Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-27
AN AkTl-LOTTERY BILL
Introduced in Congress Prohibiting Lists
or Drawings IN the District.
T3y telegraph 10 the Dispatch.l

WASHINGTON, July 26.-Mr. Moore, Of
New Hampshire, to-day reported tayoraoly
from the Committee on the District OF
Columbia bill prohibiting the advertising
of lotteries in Washington city and recon-
mended its passage. The committee esti-
mates that Sl2, 100000 are contributed an
nually by the people of Washington 10 a
certain lottery company, while the return,
it saws, is IncOnsequentlal. The House
COMMITTEE on Post-Offices and Post Roads
has agreed upon substitute bill ID
lieu of a number of pending bills adj
verse to lotteries, and ordered 1t TO
be reported TO the House. The sub
stitute prohibits lottery circulars and
tickets. lists Of drawings. money or
drafts for purchase of Undergraduates, or
newspapers containing lottery advertise
ments OF drawings from beng carried In
the mails or delivered by the car
riers: and a penalty Of fine not
exceeding $500 and imprisonment not
exceeding one year is TO be imposed
upon any person depositing such matter IN
the mails. The Poetmaster-General is also
to be authorized upon the evidence OF a
lottery or GIFT enterprise 70 cause regis
tered letters directed TO the company 10
be stamped Fraudulent" and returned
TO the senders. and he may also forbid the
payment Of noney-orders addressed 10 q
lottery or gift enterprise company. The
report of the committee TO accompany the
blil is also submitted unavailable under the
law. but il goes without let or hlDdrance
because under the existing statutes II seems
10 be impossible 10 obtain proof OF its cha
racter. The committee quotes the first law
passed declaring the lottery circulars or
letters unavailable, and shows that by de-
cisions of several announcements IT can
be- enforced by the courts only. and
conveys no power TO the Postmas-
ter-General to seize, detain, or withhold
from transmission or delivery any ordi-
nary letter or packet not known by him to
relate 10 Lotteries. Accepting this con-
struction of the law as correct the Post
master-Generars ability to purge the mails
OF this class OF matter Is limited to unseal-
ed circulars and similar matter not pro-
tected by the sanctity OF seal and which
for this reason can be inspected. A per-
son who deposits contraband matter
can be reached by law only when
he can be identified as the man
who deposited it IN the mail. BY
the decision Of tho Supreme Court
sealed letters in the mail can DO opened
and examined only under 0 search-warrant
properly issued. One of the main benefits
10 be derived from the subtitute, il il shall
become law, Is that which makes the act
of mailing lottery letters and circulars con.
tinuous offence and trisble by court in any
jurisdiction through which they may pass or
into which they may go. BY the provisions
of the substitute bill letter mailed at
New Orleans may be traced into any other
State and identified by its delivery. so
that if the act Of mailing can be located
upon an individual or individuals at said
CITY the offence may pass under the review
Of tho courts OF the place Of delivery, TINS
securing fair trial In the localities where
the inhusncs OF the lottery Is. not estab-
from the substitute are tho enfopsion
az the penalty for mailing Htfcrs
iatndAA fl ~ lottae1 ~ ths Nnhlio -.