Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-10-09
THE LOTTERY LAW.


The Post-ofEice Department. Issues Instruc-
tions-What Postal Employees May Do
Diligence Urged Upon Postmasters in Ex-
ecuting the Law.
WASHINGTON, Oct First Assistant
Postmaster-General Tyner. under the
direction of Poetmaster-General Wanna
maker, has prepared for publication in
the Postal Bulletin q circular letter to
postmasters containing instructions Tor
their guidance In the case of lottery
matter, under the recent AnN-Lottery
act After quoting the law in full. the
circular reads Is follows:
Section 1854, above quoted. applied to any
letter, ordinary or registered. II 1t concerns
any lottery, gift concert or scheme described
in the secti. n, and to lottery tickets checks.
drafts hills, money. postal notes, or money
orders for purchase OF lottery tickets, or
any share CT chance in lottery or gilt en-
terprise. and 10 the list of the drawings at
any lottery or similar scheme. and foroids
the carrying of them in the mails, or the de-
livery of them from post offices.
The seal of a letter or of any sealed packet,
prepaid at letter rates. must not be dis
turbed for the purpose of ascertaining if its
transmission in the mail or its delivery at a
post Office Is forbid len by the prov isionA OF
this act. Nor will the mere suspicion that
such letter or packet relates to a lottery, OF
the act that 1t is addressed to any person
Quoting lottery, justify its detention or
non delivery, except that the delivery OF
registered letters at the office of destination
shall be withheld when the Postmaster
General has issued special orders to that
effect.
Postal cards and circulars unsealed. and
all other unseaied matter, may, when sus-
pected of having been deposited or mailed
in violation Of the provisions of this act, be
examined for the purpose of ascertainin
their character.
The m cling of matter interdicted by this
act, by citizens to lottery companies and
their represen tatives, is as clear a violation
of the law as the mailing of such matter by
lottery companies to their customers or
other persons
When It is known at the time of deposit
ing the m for mailing that postal cards or
circulars unavailable the postmaster
should decline to receive them. If they be
found in post Office and the sender is I'M
known to the p stmaster, if they b. dis
covered in the mail in transit they should
be withdrawn AMI marked or stamped
fraudulent" and sent to the Postmaster
General, accompanied by a special report
from the postmaster.
The provisions of this act apply to letters,
postal carts and circulars concerning lot
teres or similar schemes that come in the
mails from foreign countries, and such mail
so received shall be treated if it origin
ated in the United States
Matter sent in violation of the section,
discovered by postmasters at intermediate
post - ffices. should be Withdrawn from the
mails and disposed of in the same manner
as if it had been discovered by the post
master at the Office of mailing or the Office
Of delivery. POstmasters ct intermediate
offices should not delay the transmission OF
other mail in making special search for any
thing declared by this act to be unavailable.
Newspapers, pamphlets and publications
of all kinds. bearing date before or since the
10Th day of September, 1890 Cat which date
the act took effect, which contain the ad-
fca,n nf r..
prise similar scheme, or the whole or
part of the list of prizes awarded at the
drawings of lotteries similar schemes,
are. by the provisions of this act, denie
carriage in the mails or delivery to sub
scribers, addresses, to any other per-
sons, as sample copies" Postmasters
should refuse to rece i've them from publish
to deliver them If by inadvertance
they reach the Office of destination. When
found by postmasters in the mail in transit
they should be held until a report concern
ing them can be made to the Postmaster
General and instructions received from him
as to the disposition of them.
Foreign newspapers. pamphl cts and pub
locations of all kinds con tanning printed
matter forbidden by the provisions of this
act should be treated as if they were pub
lishe in the I'm tied Stat s.
Clerks in the railway M Ill service discov-
ering matter, the carriage of which is for
biddcn by the provfs Ons of this act, should
withdraw and forward it to their respective
intendents should treat such matter in the
same manner as postmasters are herein in
sructed to treat it.
The term LOTTERY" as used in this act EN-
braces kinds of schemes general or local
for the distribution of prizes by lottery OF
chance. such as gift exhibitions, enterprises
concerts, raff1es or the drawing of prizes in
money or property at fairs. Hence, letters
postal cards aud circulars con corning them
and newspapers, pamphlets and other pub
| Iicati1ns containing advertisements are un
| mailable.
The provisions of section 1929, relating te
| registered letters and of section 4oi1, relat.
! in2 to money orders (both of which sections
set out in full in the preceding copy OF
| the act), apply to such matter at offices OF
| delivery only and are to be enforced upon
| the direct orders OF the Postmaster General
| Postmasters and other postal offic ais and
| employees are expected to be d.ligt mt in
| rying out the foregoing instructions for the
| enforcement of the prov isions of this act.