Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-06-05
BLIND CHANCE.
A thorough Investigation Of the Louisiana
Lottery BY a Representative Of
The Times."
How the Scheme is Operated, and the
Men Who Are Connected
With Il.
A Gambling Institution With a State
Charter and a Government
License.
Opinion as to Its Fairness and the Man.
ner Of Its Workings.
FJon.the Chicago Times, Ifay l6. 1883.

Fron..t he Chicago Times, Ary IS. 1885.
In alIages of the worlds history, among
all races OF people, however highly civil.
lied or the exact reverse, the passion for
wooing the tickle goddess OF chance has in
variably unaffected itself. Legislators and
law giyerS have striyen in vain by the
enactment OF the most stringent statutes
10 repress the practice of gambling in
some or other of its manifold forms, for
the instructive desire TO attain sudden
wealth by the hazard of a die. the reyolu-
ton of q wheel, or the turn of a card is too
deeply implanted in the minds of men
10 be driven out by the power
OF legal enactment. The subject
i 4 fruitful one, and might be made
the text for a thousand homilieS upon the
Jolly and weakness of mankind, as il has
served TO point a million morals in the
past. Blu the Times to-day proposes to
Zeal with only n branch of this great
moral problem, and TO treat only of the
lottery business as conducted by the LouI-
Siana State Lottery Company, an institu.
ton which has its qualifications in every
city OF the United States, and is nowhere
more strongly represented than liz Chicago.
tits well known to all that the early leg
~iSlatOrs of the State of Illinois, in their de-
sire to protect the morals OF the common
wealth, enacted constitutional provisions
i~Orbidding the authorization by the Cen
eral Assembly Of any lottery or gift enter
prise within the State. In accordance with
these laws have been passed, and so far as
Illinois is concerned, the lottery business
is under the ban, But in other States,
and notably in the South, different
ideas have governed, and as the effect
Of the lotteries established under the sane
tion of local laws in Louisiana by no
means confined to that State, it becomes a
matter of general interest to trace their
workings. For this reason the Times has
made thorough and searching investlga-
ton into the manner in which the one
great lottery OF the country is conducted,
by sending one Of its reporters TO Louisiana
TO examine into affairs on the ground. His
instructions were 10 make thorough exam
inatiOn into the financial and legal status
of the Louisiana State Lottery, to examine
its charter from the legislature, and to see
whether il complied with the State conStitu-
ton. in which the sOiidity 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 To its contract with the State in the
matter Of providing for charitable institu-
tions, and to obtain the opinion. OF bankers
and business men about the concern.
Lastly, anu NlOSl lHpOIlduI VI al, liz was
to witness the drawing OF prizes as con-
Quoted monthly in New Orleans, and to
satisfy himself beyond a peradyenture as
to the honesty and fairness Of the system.
Whether a lottery be forbidden by Jaw, as
in Illinois, or chartered by the State, as in
Louisiana, there can OF course he but one
opinion as to the fact that If it be con-
Quoted unfairly it should be exposed as q
swindle.
The History of the Lottery.
In the year 1866 the Senate and House OF
Representatives of the State OF Louisiana
adopted in legal form An act to increase
the revenue Of the State, and to authorize
the incorporation and establishment OF the
Louisiana State Lottery Company, and TO
repeal certain acts now in force. This
act provided that no foreign lottery tickets
should be sold within the State, and gave
10 certain citizens named the power to or
ganize q corporation under the following
regulations: go, 800.
SETIcLEl. The name and title of this
corporation shall be the Louisiana State
Lottery Company, and the domlclle tnereot
shall be in the city of New Orleans, State oil
Louisiana.
ART. .. The objects and purposes OF this
corporation are: l. The protection oil the
State against the great losses heretofore in
Cured by sending large o OF money
10 other States and foreign countries for
the purchase of lottery tickets and devices,
thereby impoverishing our " people.
.. To establish q solvent and rellsole
home institution for the sale OF lottery,
policy, and combination tickets, devices,
and certificates, fractional parts thereon, at
terms and prices in juSt proportion TO the
Mics 10 be drawn, and to insure perfect
fairness and Justice in the distribution OF
such prizes.
;. TO provide means to raise a fund for
educational and charitable purposes tor
the citizens of louisiana.
Art. 8 The capital stock OF this corpora
ton shall be 81, 000,O 0O, represented by ten
thousand shares Of 800 each.
There were provisions for a Board oil ID,
rectors composed Of seven stockholders,anu
the corporation was gwen all Tue CoIP9raoo
rights to sue and be sued. etc. The dura-
ton of its existence was fixed at twenty
i've wears. In consideration OF the prlvl-
leges thus granted and guaranteed, the
company on its part sgreed to the tolLow-
ing:
pay to the State of louisiana the sum OF
$4,000 per annum, which sum shall De
paid quarterly in advance from and alter
the 1st day Of January, 1863, to the state
| Auditor, who shall deposit the same in the
treasury Of the State, and which sum shall
be credited to the educational fund; ana
said CORPORATION shall be exempt from all
other taxes and licenses OF any kind what
| ever, whether from State, parish or NUM-
cipal authorities.
SEc. 2. The corporation shall furnish
bonds to the Auditor in the sum OF SoO,VUO
as security for prompt and punctuai pay
ment of the sums set forth in the proceed
ing section.
| IT. -o,,aip,pn nrOu iainna nf the Char-
ter regulated the matter OF elections OF
officers, and the general method under
which the company should work, and gave
II for a period of twenty-five years from
| the LIST day of January, 1863, the sole and
exclusive privilege Of establishing and au-
thorizing q lottery, or series OF lotteries,
and selling and disposing OF lottery tick
cts, policy, eonbinati on devices, and Ger
tifcates and fractional parts thereof.
constitutional Guarantees.
The Constitution of 1879 provided in
Article l67 as follows:
ARTICLE l67. The General Assembly
shall have authority to grant lottery
charters or privileges, prOridsd each charter
or privilege shall pay not less then So
600 per annum in money into the treasury
of the State; and pT0Uided further that al
charters shall cease and expire on the Isl
of january, 1895, from which time all lot
teries are prohibited in the State.
The $4,000 per annum now provided b.
law to be paid by the Louisiana State Lot
terry Company, according to the provision
of its Charter granted in the year 1868, shall
belong to the Charity Hospital of New Or
leans, and the Charter of said Company i
recognized as 8 contract binding on th