Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-10-11
THE ANTl.LoTTERY LAW.

Instructions for tho. Guidance of Post
masters Regarding ITS Enforcemcnt-
Tho Department Clearly Defines What
Constitutes Unmailabio Matter.
WASHINGTON, Oct 4-The following
instructions, embodying the ccnstruc-
ton placed upon the Anti. Lottery law
by the Postofiico Department., were
mailed to postmasters throughout the
country yesterday:
The law applies to any letter, ordinary or reg.
istered. II II concerns any lottery, gift concern
or scheme described in the first section OF the
law. and to lottery tickets checks, drafts, bills
money. postal notes or money orders for the
purchase OF lottery tickets, or any share or
chance in lottery or gift enterprise, and to the
list of the drawings at any lottery or similar
scheme and forbids tho carrying OF them in
the mails or the delivery OF them from post
oflces.
The scnl OF letter or OF any sealed packet
prepaid o. letter rates must not be disturbed
for the purpose OF ascertaining II its transmits.
sion in the mail or its delivery at post-oiioe
is forbidden by the provisions OF this act Nor
will the mere suspicion that such letter or
packet relates to lottery or the fact that 1t is
addressed to any person known TO be engaged
in the business of conducting lottery Justify
its detention or non.delivery except that the
delivery of registered letters at tho office Of
destination shall be withheld when the Post.
master General has issued specific orders. un'
Postal cards and circulars unsealed and oil
other unsealed matter may, when suspected OF
having been deposited or mailed in violation OF
the provisions OF this act be examined for the
purpose OF nscertaining their character.
The mailing of matter interdioted by this act
by citizens TO lottery companies and their rep
resentntives is as clear violation OF the law as
the mailing OF suoh matter by lottery companies
TO their customers or other persons. When 1t
Is known at the time OF depositing them for
mailing that postal cards or circulars are un.
mn q q nj
the postmaster should decline to receive them
f they be found In n postoffice and the sender
ia unknown TO the postmaster, or II they be dis.
covered in the mail in transit they should be
withdrawn and marked or stamped "Fraudu
lent" and sent 10 the Postmaster General ac-
companied by q special report from the post.
master explaining the reasons for their doten.
ton.
The provisions OF this act apply to letters
postal cards and circulars concerning lotteries
or similar schemes, that come in the mails from
foreign countries. and such matter so received
should be treated as IL 1t originated in the
United States.
Matter sent in violation OF the provisions OF
Section 1894 discovered by postmasters at inter
mediate oflces should be withdrawn from the
mail and disposed OF in the same mannern II
1t had been discovered by the postmaster at the
office OF mailing or the office Of delivery But
the postmasters at intermediate Offices should
not delay the transmission of other mail in max
ing special search for anything declared by this
act to be unmailable.
Newspapers, pamphlets and publications Of
all kinds bearing date before or since the 18th
day Il September. 1890 at which date the act
took effect, which contain the advertisement OF
any lottery gift enterprise or similar scheme,
or the whole or part OF the lis OF prizes
awarded at the drawings of lotteries or similar
schemes, are by the provisions OF this act de-
ME carriage in the mails or delivery TO sub
scribers. or to any other person. Postmusters
should refuse to receive them from publishers
or to deliver them IL by inadvertence they
req the office of destination. When found by
postmasters in the mail in transit they should
be held until report co.. 'rning them can be
made to the Postmaster General and tnstruc-
tions received from him as to disposing of them
Foreign newspapers. pamphlets and publica.
tions of all kinds containing printed matter for
biddne by the provisions of this act should be
treated rs IL they were published in the United
States.
Clerks in the railway mail service discovering
matter the carriage of which is 'orbidden by the
pr visions OF this act, should withdraw and for
ward it TO their respective division superintend-
ent. Division supcrintendents should treat
such matter the same as postmasters are here
instructed TO treat 1t.
The term lottery rs used in this act en-.
braces all kinds of schemes, general or local,
for the diStrlbu' ion OF prizes by lot or chance,
such as gift exhibitions, enterprises, concerts
raffles or the drawing of prizes in money or
property at fairs. Hence. letters, postal cards
and circul rs concerning them, and newspapers,
pamphlets and other publications. containing
advertisements of them are unmailable. The
provisions of the law relating to registered let
tiers and to money orders apply 10 such matter
upon the direct orders OF the Postmaster Gen
aral