Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-07-07
Opinions As to Its Fairness and the
Manner Of Its Workings.
(From the CHICAGO Times Mav1s 1888

nowhere more strongly represented than In Chicago
Is well known to all that the early legislators Of the
na'e OF Illinois, In their desire to protect the morals Of
the commonwealth enacted constitutional provisions
1oroddlng the by the General Assembly
any lottery or gift enterprise within the State In
cordance with these provisions laws have been passed
and 30 far as Illinois is concerned the lottery business
ID under the ban. But In other States and notably
the SOUTH different ideas have governed and as the
effect OF the lotteries established under the sanction
local laws in Louisiana is by means confined to that
SIate' becomes matter OF general interest to trace
the1r workings. For this reason The TIMES has made
thorough and searching Investigation into the
IN which the great lottery Of the country
sending OF its reporters to Louisiana to
,nto anars on the ground The result Of his inquiries
Is given herewith His instructions to make thor
ough examination into the financial and legal status OF
the Louisiana State Lottery to examine its charter
from the legislature and to see whether II COMPLIED
Win the state constitution. in which the validity Of such
charter Is recognized and guaranteed He was also to
ascertain from state and city officials In New Orleans
whether the company lived up its contract with the
state In the matter Of providing for charitable instt
uon and to obtain the opinion of bankers business
men about the Lastly and most important Of
ALL he to witness the drawing of prizes as conduct
90 monthly In New Oieans and to satisfy himself be.
yono peradyenture as to the honesty and fairness
the system Whether lottery be forbidden by law O.
III Illinois, or chartered by the state as in Louisiana
of be but opinion as to the fact thai
1t be conducted unfairly, it should be exposed as
swindle.
1he History OF the Lottery.
In the year 1866 the Senate House of Representa-
yves OF the State OF Louisiana adopted in legal form
An act 20 increase the revenues Of the State and tc
authorize the incorporation and establishment of the
Louisiana State Lottery Company and to repeal GER
acts now In force" This act provided that no for
een tickets should be sold within tho State and
gave 70 certain citizens named the power to ganze
corporation I'm der the following regulations.
ARTICLE l. The name and title of this corporation
snail be the Louisiana State Lottery COMPANY and tbe
aomlcle thereof shall be In the city of New Orleans
State of Louisiana.
ART 2. The objects and purposes of this corpora
uon are: l. The protection Of the State against the
great losses heretofore incurred by sending large
amounts OF money to other States foreign countries
the purchase Of lottery tickets and devices thereby
1mpoVerishtng our own people.
4 10 establish solvent and reliable home institution
!or the sale OF lottery policy and combination tickets
devices and certificates fractional parts thereof at
terms and prices In just proportion to the prizes to be
oraw and to insure perfect fairness justice in the
distribution Of such prizes.
.. 10 provide means to raise fund for educational
and charitable purposes for the citizens of Louisiana
ART g. The capital stock Of this corporation shall be
each. Wv
Inere were provisions for Board Of Directors com.
posed OF seven seckholders and the CORPORATION was
sVenEah the corporate rights to and be sued etc.
ne duration OF its existence fixed at twenty five
years. In consideration Of the privileges thus gran
and guaranteed the company on it's part arreed 70 the
following: ~
ART g. SECTION l. The corporation shall DAY to the
state OF louisiana the Of 49, 900 per annum which
sum snail be payable quarterly in advance from and
after the LIST day Of January 1869 to the STATE Auditor
VINO shall deposit the same in the treasury of the state
and which sum shall be credited the educational fund
ana said corporation shall be exempt from all other
taxes and licenses Of kind whatever whether from
state, parish or municipal authorities
SEQ 4 The corporation shall furnish bonds to the
Auditor In the sum Of $50 0OO az security for
and punctua Of the set forth in the pre-
ceding section.
The remaining provisions Of the charter re,atad tho
matter OF elections Of officers and the general method
under which the Company should work and gave IL
OF twenty five years from the LIST day Of Jauu.
ary' 1907 the sole and exclusive privilege of establish
ing ana auhoriznR lottery series of lotteries ana
selling and disposng Of lottery tickets policy oomb
nation devices. and certificates and fractional parts
thereof.
Constitutional Guarantees.
follows ' ."
article l67 The General Assembly shall have au-
thory to grant lottery charters PRIVILEGES rop;ded
each charter or privilege shall pay not less than $40 OO
per annum in money into the treasury Of the State.
and prorided further that all charters shall cease and
expire the LIST of January 1895 from which tima an
Lotteries are prohibited in the State
The S4O. 600 per annum now provided bv law tn ba
PAID by the Louisiana State Lottery Company accord
Ing to the provisions of its Charter granted in the
Iooo' snail belong to the Charity Hospital of New
Orleans. and the Charter Of said Company ia recor
n1zed as contract binding the State for the ner5
thereln specified. except its monopoly clause which ia
hereby abrogated and all laws contrary to the mr.
VISIONS OF this Article are hereby declared null and void
procided said Company shall file written
OF all its monopoly features in the office OF the
OF State within sixty days after the ratification of this
Constitution. ~
VI the additional sum raised by licenses on otteries
the Hospital at Shreveport shall receive $40 OOO ANN
y, I'm ahau No i-i1
among the several parishes in the State for the benefit
Of their schools.
Thus douby fortified by constitutional provision and
An Charter the question of the legal e1st
ence OF the Louisiana State Lottery as tn State
OF Louisiana had the power to go was proven IN the
start Having satisfied himself on these points the
investigator proceeded to have series of interviews
with prominent officials and business man Of Nav
Orieans' winch toll their own story, q follows:
State Auditor Jumel.
The Hon. Allen Jumel Auditor OF the State OF Iou.
lana. who was staying few days in New Orlesns was
found and submitted gracefully to the intarviewIn
process. The reporter said:
want TO ascertain through you, as IN ofioer ~
the state the facts as to the legal moral and An
pany." WILL
We'll. sir. replied Mr. Jumel, sit IL thu sra.tast
benevolent institution In the entire south IT is the
pilch COW for every charity, whether persona, m
public. In Louisiana It is the backbone and mnno,t
OF all sanitary measures In New Orleans. It riyea
with free and open hand to al deserving objects
whether church. school, public private charity
II supports Hospital, the largest and best In the
southern States, which gives shelter and medical or
surgical treatment to the unfortunate without dis.
nncuon OF class, creed nationality. As an insti
tuuon 1t protects its franchise against hundreds of
political parasites who would Like to rob the Com
pany OF Its charter regardless Of the loss to the
city OF New Orleans which would follow and for tia
purpose OF obtaining concessions for Themselves
Inc Louisiana State Lottery. 1t Ia conducted IA
perfectly square and honest Tho officers are man
OF nigh standing and repute, and they cannot Afford
20 endanger their regulations rsk the forfeiture
OF their franchise by any slight work. II ta,e
thousands OF administrators Of estates In this country
would guard the trusts devolved them a faithfuv
a. the officers Of the Louisiana State Lottery Com
pany protect theirs. there would be less suffering and
want in the world"
How about the fulnlment Of the Charter provision
q PLACING In your hands 600 every year for char
liable purposesl"
They pay In advance So 900 every quarter into INV
ONCE. During my long administration, have nsver
round them TO be one day behind with their
Al to the men who identified with this great tns
ton. their names have national reputation You can
md out about them by inquiry among our best bud.
nees men. The drawings arc conducted under The per
sond supervision Of Gen. q. T. Beauregard OF t,ia
state. and Gen. Jubal A. Early. of Virginia Whose
names alone are an absolute guaranty Of the bona des
Of the Lottery."
What can you tell me about the attempt made some