The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-04-12

A Big Lottery Scheme Unearthed by
Chicago Detectives.


CHICAGO, April ia clever confidence
game has just been broken up here by
the arrest Of the two young men who
nave been working It. A few days ago
the police came in possession of a circular
bearing this letter head: 81. N. Royal d
Co., New Orleans, New York, Chicago
and Omaha. Financial standing, s1,0O0,-
000". It was dated Chicago, March %,
and offered to arrange matters so as to en-
able the person to whom the circular was
addressed to make 81 1000 without a cent
of cost to himself. The only thing re-
CURED in return was "absolute and total
secrecy" to insure which the sender in
closed two oaths, exactly alike, one of
which was TO be signed and returned by
express. The firm agreed to send by ex-
press full particulars and q check for
1900 as @ 20 as the oath, properly signed,
was received. In conclusion the circular
said: "We will withdraw this order un-
less we hear from you by Monday, April
10. Send oath by express and be sure to
pay the charges. We will explain WIN
this is necessary in our next letter. We
presume that you would not object ia re-
ceiving $1,000 through a lottery. Do not
use the mail, but send all communications
by express.
1t YVES thought that the scheme was a
new feature in she time honored green
goods game. Detectives visited eyery ex-
press Office in the city and found that a
great number Of express packages were
being forwarded to room 5 at 1856 Clark
street. Saturday, Detective Mcdonald
office. she was signing an express re-
ceipt. She said she did not know the
business was conducted in the room as
she had only been employed there since
Thursday to receive packages. She did not
know the name of the man who had en-
ployed her, as she had secured the posi-
tfoff in answer to an advertisement IN n
newspaper. Detective Mcdonald was in
the room when q well dressed, good look
ing young man, with a brown mustache
and gold trimmed glasses, walked in.
"That il the man who employed me-"
the girl said, n he was at once arrested
by the detective. At the Central station
the prisoner said his namo was L. A.
Dumas, but from letters found on him it
was believed that his name is Frederick
G.. Bontils. After q long session I'm Capt.
Shea's office, the man broke down and
told tfe details OF his scheme. Bonfls'
lodging room at 289 Wabash avenue was
visited by the detectives, and q bright
young man, fashionably dressed, was ar
rested. In the room were $4,000 lottery
tickets in exact imitation OF the ticket OF
the Louisiana State Lottery Company fer
adrawing May 10, 1892. The capital prize
was to be $500, 900, and the ticket assured
the buyer that q ''larger per cent OF
prizes are given in this lottery than in
any other lottery on earth"
Both men acknowledged that they had
everything ready to send out the tickets
and reap the harvest. The prisoners had
plentygof money. They had deposited
300 to assure the payment of express
charges to the different companies, and
their engraved, printed and type written
was OF the finest kind. Both
men came from New York to Chicago
March 8, and are believed to have worked
their swindling scheme in the East. Bon
hls is said to be a graduate Of West Point
and to be a member OF q prominent fam
iiy in Missouri.