The advocate., 1891-02-25

thing was IN readiness tor the draw
ing a Emooth-fsced young man was
blindfOlded, his arm stripped above
the elbow, the trap in the wheel was
opened, he put his hand within and
drew out a number. It was handed
to the manager, who unfolded il in the
presence Of the assembly and declared
what il was. A third party wrote II
upon a blackboard. The drawing
proceeded in this mRnRer until twelve
numbers we're drawn, when the Rn1i-
ous faces Of those present were turned
towards the blackboard and the
magic numbers were carefully COM
pared with those upon the tickets to
see If they had come out OF the wheel
in such order as to secure TO any one
a prize. IL was announced that an
other drawing would take place at 5
o'clock, and, after satisfying them
selves that fortune had not looked
upon them with favor, the disappoint-
ed crowd passed slowly and with ap-
parent reluctance into tho street. The
Church festival guessing match" was
for the time being concluded.
II is hardly necessary to say more
to convey a correct idea Of the char
acter Of this concern. IL has agents
in all the principal cities and towns
in the state, and probably in other
states also, where It's merchandise"
is sold. The mails bring hundreds 0f
dollars TO it's managers every day,'ln
addition to the local receipts. A cor
respondent writing from Kansas City
Kansas, TO the Leavenworth Times
under date Of October is, 1890, says:
KANSAS CITY, Kan, October is, 1890.
Editor LCdUenlDOTth Times
see In your daily Issue Of yesterday that you
speak In nunmeaBured terms OF the great gambling
scheme that exists and Is carried on In Kansas
City, Kansas, under the auspices Of ''The Kan
sas Mercantile Association" This gambling
scheme Is better known to the hundreds Of poor
people, who daily patrOnize 10, as "pOucy," and
they are duped into putting in their last nlCkle
under the delugOn that their investments will
bring them In return many bright and shining
dollars. But, alasl how few Of them are so for
tunate as TO even ever SEQ their hard earned
nlckles again. The charter OF this nefarlOus
gambling scheme was issued under the great
state OF Kansas and signed by its great secre-
iary OF state, william Higglnp. While on the
face OF the charter IL pOrtrays Mercantile ASsO-
citation, }" II turns out that the company operating
under the said charter have two daily drawings
from big lottery wheel placed In Hansen's
opera house, In old Kansas City, Kansas. The
profits Of this gambling scheme are said TO be
immense, as they have agents In all the larger
towns throughout Kansas, II is common talk
here, among few knowing ones, that on the first
day OF each month a check TO the amount OF
eJOO, out OF the net profits Of this company,
passes tho Central bank Of this city and the
money Is sent TO Topeka for the purpOseOi divi-
sion among certain state officers A greatmAny OF
our best citizens here have given this matter
considerable thought Of late and some definite
action has been In contemplation TO expose The
thlevlug scheme, but lnasmuCh as your paper
has enlisted itself In the good and noble work,
we hope for the good OF mankind In general and
the good morals Of our state, that you win con.
tinue with your open batteries and urge an Inn
mediate investigation OF how this charter was
obtained, and why IL was granted by William
Higgins, when he knew at the time, and knows
now (haylng but recently visited Mr.. Kline, Of
this city, the manageE that the company was
s.t,.t.