Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-10-10
The Anti-Lotrery Law.

RULES TO GOVERN THE STANTON AN
OTHER PosT-OFFICEs = CHURCH
FAIRS, LOTTERIES AND GIFT
ENTERPRISES.
Postmaster McMahon has received til
circular letter from the Post-O d.
partment containing instructions fo
PoStmasters in the treatment of the LOT
terry mail matter under the recent Ant
lottery law. After quoting the law in full
the circular letter says:
l. Section 9, 1874, above quoted, applies t
any letter, ordinary or registered, if it con
tains any lottery, gift concert OF scheme de
scribed in the section, and to lottery tickets
checks, drafts, bills, money, postal notes o
money orders for purchase of lottery ticket
or any share or chance in a lottery OF gift en-
terprise, and to the list Of the drawings at any
lottery OF similar scheme, and forbids the car
rying them in the mails OF the delivery Of
them from Post-offices.
2. The seal Of letter OF of any sealed
packet prepaid at letter rates, must not be
disturbed for the purpose of ascertaining if its
transmission in the mail OF its delivery at a
this act. Nor will the mere suspicion that
such letter OF packet relates to lottery, OF
the fact that it is addressed to any person
known to be engaged in the business of con.
Quoting lottery, justify its detention OF non
delivery, except that the delivery of register
ed letters at the office of destination shall be
withheld when the Postmaster-G General has
issued specific orders under the provisions of
section 1929 to that effect.
g. Postal cards and circulars unsealed and
all other unsealed matter may, when suspect
ed of having been deposited OF mailed in
violation Of the provisions of this act, be ex-
amined for the purpose OF ascertaining their
character.
4. The mailing of matter interdicted by
this act by 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. When it is known at the time of deposit
ing them for mailing, that postal cards OF cir-
cu1ars are unmailable under the provisions of
section 1854, above quoted, the Postmaster
should decline to receive them. If they be
found in Post-office, and the sender is I'M
known to the Postmaster, OF if they be discov-
cred in the mail in transit, they should be
Withdrawn and marked or stamped 'fraudu-
lent and sent to the Postmaster-General,
accompanied by special report from the
Postmaster explaining the reason for their
detention.
6. The provisions of this act apply to let
tiers, postal cards and circulars concerning
lotteries OF similar schemes, that come in the
mails from foreign countries, and such matter
so received should be treated as if it originated
in the United States.
Z. Matter sent in violation of the provis-
ions of section 1904, discovered by Postmas-
tiers at intermediate Offices, should be with
drawn from the mail and disposed Of in the
same manner as if it had been discovered by
the Postmaster at the Office of mailing OF the
Office of delivery. But Postmasters at inter-
mediate Offices should not delay the transmits
sion of other mail in making special search
for anything declared by this act to be
unavailable.
s. Newspapers, pamphlets and publications
of all kinds, bearing date before or since the
18th day OF September, 1890, Cat which date
the act took effect), which contain the adver-
tisement Of any lottery, gift enterprise, OF
similar scheme, OF the whole OF part of the
list of prizes awarded at the drawings of lot
teries OF similar schemes. are. by the provis-
ions of this act, denied carriage in the mails
OF delivery to subscribers, addresses, or to any
other persons, OF as sample copies" Post
masters should refuse to receive them from
publishers Or to deliver them if by mad
vertence they reach the Office of destina-
ton When found by Postmasters in the
u lo1J
a report concerning them can be made to
the Postmaster-General and instructions
received from him as to the disposition of
them.
9. 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 it to their respective
Division Superintendent. Division Superin-
tendents should treat such matter in the sa me
manner as Postmasters are herein instructed
to treat it,
IL. The term 'lottery,'' as used in this act
embraces all kinds of schemes, general OF
local, for the distribution Of prizes by lottery
OF chance, such as gift exhibitions, enterpris
es, concerts, raffles OF the drawing of prizes
in money OF property at fairs. Hence, letters
postal cards and circulars concerning them
and newspapers, pamphlets and other publ
cations containing advertisements Of them are
unavailable.
u. The provisions of section 1929, relating
to registered letters. and of section 4,O41
relating to money orders (both of which
sections are set out in full in the preceding
copy of the acD apply to such matter
at offices of delivery only, and are to be ell
forced upon the direct orders of the Postmas
ter-General.
-. Postmasters and other postal officials
and employees are expected to be diligent il
carrying out the foregoing instructions
for the enforcement of the provisions of thi.
act.