New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-22
JUST WHAT 4 LOTTERY Is.
TIE "MISSlNG-WCRD1 PUZZLE AND TIE
LAW.
SUCH CONTESTS NIGHT NOT BE ~ VIOLATION
OF THE FEDERAL STATUTE

SUCH CONTESTS NIGHT NOT BE ~ VIOLATION
OF THE FEDERAL STATUTE
The mis- sing word" craze reached such dlmensionsn
I'm gland before the courts he'd these contests 10 be
Illegal that the fear Is expressed that 1t will reach
this country An Interesting question. IN view OF the
impending VISITATION, Is whether the United states
statutes would not forbid the OF the mails in connec
ton with such scheme. The problem is to I'LL out
sentence In which word Is left out for instance.
Richard Roe is a black --.' The contestants uy 70
supply the OMISSION sending certain sum. usually
shilling with each guess. The winners divide '"e
total receipts, Periodicals have conducted these con-
tests Sometimes the going TO the winners
amounted TO thousands OF pounds or course ereat
care had - BE- exercised To prevent any on'SiueFs
learning what the missing word was.
The posollicc authorities or Of them. Incline
TO the belief that these competitions would nos 'oiac
The United states postal laws. The Lottery Act
reads: No letter. posialcari or circular concerning
any lottery. so-calIed s concert or smiiar en'ep'
offering mzcs dependent upon lot or chance, or con-
corning schemes devised for the purpose OF OBTAINING
money or property under false pretcnces ana no Hs'
NJ drawings at any lottery or slular schehc anu ~
lottery ticket or part thereof and no check dral' o
monev postal note money order ior 'he purchase VI
any ticket tickets or part thereof, or OF any snare W
any chance In any such lottery or e1it enterprise
snail be carried IN the mall nor SEM any "."
orc, clrc,lar pamphlet publication oil any hhe
containing any advertisement OF any lottery VI si'
n,crprse Of any kind Offering prizes depehueh' up.
IN ar chance or containing any list OF prizes a"aa"
, rho drawing of any such lottery or giit enterprise
h. carried In the mail" The maximum penalty
,,r each violation Of the law IS me oi S'oo VI '
r,isonmcnt for one year. or Dom.
y, n.riollcal carving snch n contest woud %
ar,,tcd 10 the mails II the guessing were depehden'
upon lot or chance. But some OK the pu@Ae, P'''
pounded In England-and perhaps most OF mem
allied on the gIesser 10 exercise MS judgment -
stcod ~ Richard Roe the OF some widely known
o, wore used Intelligence and study wonld ihcrass
ones chances of hitting upon the correct answer .H
:, the mythical Richap Roc were the subject o. inc
t,or,rv II might sti Be held that ingenuity "oua
aid person In deciding alright what tie missing "o'u
-.
H. however the sentence was " lie went 70 =
court might hold that the competition was uepe'N
mon lot or chance and therefore lottery o
the other hand Judge might declare that tie e'el.'
Of skill and thought played part even IN uis ru.,
and might grant the use OF the mails TO the penoai
I'm short n Federal court alone could hhhiy aNi''s'
tho legality Of n missing-wo contest 49, .
There are many distributions OF psiIes WIN" o.
mot hold To be lotteries. They may depend upo"
lhe mental acumcn knowledge ana caicuiauNe $50
Of the competitor. a newspaper has nen' 10 o'
nrlzes for The best guesses on the ma)orues a' %
election. A man who Is informed abont me previous
votes the natural Increase OF voters ana 'he p'o"
effect OF the various issues. "ouhi NC "'o'
, Sncr =, ,nmpctition would no more be lotteIy'
occor,,,c ,o ,b. legal definition. than one IN WHICH
,, ,y,a offered for the best poem on certain sa"
toe, Other contests which arc allowed u'ue' ".
rdc,.a law ar, those In which rewards are gwen WI
,hc hest gness OF the number OF beans Ut s"0' ~
lar for the largest list OK woius 'o'''e" ,
,,,o,, ot a word and for the solution OF rep"S "
mathematical problem In all these cases w.
f. ,ot dcneudcnt purely on lot or chance ou' W -
or entirely upon ingenuity, talent or haio WIN"
tl,r prize goes to the one sehuihs !" '"e ~"
answer his speed Is All eie'heh'' .. ,ar.
cr IN. Other hand. II all the correct ""'"e's
,,,,,,her.d placed Ia Il hat and Que draw" cut "
$1,000, n.,son tn. scheme would become io''e''.
Mental qualities would Increase Que mh" sent 10
~ .rrc,.snl person might be Tue o''c ".,ow.rd,A
,h last solution. Fromptness woulu =, 'h ncrsons
and the law would Interfere. =" - journal or the
" The most subscriptions 10 u ja ,nvionSy
seo ,ns rnuhrr of orders for book. wo,na o nd
70 irr,, AS the contests would De VI '"''
ability. ,,,.s that every customer at his
,r. win receive "A ticket emitting h'', ,n selected
~ sr,in nrizes aud the lucky ilnns'sr IT, 40 called
random the enterpm,Se - IN. ban also. In these
..cS u.nbcp paid n ccrlail sum a w." cs'~sd Ms
;ors were held weekly. Inc w'"n np ali the cases
M"' ,.a,,"d tho Federal statute appes ony W'e" WV
mails are used In iurthernnce o ~. sa"es With the
TIE authorities do not cohcei,, ,r is honestly con
qesuon a ,h pri1ss are awarded In accordance Viz AZ
The rules described The law dehen ,ts dependent
nails to everything relahnS 10 orss irst as Il does
"iUd,,eni ones The fact that ic".s , ~ rrskes
orc gwen with purchases Of goods OF priV this ass
no adherence. Nnmcrru' d'etsions ~
n1t affect the nature OF Tue 'oue'''
r. Mac, via Now. York Central. the Hudson A'.s''
Mohawk Valley and Niagara fh~