The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-03-13
bcrs were drawn in the order which they

sworn Commissioners
SIMMONS ~ DICKINSON,
ID And again:
The subscribers, appointed to supern
tend the drawing of the Frankfort LOTTERY
of Kentucky, for the support of the public
school of the City of Frankfort, class No
oOl, for 1879, hereby certify that the follow
ing are the numbers which were this day
drawn from the Is placed in the wheel, viz
v 40, 30, 80, AZ, 81, "a, 3, 49, 81 81, 10, 81, A
and the said numbers were drawn in the
u order i'll which they stand above.
n Witness our hands at CovingtOn, KY, this
Monday, August %, 1879. -
( II. III. RAMSEY,
d L.. ID. CRONINGER,
Sworn Commissioners
SIMMONS d. DICKINSON,
If ... Managers.
- Is there any person who is possessed OF
D any intelligence but what can plainly see
t that it is simply an impossibility for Sim
: mons ~ Dickinson to draw two lotteries at
the same time, in the same place, in the
!, same class, and have the drawn numbers
1 IDENTICALLY the same in each drawing,
= and in the EXACT ORDER DRAWN! Is not
e this palpable fraud?
n Ticket buyers in Simmons tS Dickinson s
LOTTERIES carefully digest what is
I above written, and govern yourselves ac-
cordingIy.
. Prominent among the strictly legal
and well-advertised highly moral
swindles, comes also the "TEXAs
GIFT CONCERT ASSOCIATION! one
of the most successful swindles. The
receipts of the managers of this
scheme are estimated at about 500,
QUO, the greater part of which sum was
divided between them as profits. So
skillful were they in working the mat
ter to success, that "they secured
vouchers for their respectability and
honesty of intention from nearly all
the business men and firms of Denni-
son, and these form part of the
records in the case.
"The report of the special agent of
the department who was chiefly in
strumental in bringing to light the
nature of the fraud which was being
perpetrated, is as follows:
SAINT LOUIS, Mo-, Sept. 18th, 1875.
| SIR: In compliance with your lnstruc-
| tions of the LIST instant, [ have the honor to
report that have made another visit to
Dennison, Texas, for the purpose Ofinves-
| tigating the workings of the ''TeXas Gift
| Concert Association" i" located at that place.
On former visit, by your order on the
| 1st of June last, found that Il ''drawing"
had been only a day or two before, and the .
swinde at that time had not been developed
sufficiently to enable me to discover the
amount of money paid TO the ticket-holders
or given the city of Dennison, as promised
in thpir pjprnlnrS and advertisements. The
whole business was so carefully guarded
| from outside scrutiny and investigation,
and the concern had so many followers and
advocates, that l then found it impossible
to develop any points upon which to hang
an affidavit, except to the general fact that
the concern was conducted in violation of
the Constitution and laws of the State.
Even on this second occasion | should
probably have been batlled had not the
thieves fallen out among themselves over
division of the spoils. In this investiga-
ton | travelled many miles and examined a I
great many witnesses. Without going into
all the details | will give the salient points
of complaints against this institution,
which 1 can substantiate if called upon TO s
do so in any further controversy. l have {
confidently determined that the Texas Gift
Association is false and fraudulent, to {
which make affidavit as herewith, for the
following reasons:
Pending the first "drawing'' of this con- t
cern, the managers advertised that $4,000 !
had been by them deposited in the First
National Bank of Dennison for the pro- I
lection of the ticket-holders. This was t
false. Only 5000 or $400 were at any time
on deposit with that bank in behalf of this a
association, and on the day of the drawing G
only 70 cents were to their credit. On the r
contrary, there was written agreement
made by and between the parties in this q
concern, that all money coming to them ,
l. = Asa1ra 30 Oh, h4aI !
equally divided among them every night. S
The advertisements sent out to the public n
stated that the profits of this enterprise
would be given to the city of Dennison for ;
public improvements. The sum promised il
was not less than $4,000. The actual
amount expended for such purposes was
less than 81 800. The number of tickets or Il
coupons offered for sale was 100000. After !,
one postponement it was determined to IL
have drawing on May 31st, 1915. 1t was Il
hen announced that only 20 per cent. of I
he tickets had been sold, or 3oO,OOO at
81 each, coupons. This drawing was a a
arce and fiction. No such amount of /,
money as stated had ever been received
rom the public for tickets sold. COnse- n
luently drawing upon that basis could
lot have been made. The facts are that
'nly about 100000 were ever received by i
hem and the drawing was only delusion n
nd blind. An examination of tickets ~
old showed that none were given out in Il
consecutive numbers. For instance, one :,
person purchased six tickets which were -
81, 80, 5S, 60, 62, and 64. Even lC
Iumbers were sold and odd numbers held n
" the managers. When the drawing was
ad tags were placed in the wheel repre- az
enting unsOld tickets and the prizes H.
nnounced. for them, which plan would
nable the managers to manipulate the cash 81
t their pleasure to give out the prizes or is
withhold them at will. No names were
allied at the drawing, and when the list of az
hose who had drawn prizes was published i'm
t was noticed that the numbers did not =,
orrespond with those published at the I'll
inc of drawing. Of course some money OF
ad to be given to ticket-holders to make
how. But the capital prize was awarded u
20 per cent. of S50,0OO) to confederate OF W
he managers, who, am advised received l.,
800 for his services. In all, ! believe, lid
bout three or four thousand dollars were IN
isbursed to the public, leaving very a.
mug little sum to divide among the man Ill
gers of this swindle. | "interviewde" pr
ZEN TO whom the managers of this assOcia- tb
on confessed that the affair was gotten up
, ''beat the people" sa
| think that the association in their
second grand distribution" which is
nnounced to be for the benefit of the
rders of Masonry and dOdd-FellOwship. are
sing names to their certificates without
nthority. They claim on their circulars -
,rtain tTeaSurers of the order to build a on
temple"C.D This is false. No such fund has co
yer been deposited for this or any other ch
urpose. The managers of this swindle lat
-e about to issue circular announcing rp,
mother 'spostpOnement." to enable them -,
, still further defraud the public. The ="
w Masons and Odd-Fellows who had y
,mmitted themselves to this scheme have WI
ithdrawn their support and have 80 an NJ
Dunced to the public. co
In the Grayson County court there are be
N indictments against the managers Of ~
lis lottery awaiting trial. | append here -, -
ith a statement Of Edward Perry, Esq. ~
ice President Of the First National Bank
Deunison also a statement Of James
eonard. Esq, Treasurer Of Texas Git pr
oncert Association; also a statement en-
ON some Of the busineks men Of DennisOn; NJ
50 a card from Masons and Odd-Fellows. or,
, conclusion recommend that the Texas tn
in Concert Association" be forbidden -
Ie use Of the United States mails for the
rculafion Of their documents or the recep- "
an Of monev-orders or registered letters. IN