Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-08-15
LOOKS VERY BLUE.
The Prospects for the Lottery
People in Congress.
A Member Says They Can't
Hold Out Much Longer.

If the Caldwell Bin Fasscs They'll Throw
Up the Sponge-AiIeged that the RE-
publicans Have Reen Promised Eight
Congressman from the south IL they
VIII Cease Their Warfare.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15,--The Louisi-
ana lottery people are greatly discour-
aged over the prospects, One of the
representatives here said Wednesday
that if the Caldwell bill passes they win
give up the fight "The contest in
Louisiana and the fight here has already
cost MS years profits; we can stand it
no longer"
Growing Desperate.
That they have reached a. state of
desperation is evident from the fact that
one Of their representatives, few days
ago approached a prominent Repub-
lican member of congress and suggested
that If the warfare would cease the lot
terry company would agree to deliver
five members of the next house from
| Louisiana and three from Arkansas.
| This was the first intimation that the
lottery company had any formidable
foothold in Arkansas. t44
In the District of COiunbia,
The public is not generally aware that
one of the strongest Notifications Of the
| Louisiana Lottery company is the Dis
! trict of Columbia. All the newspapers
! here. with the exception of an afternoon
daily, print its advertisements and the
| telegraphc cannouncementso of the month
| ly drawings Tickets are purchased
here by the thousand every month, and
the company has a local agent with q
regular force of clerks, and it also has u
local attorney, and recently it has ac-
quired well organized and extensive
lobby.
PostOfice Investigations.
The postoffice department has recently
been conducting some Investigations,
and rome rather startling discoveries
have been made. 1t is found that the
lottery has accomplices in the govern
ment service and even in the postal
service. Joseph King. the postoffice in
spector in charge Of this division, has
been working on the matter for the past
three or four months, and he has col
lected considerable evidence showing
the methods and extent of the lottery
company's operations here II appears
that Washington has been very great
and profitable field.
The inspector submitted lot of evil
dence relative to the June drawing some
iime ago. The district attorney. John
Blair Hoge, was asked to institute pro-
ceedings, but he made no reply to the
departments communication until
second batch of evidence regarding the
July drawings was forwarded The in
vestigation of the August drawing is
under way, and the evidence will be
submitted and the district attorneys at
tention again called to the facts.
The Investigations thus far conducted
show that box in the city postoffice
was rented for NJ. A. Dauphin and the
Louisiana Lottery company by an at
torney named Charles Thompson, who
when legislation against the Louisiana
concern is threatened. The dany mail
varied from 500 to $500 letters. but it
never fell below the former figures
Every morning an employe Of the
Adams Express company, which does
the lottery company's business, would
call at the postoffice and receive this
mail. 1t would be taken in charge by
the express and shipped 80 Baltimore in
packages at times. The delivery of
mail, it was found, was an obliging
practice, which had grown up without
the warrant of law, since no one could
produce the authority from the man
renting the postoffice box.
The fact that Washington is used as
a distributing point was not long kept
secret after it became known that an
immense amount of printing was done
here for the lottery company. The dis
tributing center was usually some place
mp town near the treasury building and
convenient to the express conpany's
branch Office. Bags of mail would be
deposited at the city postoffice mailing
division. sometimes dumped out of
wagons whose drivers had been hired
temporarily. But this mail was always
made up Systematically, bundles for
states counties, etc, being neatly tied
together SO that handling by the mail
clerks was greatly facilitated Govern
ment stamped two-cent envelopes were
always used, and being sealed the post
Office department had no authority TO
interfere with the mail.
In one instance $1,000 pieces were
dumped at the mailing division, mostly
addressed TO places in the eastern states.
This represented but single days mail
sent out by the lottery company. A
few loose pieces found in the mass con-
sisted of lottery circulars. drawings, etc.
Conclusive evidence, however, was
found of the unlawful character of the
mail by marking large number of
pieces addressed to Baltimore aud Will
mington, Del, for Identification. The
addresses Of persons to whom the sup
posed letters were addressed Were taken,
and agents of the postoiiice department
learned from these persons that. rs had
been suspected, the only contents Of the
supposed letters were the lottery circu-
lars.
Most of this work seems 10 be done
for the lottery company by persons who
IN past years were connected with the
postoffice department. and by season of
their experience are able To direct the
evasion of postal laws and to devise
means to keep outside the clutches of
the law. The Baltimore end Of the
business is conducted by persons of this
,lrt. In this connection is mentioned n
prominent politician. lately candidate
for postmaster of that city.
VIII 1t sfa1d the Test?
The postofiice department officials are
of the opinion that the attempts 10 evade
the law will not stand the test in the
courts and the district attorney will be
urged 10 push the cases. The depart
ment has laid the mass of evidence be-
fore District Attorney Hoge and asked
him to Begin proceedings Section 1891
81 the revised statutes, as amended hy
subsequent legislation, Is thought TO
cover the case.
This declares that letters and circu-
lars concerning lotteries are unmailable
and subjects any person who shall
knowingly mail them 10 prosecution.
The district attorneys Office has had
. - Il.