled to invent new devices.
That bunko games are profitable cannot be
doubted. for they evidently support large
number of thieves. The bunko games
have been played in this city of late to
such an extent as to call for remedial action
on the part of the authorities The prac-
ticability of driving out the knavcs who
practice these impostures cannot be
doubted. Energetic action on the part of
the police has before now effected COM
plete clearance in similar cases, and it
would have the same effect here and now 1t
is one of the plainest duties of government,
local, state and national, to protect the
people against systematic frauds of this
character, and if the machinery of the law
is put in operation energetically the au-
thority to remove the abuse will not fail at
pinch. All lotteries, whether honestly
or dishonesty conducted, are demoralizing.
They lead to the abandonment of sober
industry, to the squandering of hard earned
money, to the fostering of extravagant ex-
pectations, to the loss of time and temper
to the uniting of their victims for the
duties of life. They are one of the worst
forms of gambling when taken at their
best. As commonly practiced they are
naked robbery. The mass of gull
hbility which constitutes the field
of enterprise explored by the lot
terry and bunko thieves is SO extensive
that it is vain to hope for its speedy re-
demption. The people who fall into the
traps laid for them by bunko-steerers and
three-card monte men, and experts in the
strap game, undoubtedly belong to that
class of born pigeons who are predestined
to be plucked. But though it may be I'M
possible for any precaution to save them
from their destiny, it is none the less the
duty of the Government, and especially
of the police, to protect them, and any city
in which swindlers are permitted to flourish
has just cause of complaint against its
municipal officers.
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