Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-01
HE WON 100000.
A Sharper Who Beat the Vienna Lottery
will, m Confederate's Aid.

A London telegram says: DIR. Roser,
member of the Austrian Reichsrath. who
has been for twenty-five years fighting the
Government lottery enterprise, now has
the opportunity of lifetime. and is not
slow 10 avail himself of it. He has Just
introduced for the twelfth time bill for
the abolition of all the State lotteries, and
in the present peculiar condition Of affairs
is confident that the measure will pass.
The change Of feeling on the subject OF
lotteries. upon which DR.. Roser builds his
homes for success, is not based upon any
moral considerations. IL Is only that SIX
weeks ago a man who was total stranger
in Vienna won 500, 900 of the Governments
money by what appears now to have been a
clever trick.
II is this circumstance that has opened
the eyes Of the Austrian legislators TO the
wickedness of lotteries, and which will
probably pave the way for the FINAL over
throw OF the State lotteries in Austria.
The game in which this unprecedented
winning was made is precisely that which
in America is known as policy" The
gambler selects certain numbers, places
them in certain order and puts up his
stake. If the numbers are drawn in the
order in which he places them he wins
great many times his stake. the proportion
increasing, of course with the number of
numbers which the gambler attempts to
place.
In this case Mr. Farkas-that is the lucky
individuals name-piaved five numbers
and backed his opinion ct several different
Government Offices III Vienna. Five num-
bers are drawn daily out Of the ninety
placed in q glass urn. On this day the
numbers drawn were the five Farkas
selected. He went to the Treasury
Department. showed his ticket, and
demanded his 100000. So large an
amount Of cash was not in the Office, but
the Minister of Finance promptly secured
a loan of the amount from Vienna bank,
and Farkas went of rejoicing with his
As 900 forms in crisp new notes, packed IN
a leather bag. After the money had been
paid the official began to suspect fraud.
Attention was called TO certain peculiar in
cidcnts at the drawing which no one paid
much attention to at the time but
which every one remembered when
farkas's immense winning became known.
The boy who was to have drawn the num-
bers on that day was ordered by the lottery
official in charge to stand ASIDE, and an
other boy who presented himself was ike
wise rejected a circumstance IN itself not
so infrequent as to cause suspicion. But
at this stage young woman appeared and
asked as a favor that her son, whom she
brought with her. be allowed to draw the
nun Ders. The official good-naturedly per-
mitted this. and now the police discover
that Farkas and the young woman
were we'll acquainted with one another,
and it Is even said that the boy Is Far
kass son. Two of the lottery officials IN
charge of the drawing. Farkas himself, the
young woman. and the boy have all been
arrested, and the police are leaving no
stone unturned 10 ferret out the mOdUs
opey0ndi of the swindle, for that there was
a swindle seems certain, not only III Wen
na, but all through Austria and Hungary,
where everybody plays in the Government
lotteries. The big winning and the ro-
mantle sequel are the sensation OF the
lOur.