Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-03
THE NEW ANTI-LOTTERY LAW.
Instructions TO Postmasters a. 10 In
Rigid Enforcement.


The following instructions 70 postmaster.
relative to the enforcement OF the new anti
lottery law, have been prepared by Judge
Tyner. the assistant attorney general FOR the
Post Office Department, and were issued to-
day:
The law applies TO any letter, ordinary or
registered, IL it concerns any lottery, Gift con-
cert or scheme described in the Law, and 70
lottery tickets, checks drafts. bills. money postal
notes or money orders for the purchase OF lot
terry tickets, or any share or chance in lottery
or gift enterprise, and to the list OF the draw
ings at any lottery or similar scheme and for
bids the carrying Of them in the mails or the
delivery of them from post Offices.
2. The seal Of letter or Of any sealed packet
prepaid at letter rates must not be disturbed
for the purpose OF ascertaining il its transmits
sion In the mail or its delivery at post Office
Is forbidden by the provisions of this act Nor
VIII the mere suspicion that such letter or
packet relates to lottery or the fact that II 10
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 az the office Of
destination shall be withheld whom the Post
master General has issued specific orders I'M
der the provisions OF section 1923, TO that
effect
8. Postal cards and circulars unsealed and
! all other unsealed matter may, when suspected
Of having been deposited or mailed in viola
ton OF the provisions of this act. be examined
for the purpose Of ascertaining their charac-
ter.
4. The mailing OF matter interdicted by this
| act b. citizens to lottery companies and their
representatives is as clear violation OF the
law as the mailing of such matter by lottery
companies TO their customers or other persons.
5. Whom IL is known at the time of deposit
ing them for mailing that postal cards or cir
| culars arc unavailable under the provisions OF
| section 1894. above quoted, the postmaster
| should decline to receive them. IL they DO
| found in post Office and the sender Is I'M
known to the postmaster or il they be dis
covered in the mail In transit they should be
withdrawn ana marked or stamped ''fradu-
lent and sent TO the Postmaster General, Rc-
companied by special report from the post
master explaining the reason for their deten-
ton.
G. The provisions Of this act apply 10 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 it originated in the
| United States
Z. Matter sent in violation OF the provisions
| of section 1894. discovered by postmasters al
| intermediate offices. should be withdrawn from
| the mail and disposed of in the same manner
as If il had been discovered by the postmaster
| at the office of mailing the Office OF delivery.
But postmasters at intermedl Offices should
/ not uclay the transmission OF other mail
making special search for anything declared by
/ this act 10 be unavailable.
| & Newspapers, pamphlets and publications
| OF all kinds bearing date before or since the
| 18th day of September, 1890 lat which date the
/ act took effectD, which contain the ADVERTISE
mont of any lottery, gift enterprise or similar
| scheme or the whole or part OF the list OF
prizes awarded at the drawings of lotteries or
similar schemes, are. by the provisions Of this
| act. denied carriage in the mails or delivery 70
1 an hGa Ihar nd ~ anu thar
| or sample copies" PostmRsters should
| refuse to receive them from publishers or TO
| deliver them il by inadvertence they reach the
| Office of destination. When found by post
masters in the mail IN transit they should be
| held until report concerning them can be
made TO the Postmaster General and instruc-
tions received from him as to the disposing Of
them.
g. Foreign newspapers, pamphlets and pub
locations OF all kinds containing printed mat
ter forbidden by the provisions of this act
should be treated as if they were published in
| the United States.
10. Clerks in the railway mail service dis
covering matter the carriage of which is for
hidden by the provisions of this act should
| withdraw and forward il to their respective
| division superintendents. Division superin-
| tendcnts should treat such matter in the same
| manner as postmasters are herein instructed to
| treat il.
IL. The term lottery as used in this act
| embraces all kinds of schemes, general or
local, for the distribution of prizes by Let
| or chance, such as gift exhibitions or enter
prises, concerts, raffles. or the drawing Of
I'prizes in money or property at fairs. Hence,
| letters, postal cards and circulars concerning
them and newspapers, pamphlets and other
| publications containing advertisements Of them
are unavailable.
| II. The provisions OF section 1929. relating 20
registered letters, and OF section 404l, relating
| 10 money orders Goth of which sections are
| 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
Is. Postmasters and other postal officials and
employees expected TO be diligent IN carry
ing out the foregoing instructions for the en-
| forcement Of the provisions of this act