Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-24
PLAYING POLICY
How Thousands Of People Gamble
Their Money Away.
THE WAY 1T Is MANAGED.
How the Drawings Are Obtained and Dis
tributetl-Headquarters Across the River
The Mystery of the Game-A Policy"writer"
and His Outfit.

DESPITE THE VIGOROUS AND INCEs-
~ SAINT efforts Of the police to suppress and
prevent the nefarious prnctice Of writing policy
in the District of Columbia the extent of the
business and the amount of money daily thrown
away by the players of it in their almost hope
less efforts to beat il demonstrates the fact that
the practice is yet one which numbers among
its participants thousands Of not only the low
est and most absolute of the Districts inhab-
itants, but in addition hundreds of men,
women and boys who would blush and hang
their heads in shame to have it known that
they PLAYED policy" as it is technically desig-
mated. And that the readers of The STAR may
fully comprehend the extent and evil results of
the practice, as well az understand the system
the game is given:
than the engagement by those who play it in a
lottery drawing, in which the chance of the
player securing a prize il, according to the
most liberal estimate, in $50. Like the draw
ings OF the Louisiana state lottery, the draw
lngs do not take place in the District, but. I'M
like the drawings of that lottery. the policy
drawings occur twice every day excepting Sun
days and legal holidays. Several companies or
concerns are engaged in running the games, or
lotteries, in which the District players take
".
The other concerns are stationed at some myth
ical point over in Virginia across the Long
bridge.
The drawings Of the Kentucky company are
telegraphed to its agents here in cipher and
are then put in printed form over in Virginia,
and Immediately afterward distributed in the
Districtby their writers" The drawings of the
other concerns take place in Virginia. Just across
from the city, and are also printed there. Some
OF the companies being. it is stated, totally
unreliable, it is very serious question whether
their drawings ever really take place. those
best informed in these matters being of the
opinion that their drawings are in reality put
up jobs. In addition to these ''snide" or
fake" concerns there are also individuals in
the District who run such cut-throat games;
but, OF course, in a more limited way.
THE WRITER.
The first move of a person desiring to play
policy is to find "policy writer" Now. the
''writer," as may be inferred, is that agent of
the company who receives and records the play
writer is supplied with long slips of white
paper, which he uses for the purpose of giving
the player a record of the numbers played, a
record book in which, by means of manifold
and carbon paper, duplicate records of all plays
written are made, and a dated stamp, with
which all tickets given the player are stamped.
The plan of procedure observed by both the
player and the writer may thus be described:
Seventy-eight numbers, running from to 78.
inclusive, being used in the drawing, twelve of
which are drawn in the morning drawing and
thirteen in the evening drawing, the player in
forms the writer what numbers he desires to
play; or, in other words, those numbers
he (the player bets will be drawn.
The player at the same time of
course hands the writer the amount of the bet
In no other gambling game under the sun is
there such regard and respect for the limited
means of the player. for a bet OF even as small
an amount as l cent will be accepted by the
writer" However, as the "writer'' receives
from the company 20 per cent of the total
amount of all bets taken by him, it is, of
course, to his interest to have the bets as large
and as many of them possible. So ii is,
knowing well the common superstition of his
patrons regarding the significance of dreams,
he also provides himself with dream Book"
in which the anxious inquirer may find. as re-
CARDS the right numbers to be played. correct
Interpretation Of any and all dreams he may
have. From cent bet may run almost as
much higher as the player desires to 60. 1t is
known that man who several years ago was
convicted here of defrauding the government
used to play as high n bet as $500. After the
player has made his play he must, of course,
await the result of the drawings. As stated
above there are two daily drawings, one about
noon and the other about pm.
THE DRAWINGS.
As soon as they are printed the writers are
provided with copies Of them for general dis
ttribution among their patrons and such of the
general public as may be trusted These
printed forms appear about as follows: