The Republican journal., 1884-01-17

ulOnS. III buys ltS way at Tue primaries,
and does not hesitate to use its influence
in blasting the fortunes of those who
seek to thwart its evil designs. Bribery
and threats are among the weapons it
commonly uses, and its employment of
these is VIGOROUSLY open and public. The
press of the State is silent against the
evil because it is subsidized. In the halls
of justice no one lifts up his voice and in
vokes the aid of the law to remove the
dreadful blight of its influence from the
State. And even the pulpit is silent. SO
great is the influence and so interviewer
with business and other affairs are the
interests of the lottery company that
ministers and priests are seemingly afraid
of arousing its anmosity by denOunclng
its evil effects.
When the legislature Of the State is in
session two and sometimes three men,
silent, grave and imperturbable, stand
near the doors of the chambers They
appear there each day promptly at the
opening of the deliberations, and they
are never absent, except perhaps for a
moment, during their continuance. They
are never spoken to and never appear to
speak to anyone, least Of all legislator.
They keep their vigil well. A str niger
seeing them in attendance under the
circumstances would imagine them to be
officers, somewhat akin to the stately
buffers that grace the Railways of baron
iai palacrs-in novels. There is nothing
obtrusive about their presence or their
conduct, but they manage, without real
ly appearing to do 50, to keep pretty
good track Of all of the legislation. They
are the agents of the lottery company,
and their business is to look after the
interests Of that concern Every one
knows who they are and what their
business is, but no one dares proceed
against them. Their duties extend not
only to attending to bills which directly
affect the interests Of the lottery COM
pany-and it is surprising to find how
many and varied these have become
during Is years-but also to set things
at work to defeat the measures Of the
few men who will not aid the company,
and who despite this fact occasionally
manage to get elected to the legislature.
The manner Of the work done by this
peculiar lobby is rather old. The lobby
lists seek the highways and byways.
There is no meeting with members III
the way Of social converse. But, 0c-
casionally, when d bill comes up about
which something is to be done one way
or the other-or a colored or uniformed
white member seems in doubt as to how
he should act or vote on a pending
measure the member may take a stroll
out of the chamber. And occasionally
also one of the quiet, imperturable OBJ
servers may be missed for a moment
from his accustomed place. A whisper
ed suggestion in neighboring hallway
or equally secluded place generally suf-
fees to throw a flood of light on hest
tating or undecided nature. During the
last session number of gentlemen in
this city thought they could uncover the
enormity of the work Of this lobby. one
man, who had been in the employ Of the
lottery company, was discharged be
cause OF oyer-indulgence in whIsky-not
an uncommon falling, by thel way,
hereabOuts. In disgust at the luck OF
appreciation Of his former employers the
man began talking around Of what work
he had done. His remarks came to the
ears OF some gentlemen who thought
They saw the X-emplOye, and heard
from him a story of most unblushing
bribery Of members Of the Legislature,
in which he had acted as disbursing
agent on behalf of the lottery company.
He was sent, duly accredited, to a We'll :
known gentleman residing at Baton
Rouge, and a resolution was introduced
by Mr.. Gibson Of Madison parish BY
some strange oversight it was actually
adopted. Next day, however, a motion
was made and carried to reSCind the
resolution of investigation and to have it
CXpunged from the minutes. Some time
afterward one Of the lottery men moved
to have the speaker OF the House OF
Representatives Mr.. Robert ogden,
another lottery man-appoint a commit
tee to investigate the charges. This res
oluton passed all right, and Mr.. Ogden
promptly proceeded to appoint on the
committee three of the members of the
House who We're to be investigated. The
committee. OF course, never did any
thing. The delay caused by this bit OF
diminishing was, however, made use OF
by the lottery managers. 1t seems the
eX-employe while remaining at Baton
Rouge was apprehensive that his life
was III danger. He thought the lottery
people would kill him to prevent his re-
yealing the secrets of their work as to
the bribing OF legislators. and often eX-
pressed himself to that effect. For some
time he remained in the sIrictest seclu-
sion and saw no one except the members
Of the family Of the gentleman in whose
house he was domiciled. one day,
however, he accompanied this gentleman
in a buggy around the town, and they
stopped awhile at the Grand Capital
hotel, near the river front. He was seen
in consultation at that place with the
lottery companN's agents and then dis
| appeared, not even calling for his cloth
ing. lie was simply spirited away. The
lottery company again used Its tavorte
remedy brlbery-With good effect on
the man who had used it in their behalf.
And money will so further in this and
most other ways in this than it will else
where. 1t is singular as to how many
persons there are to whom the dollar is
''aS large as Il cart wheel" "Charlie'
Howard, the depraved old man who is
the chiettain of the lottery gang here,
has boosted Of what he has done with
money, and even went so far once as t.
| publish a list Of the members Of the
| Legislature whom he had bribed FOL
: 900 per head to vote for a levee com
/ pany scheme which for the nonce divided
his attention with his gambling oper-
ati0ns. His boast "that there was not
a man in the State of Louisiana that he
! could not buy" has indeed become a
matter of record.
When it comes to the matter Of money
the lottery company is always ''there.
| 1t controls more ready money than any
! institution in the State, not even except
| ing the State treasury. 1t makes no re-
| port TO any one Of its funds or its stand
! ing, and the wisdom Of the serpent is
shown peculiarly in the circumstance
| that it makes 10 report as to its disburse-
ments or the purposes for which they
are made. Its net income, as nearly as
can be ciphered out, is between million
and a quarter and million and hal
dollars per year. Beginning in 1866
| with an entirely nominal and hypothet-
zeal capital of 100000, the corporator<
have been able not only to spend hun
dreds Of thousands of dollars in poltica
and other bribery, but to donate to
themselves and friends SS00,000 Of extra
stock, and to pay regularly As per cent
! dividends on I IOD 0OO If aIlaUed can't a